Crowne Plaza Verona Fiera

"It’s a nice hotel , have a bar and a restaurant and parking. But lunch and dinner were not good at all and the room is very expensive"

"An experience I hope is never repeated. Conference room-oven, greenhouse effect. Eating little and poorly, elevators for going up and down—which would be the most basic thing—constantly blocked and jammed. In the evening after 11 PM there is only 1 person; practically, the hotel is not supervised. I can say that the ladies on the floors were the only ones who put effort into cleaning."

"I am an employee of an IHG chain hotel in Rome and, precisely for this reason, I know well the standards of hospitality and service that should characterize the group. Unfortunately, during our stay at the Crowne Plaza Verona Fiera, I had the distinct impression that IHG standards have been completely forgotten. The most basic principle of hospitality is to welcome the guest with a smile and make them feel welcome. Here, unfortunately, this principle was missing practically everywhere, both at the Front Office and in the other departments. The check-in, performed by Alice, was extremely cold and hurried. No real welcome, no significant explanation about the facility or the services: the goal seemed to be simply to register the documents, hand over the keys, and get us away from the desk as soon as possible. The only information provided verbally concerned breakfast, as it is a paid service. For the rest, we were simply handed a small information sheet stapled to the key card holder. To obtain information about the shuttle service, places to visit, and other hotel services, we had to ask the questions ourselves. I am also an IHG One Rewards Platinum member and, in addition to this, I am a colleague who works for the same hotel chain and in the same country. I would have therefore expected at least a minimum of extra attention. I did not receive an upgrade, which is perfectly understandable when there is no availability, but I was told that the upgrade could not be granted because the stay was for five nights. A justification that I find frankly very questionable and disappointing. The management of the minibar was also absurd. The room description mentions a stocked minibar, without specifying clearly enough that it is a paid service. This inevitably generates confusion, so much so that we had initially thought it was included in the rate. The Rooms Division Manager, Angelica, replied to us that it was the first time she had heard of an included or complimentary minibar. I would suggest that Ms. Angelica travel a bit more and stay in other hotels around the world, to see what services and standards are normally offered to guests. Even more incomprehensible was the handling of the water. The hotel provides only one bottle of water during the entire stay, regardless of the number of guests and the number of nights. We stayed for five nights: one bottle of water for five nights, evidently considered sufficient. It almost seems that in this hotel even a basic necessity like water is treated as a luxury good. After a long conversation with Angelica, we were finally granted one bottle of water per day, but apparently it was necessary to ask the General Manager for permission. I find it honestly incredible that authorization from Management is necessary for a bottle of water. Traveling with our dog, we also paid €15 per day, so €75 for five nights, for what is defined as a welcome amenity for the animal. The “grand” welcome kit consisted of a bowl, a towel presented as a bed, a snack for the entire stay, and some waste bags. Frankly, €75 for this service seems completely disproportionate to me. The operation of the reception also leaves much to be desired. There are two computers in the front and two in the back of the desk. During our stay, I frequently saw the staff working in the back, while the Front Desk should, by its very nature, be manned and above all attentive to the guests present in front of the desk. And in fact, we never truly felt welcomed. Entering or leaving the hotel, there was not a simple “good morning,” “good evening,” or a smile. These are elementary gestures, which cost nothing, but make a huge difference in the guest experience. However, I must absolutely give credit where credit is due: the housekeeping staff did an excellent job. The room was always perfectly tidy and the staff was always smiling and helpful. A special thanks also to Giovanni, the shuttle driver, who was truly pleasant to meet. He was kind, helpful, and gave us several useful suggestions about the city, remaining available for any further questions as well. It is precisely these small attitudes that represent true hospitality. One last almost surreal note: the minibar prices are displayed in British pounds (GBP) instead of euros. Perhaps the hotel forgot that it is located in Italy and not in the United Kingdom. Overall, the feeling we had is that the staff was trained primarily to say “No” to any request, rather than to look for a solution or help the guest. It is a real shame, because the structure itself is beautiful and the hotel has potential. But a beautiful structure without an adequate culture of hospitality remains simply a building. The next time I return to Verona, I will prefer to spend more and stay elsewhere. I would also like to suggest that the staff stay at other IHG hotels, in Italy and abroad, to see for themselves how guests are welcomed and treated when hospitality standards are actually applied. Potentially valid structure, but overall experience decidedly disappointing. For me, not up to the Crowne Plaza name nor the standards I would expect from IHG."