New Horizons
We had booked 1 of only 2 best suites of the entire hotel on floor 42 for our anniversary, directly with the hotel -no intermediaries- and three weeks in advance. We talked over 10 minutes directly with the hotel about every detail of the spectacular room we had been offered and we called again 3 days prior to arrival just to reconfirm the room details. However, to our disbelief, at arrival we were given a lesser room, 20 floors below. After complaining and explaining in detail what had been booked for us by their employee, we were given another room and offered our money back with really bad manners by the hotel staff after having taken a 5-hour drive only to arrive at the hotel and our supposed best suite in the entire hotel. They were only willing to give us our original booked suite on floor 42 after a 2 hour wait and demanding an additional payment of 300 Euros just for a 2-night stay. We were treated like complete liars; truly shocking and shameful experience that almost ruined our anniversary completely. Responsible is the hotel manager (Argentinian man with white hair) and some guy called Alejandro who booked our dream room over the phone for us and never ever showed up to face the situation he had created. We only wanted what had been offered and booked for us, nothing more and nothing less. Additionally, cleaning was shocking with cigarette buds in the balcony, hotel room looked unclean/unhealthy, nobody ever came to clean the room, change the sheets or offer clean towels, just got worse and worse. We had breakfast only on the final day and left with diarrhea for a week. The experience just makes us laugh now because it could not have been worse in every way. Hotel service and condition is 2-star at best, 4-star is a long way away from reality at "Gran" Hotel Bali.
Additional Comment: After reading their reply to my specific and honest complaints, it is obvious that they are far from understanding what Customer Service entails. Their responses to me and to other guests show a very aggressive attitude and a clear lack of respect for their customers and lack of professionalism in general - they don't know what they're doing. The only way that they find to cover their mismanagement and lies is to come up with even more lies. I felt ripped off from the minute I walked into the reception area and I keep feeling ripped off by their lack of honesty and mismanagement. Every cent I spent at this hotel was a cent too much, there was no way I was going to be ripped off again by spending even more at this place - and thank God I didn't. Not worth the hassle, my advice is that you stay well clear from this place if you want to have a nice stay in Benidorm.
Richard Torliefson
We went for a 30th birthday and found that all inclusive didn’t mean that. You had to pay for premium drinks which isn’t disclosed on the website, we mentioned this to staff and they replied take it up with your holiday rep. We even got charged for beer we didn’t ask for. The staff are generally quite rude but there is just a small amount who are pleasant. When we checked in there was also a venue on so the wait was quite long as the staff were allowing the people who were attending the venue to cheat the line. The rooms are a really poor and out dated, you would be better in a travel lodge. You get a band for all inclusive but it’s just a way for them to brand you as you need to have a room key before you get any food, water or drinks. All the meals and drinks you wait in lines for which isn’t a great service. There is general entertainment at night but it seems it’s directed at the locals as it turns into an old folks home at night. You don’t get table service in the evenings but the locals who come in do. It seems once they have your money then they’re not interested. I did go there with an open mind but for a 4 star hotel it’s a disgrace. In the uk it wouldn’t get 2 stars never mind the 4 they say they have. There is much nicer places to stay so I would suggest that you go somewhere closer to the centre as this is a fair bit away. We did speak to a manager regarding the conditions and she just scoffed at us with the opinion how dare you say this is not a good hotel. AVOID AVOID AVOID
Steven Rhodes
Rooms are dated and tired - you have to stand in the bath to shower. Wi-Fi is poor on the higher levels.
You have to pay extra for what should be standard- to use the safe in the room, to hire beach towels, to access the hotel’s viewing gallery and for children to use the play areas.
Rooms are clean and drinks are reasonably priced. 8 minute walk to the beach. Hotel is away from the louder areas of the city.
Excellent ballroom for dancing.
TONY
The staff have been unbelievable, so helpful and kind, they remember me every time I come in the bar and make me feel great. They all work so hard, I don't know how they do it. I can't mention just one person because they're all equally fantastic. I lost my ring that isn't worth much but it means a lot to me and went to ask at reception, not expecting it to show up but it did! It was handed in by the cleaners, goes to show how honest they are. I can't fault the food either, there's something everyday. The rooms need a little out of date but I was told they have upgraded a few floors and have more planned but makes it harder when they're open all year. Amazing experience, would definitely come back.
Conor Cunningham
The hotel is nice rooms are grand just what you would expect no complaints. The staff are absolutely terrible they can give you no advice on anything completely unhelpful and incompetent they didn’t have our reservation when we arrived and had prepaid so had to email screenshots of it to reception we booked the spa for 10am there was a queue at the door until 10:50am and when we asked at reception what was happening we were told it wasn’t something they could help with! We asked could we book a taxi for our flight which was early morning and the man laughed at us and said he couldn’t help although another person at the desk did help us which was the only positive I can take from the staff employed here. Plenty of places to stay in Benidorm, this place I’d be avoiding.