"I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience was so disappointing that I feel others should be aware.
My parents, both in their 70s, booked a one-night stay at the Sheraton Barcelona Diagonal ahead of a cruise departing from Barcelona. This trip was incredibly special to them — a once-in-a-lifetime holiday they had saved for over many years. To put it in perspective, the cost of just this one night at the hotel exceeded my parents’ monthly pension.
Unfortunately, due to what appears to have been an honest mistake during the booking process, my mother unknowingly reserved two rooms under the same name for the same night. She had no awareness that this had happened. This only came to light at check-in, at which point it was too late to make any changes.
Rather than showing any understanding or flexibility, the hotel staff, including General Manager Xavier Micó, bluntly informed them that because the reservation was past the amendment/cancellation deadline, they would be charged for both rooms — even though they only needed and used one. The attitude they encountered was essentially: “You should have cancelled.” But how could they cancel a reservation they didn’t even know existed?
As a result, my parents were charged nearly €800 for a single night in a standard room — an enormous and completely unexpected financial burden for two retired people living on a fixed income.
To make matters even worse, my father is currently battling cancer. The stress from this situation only added to the toll on his health, making an already difficult time even harder. Instead of enjoying their cruise, they spent much of their trip worrying about how to manage this unexpected charge. The lack of empathy or willingness to help from the hotel management only compounded their distress.
If General Manager Xavier Micó were in our position, how would he feel if this happened to his own parents? Would he still uphold such rigid policies without any consideration for the genuine human impact? This experience has been a stark reminder that customer service is about more than just enforcing rules — it’s about understanding and compassion.
I work in the travel industry, so I understand how bookings, policies, and cancellations operate. That’s exactly why this experience was so disappointing. I understand that hotels have policies, but there needs to be some level of discretion and compassion — especially in situations like this involving elderly guests, genuine mistakes, and, in our case, serious health concerns. Sadly, this experience has left a lasting negative impression on what was meant to be a very special trip for my parents."
