"Despite the initial issue mentionaed below, following my feedback on the Marriott survey, the management was supportive and went out of their way to resolve everything to my full satisfaction. I would like to personally thank Mr Van Remoortel and Mr Dubray for their attention. I am certan that this constructive feedback will ensure these service issues do not happen again in the future.
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As a frequent traveler and a loyal guest who stayed at this property just a month ago (and multiple times in the past), I am deeply disappointed by my recent experience at the Hotel President. For a 5-star luxury property under Marriott’s The Luxury Collection, the lack of coordination, basic manners, and professional management was simply unacceptable.
I booked this hotel specifically for the pool, as I work during the week and wanted to relax due to the very hot weather. I arrived on Friday at 1:00 PM with a friend of mine. I was told my room would be ready at 3 PM but that the pool was fully available till 6 PM. However, when I went to the pool at 3 PM, I was abruptly told it was closed for a private event.
I immediately complained at the reception, but nothing happened. No goodwill gesture, no message, no accountability until the following day, when I received an email from the Assistant Front Office Manager (I would have expected at least the General Manager or Guest Relations to handle this). In the email, he stated he was available to discuss the "inconvenience" but only until 4:00 PM, instructing me to come to the reception. In a luxury hotel, the staff adapts to the guest’s schedule, not the other way around. If a manager’s shift ends at 4 PM, a proper handover to a colleague must be guaranteed for guests returning later.
Because I did not reply to this email, the Assistant Front Office Manager took it upon himself to interrupt my lunch at the pool on Saturday. Without asking for permission, he approached our table, delivering a scripted apology and offering to cover the cost of the lunch. While a complimentary lunch is the bare minimum in such a situation, interrupting a guest's private dining moment without authorization is a huge breach of etiquette.
Later that evening, we returned to our room to find four macarons and a generic letter from the General Manager with a printed signature (!!!)—a completely impersonal and tone-deaf gesture. The letter vaguely mentioned they would "take care of things" for our room, which meant absolutely nothing.
To top it all off, during checkout, the receptionist was completely clueless about the entire situation. We were asked the usual standard question, "How was your stay?", and handed the full bill without a single cent of discount or a real apology.
This exact same pool issue happened to me a year ago at this property. It is clear that the President operates with a mid-range hotel mentality while charging luxury prices. Paying for amenities that are unavailable without prior notice is legally questionable."