QQAComplianceAuditorDuring my stay at Shangri-La Jakarta I faced several issues that, unfortunately, overshadowed the overall experience.
I arrived early for check-in, around 13:20, while the official check-in time is 14:00. The front desk staff spent quite some time processing my registration, checked the availability, and told me that my room was ready, but that the key card could only be issued after 14:00. I was asked to wait and was assured that either someone would come to me, or I could return to the desk at that time.
I waited until 14:00, but no one approached me. At around 14:05 I went back to the reception. The staff member who had originally checked me in was already busy with another guest, and a different employee started assisting me. He began the whole check-in process from scratch, which felt strange, and it quickly became clear that the room that had initially been mentioned was no longer available and that a new room was being assigned.
After I expressed my dissatisfaction, the staff offered an “upgrade” from a Deluxe Room to a Horizon Club Room as a way of compensation. In practice, however, the new room was on a lower floor and did not differ in any noticeable way from the Deluxe category in terms of layout, view or amenities. The benefits of the Horizon Club were not explained to me, so I did not actually use any additional services. As a result, the so-called upgrade felt more like a formality than a real improvement.
The condition of the room itself was generally good. The air conditioning was quiet, there were no unpleasant smells from the bathroom, and the room looked clean and well maintained.
A serious concern for me was the drinking water provided in the room. Large glass bottles were supplied regularly, but the water in them had a strong smell of chlorine and was simply not suitable for drinking. After the hotel contacted me asking if I had any comments, I mentioned this issue. Only then did they start bringing smaller bottles of water that no longer had this smell. This creates the impression that guests are initially given water of questionable quality and that the problem is addressed only when someone complains.
Another recurring issue was the smell of cigarette smoke. My room was non-smoking, and the floor was non-smoking as well, yet from time to time the smell of tobacco appeared in the room, most likely coming through the ventilation. After I reported this, an air freshener was placed in the corridor, but it was removed the next day, and the smell returned. It gives the impression that someone is smoking in areas where it is not allowed, and guests are affected by it.
Breakfast was also disappointing. The restaurant where breakfast is served is organized in a very inconvenient way: you are first shown to your table, but the buffet stations are arranged rather chaotically, so after walking around to get food it is easy to lose track of where your table is. Navigation is not intuitive, and the overall atmosphere is not very comfortable. The food itself did not seem particularly tasty and appeared to be more focused on Asian preferences than on a broader, international audience.
I also visited the lobby restaurant. I tried several dishes there, including a bolognese pasta that was frankly not very good. For comparison, in the nearby shopping mall you can find places that serve the same dish in a much better way and at a lower price.
If you look only at the condition of the rooms, the hotel appears to be of a good standard. However, the level of service, the breakfast experience and the overall value for money, in my opinion, do not match the status that the hotel aims to project. The price of the stay feels high compared to other similar hotels in Jakarta, where both service and food quality can be better while the rates are lower.
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