Grand Hotel Bristol Resort and Spa

Let us start with the positives: location & views, F&B staff attempt their best with limited mgmt support. Excellent SPA (we suspect managed separately). However outweighed by negatives, not enough space to write it all: 1/ we were 1x week in a suite (405) + room (408). no hot water for the shower during entire stay. At maximum heat, shower pressure was a bare trickle of lukewarm water; alternative being freezing water at normal pressure. We informed hotel 24hrs into our stay; we arrived Sat, we are leaving today (Fri) and it has not been solved. Hopefully the hotel will solve it for the next occupants. General manager claimed he had not been aware of the issue (..). We asked whether they would inform the next occupants, we didn’t get a clear answer. Unelegantly they offered money, which we refused. When asked what they would do to improve service, the answer was “90% of our clients are happy”. Shouldn’t anything short of 100% be a reason for action? 2/ 3 family members are coeliacs, we told the hotel 48hrs before arrival so F&B staff could be told. When we arrived pool restaurant staff didn’t know. They fixed it when we raised it. Yet it was disappointing they had not done it proactively. 3/ the gluten free bread was green mouldy. Issues happen with packaged goods but it is emblematic that food put out for clients is not systematically checked every day. 4/ one evening laundry was left in our room that wasn’t ours but some other client’s items. 5/ we ordered room service on at least two occasions and each time the order was delivered wrong or incomplete 6/ every morning at breakfast including as I write (!) I was offered other people’s orders. “Did you order a cappuccino?” Is now a family catchphrase. Yet our own orders had to be chased several times. 7/ equally we were often given other clients’ bills to sign. Yesterday at the pool I had to remark facetiously to the staff that while I was happy to only pay €46 for our family Linux we had more than a couple of coke zeros (we didn’t it was someone else’s check) 8/ if you have life threatening allergies (eg nuts) stay away — breakfasts foods of different types are handled with the same cutlery. List is longer and it seems to be known locally. A taxi driver told us last night unprompted “they are young managers and staff there, they don’t really know their trade, you should have tried some of the more established hotels”. Worse of it all when we told all of this to the hotel GM so that they could improve, he was defensive and in denial — more interested in his own (high) self-esteem than bona fide feedback. Potential for the hotel is there, with seasoned management it could be a real hit. As it is the beautiful Italian Riviera offers multiple better value for money in the higher range hotels.

Fabulously located within a 15 minute walk to town. Wonderful views from our 3rd floor room. Clean, updated, roomy and sunny rooms with a very comfortable bed! Breakfast had plenty to offer for all tastes. My only complaint is that the restaurant staff ( first floor restaurant not the upstairs one) seemed very stressed and perhaps poorly trained. Our waiter ( who was kind and helpful ) actually told us they were running low on olive oil ( in Italy?) and would not leave a bottle at the table. He also gave us a very jumbled and semi inappropriate hint as to how to tip him in the way that he would get the most money. I have all the respect in the world for service employees having been one in my younger days. It just felt inappropriate and in poor taste. We did not use the pool but it looked lovely and plus that the gym had a rowing machine!

We arrived at the Hotel Bristol after a very stressful week spent getting to Italy (cancelled flights, lost luggage, etc.) We found that they had upgraded us to a room with a balcony/sea view which was wonderful. The staff were amazing from the valets to the concierge, especially Paula. They responded graciously to every question and request. The spa was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had including the Four Seasons. All in all, a delightful surprise!