Nils
3/5
I had a booking for Clarion Collection Hotel Arcticus Harstad. A couple of weeks ahead, I was informed that the hotel I had booked would be closed during Easter and that I’d be moved to Quality Hotel Harstad (which both belong to Strawberry corporation). Sadly, I only found out about it a few days before my stay, as it was sent together with a greeting message via Booking.com and was placed underneath so that I only discovered it at that time. I looked up the hotel and it seemed like it had no sauna. Thus I messaged the hotel via Booking.com to which I received no reply as they were unable to forward the messages to Quality Hotel.
On check in, I was informed that the hotel had no sauna. In addition, the dinner that was included in the price I paid would also not be included as it would not be buffet, but what they call higher standard. In consequence of this, I had an argument with the hotel staff that lasted at least 20 minutes. I was referred to the reception staff’s supervisor who seemed to be trained, but had 0 empathy and talked to me like a bloody chat bot. I was informed that the dinner would not be included as the hotel room is more expensive. Well, why I was there, some guy came up to get a quote and it was 50 kr more expensive than the hotel I had booked. 50 kr difference and they act like they upgraded my to the freakin‘ Ritz (they also gave me the lowest class room by the way despite the hotel being almost empty).
During the discussion with the hotel staff, they also revealed that they already had that issue the day before. They also asked me why I had not contacted them in advance to ask whether the dinner would be included. It is not the customer‘s duty to contact the hotel about it and to come up with a solution. This is something that the hotel should’ve figured out when they decided to shut down the other hotel for Easter and thus save costs. Some of those saved costs could’ve been passed to the customers by just supplying the dinner for them. Instead, they decided to go big greedy corporation style and refuse to serve dinner.
At the end, I was asked to make a proposal on „what could my stay nicer“ and that „supper would be off the table“. Again, it is not my duty to come up with the solution. I anyway did and proposed that if I ordered three courses, they would pay for the main. Instead of just agreeing after 20 minutes of discussion and drawing the attention of everyone in the hotel lobby, Mrs. chat robot asked what main course I’d like to order. I was simply left with my mouth open at that point as it was obvious that they had 0 interest in the customer‘s satisfaction, but only their earnings. We agreed that I’d order the fish dish. The dinner was ok, but not super nice and for the appetizer they had mozzarella which they could not even take out of the fridge early so that it would not be served cold (that’s the “high standard” they have).
All in all, I was left with 295 kr in additional expenses for food and 225 kr at the local sauna. So I payed more than 500 kr extra on the already expensive room rate just because Strawberry decided to save costs.
I feel fooled by Strawberry and their inability to neither consider this in advance nor solve it properly on-place with the hotel staff or their supervisor on the phone. They robbed me a significant amount of time, money and nerves. They have 0 interest in the well-being of their paying customers. I will not stay at one of their hotels again.
Edit: The hotel reached out to me and reimbursed me for the extra costs and my stay. I appreciate that they listen to customer feedback. I have adjusted my review accordingly.
