"We are Accor Plus Platinum members so often try to book Accor Hotels when ever we can.
Arrival at the Hotel from Lisbon airport was pleasant : we used the Hotel Pick up service. It was mildly concerning that the driver called us to say that the waiting time of 1 hour was up and he would leave or the hotel will need to charge extra! it was 55 mins from the stated arrival time but it appears he arrived at 12 noon for a flight scheduled to arrive at 12.35. Lisbon Immigration is absolutely chaotic : took us over 1 hour to get out. 6 E-gates for around 400 people ! It was a very expensive ride in excess of AU$125 and Bolt Ride Share took us back on our departure for AU$20!
Arriving at the hotel our room was ready and we were grateful for early check in. The Hotel is located in one of the most central areas of Lisbon with beautiful tree lined streets. There was no acknowledgement of our platinum status. We had room 509: facing the beautiful trees of the Avenue. Triple glazed windows kept the noise out mostly . The rooms are well appointed but small. Suitcases were on the floor with almost no space to walk. The Bathroom has been renovated and was clean and functional. An Illy Coffee machine in the room and complimentary drinking water.
The amenity that was delivered to the room was less than impressive having stayed at many Sofitel Hotels in the Asia Pacific including Australia and New Zealand.
We were not offered an upgrade and on inquiry were told that the booking was made under an Accor Classic membership which is hard to explain since my App showed the booking was made using the Accor platinum membership account. The generic letter of greeting from the GM suggested that they did not know our tier status since the letter encouraged us to join Accor !. The Hotel was fully booked.
The location is likely one of the most convenient with walking access to many sights and restaurants.
We had dinner at Matiz Lisboa the Hotel restaurant. Excellent service and a genuine effort to showcase Portuguese cuisine. Thank you.
Breakfast was an amazing affair with a Buffet to satisfy every taste and an A la Carte menu from which you could order as well. Notable was the quality of the produce from the juices , fruit, the patisserie items and the cheeses. The service from Rita who waited on us most of the mornings and Helena was exceptional. Attentive but unobtrusive.THANK YOU. The only weak link might have been the coffee ( latte ) which was machine made and inconsistent.
The overall experience was excellent with exceptional staff.
Thank you Duarte ( Guest Relations Manager) for speaking with me regarding some of our concerns. Extending a little Goodwill may no doubt earn The Sofitel some accolades and sincere gratitude, especially given the cost ( approx Euro 600) of the lowest tier room, rather than relying on its location and Brand Recognition for returning guest bookings."
