N K.
Google
We were booked a suite at the W Hotel Melbourne on our wedding night, gifted by a friend. Unfortunately, what should have been a special evening turned into a huge disappointment.
From the moment we arrived, the staff were rude and dismissive — not even a greeting at check-in. They were aware it was our wedding night, yet showed no warmth or hospitality.
Despite our friend confirming payment in advance (and being told the charge would be processed to her card), the front desk insisted they could not allow us entry without charging my card directly. Being our wedding night, we didn’t have our physical cards with us. When we said we’d just leave, they suddenly said they would charge our friend’s card anyway for the full amount — completely contradicting what they had said minutes earlier.
In the end, we had no choice but to use Apple Pay to put the charge on our own credit card, as we were told that whether we stayed or left, the room would still be charged either way. This made the whole situation unnecessarily stressful on what was meant to be a happy night.
The suite itself was nothing special — very basic for the price and lacking any luxury touches. Even worse, the bedding had visible mould, which we have photos of.
The only redeeming part of the stay was the breakfast buffet, which was excellent.
At checkout, staff didn’t ask how our stay was, didn’t offer a farewell, and simply took the key card with a brief “bye.” We didn’t even have the chance to raise the issue of the mould in person.
Overall, this was a deeply disappointing and upsetting experience, especially on such an important night. For the price and reputation of W Hotels, the service, cleanliness, and professionalism were far below expectation.
I would appreciate being contacted by management for further comment, as I believe a partial refund or some form of compensation is entirely reasonable given the circumstances.