EemailkennyThis is a very high-end hotel in Venice, with modern rooms (though a few inconveniences, such as not being able to hand-wash underwear). The service is excellent, but the price is high.
According to the Ctrip room description, I booked an executive suite (2 adults, 2 children) for two nights. It had a king bed and two single beds, and I double-checked that there was no sofa bed or extra bed. The cost was around 16,000 for two nights. Upon check-in, the lobby was incredibly welcoming, offering a welcome drink. However, they explained that since I had only entered two adults in my booking, they assumed I was booking one child. Since there were two children, they would charge for an extra bed. I immediately thought this logic was flawed. If they had already prepared two beds, why did they assume there was only one child? If they knew there were four people, why would they charge for an extra bed? The front desk staff said it might have been a misunderstanding.
I immediately checked with Ctrip, and they said there was no charge. However, upon entering the room, as shown in the picture, it was a repurposed sofa in the living room with a mattress and a spring bed, completely inconsistent with the Ctrip booking description and my repeated confirmation. Ctrip helped to mediate, saying that this was the only option, and that as long as the child could sleep, they wouldn't make a fuss.
Upon check-out, in addition to the city entrance fee, they printed out a receipt stating employee benefits, nearly 100 euros, supposedly a service charge. Since I had a ferry to catch, I paid it, but then took the receipt to Ctrip, as it was an additional expense. After confirming it was a tip, the hotel explained that we had no objection. This is interesting; if it were a tip, the guest should have specified the amount (I'd probably accept 300 euros, right?), rather than simply printing out a figure for payment. Ctrip then arranged to refund the amount in a few days.
These small details highlight the hotel's treatment of tourists, or perhaps Ctrip's tactics against Chinese tourists. Everyone should be aware of this. The hotel is still good; after all, at 8,000 euros a night, it's certainly worth it.
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