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W Barcelona May Be Stylish, But Still Needs To Work On Service

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: Plaça de la Rosa del Vents, 1 , Barcelona, Spain, 08039
October 26, 2009 at 10:53 AM | by juliab | 1 Comment

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Last time we looked, the W Barcelona wasn’t going down so well with its clients. But then that was after opening weekend, nearly a month ago. Is it time to give it another chance?

The Independent reviewed it this weekend and, going by the review, it'd seem the “abysmal” service and “no edgy people” may have been teething problems.

The hotel is “nothing if not striking”, they say, and the pool is “bracingly cool” (we're assuming that's in a literal sense - it's nearly November, after all). The views from the 26th-floor Eclipse bar, meanwhile, are “bewitching”.

As for the rooms, they have “decent floor space and wide-reaching sea views”, with “all the gadgets and gizmos you’d expect of such a style-driven hotel”, while Starwood’s Heavenly Bed is “cloud-like”.

Things that give us pause for thought: the bathrooms are “integrated into the main room” (err, privacy?) and there’s no mention of the staff or the service, abysmal or otherwise.

Unfortunately, Tripadvisor is still showing issues with the staff. TbirdKildareIreland reports that air con didn’t work in their room, they weren’t given any of the extras that were supposed to come with their package and many of the staff are “too cool to serve”. And SSdlfun1 reckons that the waiters are “more interested in their looks than in serving you”.

Let this be a lesson - specifying “ultimate cool hunters” for your staff can lead to problems. In the mean time, rates show no sign of dropping – if you want to go there this weekend, you’re looking at €257 ($386/£237). Don’t think we’ll be chancing that one quite yet.

[Photo: W Barcelona Facebook]

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Return to » W Barcelona May Be Stylish, But Still Needs To Work On Service

  1. PulsoBCN

    HotelChatter Member

    Not Opening is the NEW OPENING

    There is a disturbing trend popping up in the hotel world and it's about time we call it out. The official word on the comment section is that "opening day does not mean opening party"
    Chalk it up to the "crisis" or lack of imagination but for the second time this month a hotel in Barcelona (I'm looking at you W) has opened but not really opened.
    The EMMA hotel is fully functional except one would not know it by checking the website. The official word is that the hotel will not open OPEN for another month but guests are welcome to check in anytime they want (but they can never leave). The EMMA hotel joins the impressive line up hotels that can be booked on online but have not officially opened according to the hotel management. Which is quite disturbing when trying to get the scoop on what is going on. Upon asking the sharply dressed male models at the front desk, one is directed to call a ROOMATE hotline where tours of the hotel can be scheduled. You heard it here first- not openeing is the new opening...
    -David Naveira
    www.pulsobcn.wordpress.com
    October 27, 2009 at 8:10 AM
    #Permalink

Return to » W Barcelona May Be Stylish, But Still Needs To Work On Service

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