Nadia N.
Google
I’ve stayed at East Hotel Hamburg twice this year: the first time in May, which was wonderful. I loved the ambiance, the design, and especially the room with the large bathtub. Because of that great experience, I decided to book again in October through Navan (Expedia PartnerCentral) for a work trip, specifically selecting and paying for the Aqua Room.
However, upon arrival, I was given a completely different room without the features of the category I had booked. When I showed my confirmed reservation, which explicitly stated Aqua Room, the front desk informed me that the error had come from the booking partner and their system that there was nothing they could do unless I paid an additional €35 to get the room I had already booked. After a long day of travel, I reluctantly paid the extra fee, even though the mistake was clearly between the hotel and the partner, not mine. Since I had other work-related plans and didn’t want to waste more time at the reception, I decided to resolve the matter with the hotel later.
What disappointed me most was how the situation was handled afterward. Despite acknowledging that the issue came from their booking partner, management refused to refund the €35 and advised me to take it up with the external provider myself. This raises a serious question: how can any guest trust the hotel’s booking and notification system if, upon arrival, they can simply claim an error occurred and downgrade your room —> even when your company has already paid for a higher category?
For a hotel of this standard, I expected a much more professional and guest-focused resolution. It’s a beautiful property, but the lack of accountability and poor handling of this issue left a lasting negative impression. I travel to Hamburg several times a year for work, but I’ll be looking for a better alternative in the future.