Not like The Hasler Hotel for the same price, where you feel special and their ‘mission’ is how to make your stay as luxurious as possible, especially for 7 people over Christmas.
Upon arrival I was pleasantly greeted by Stephania who then proceeded to explain all the ‘rules’. Areas not to enter (signs everywhere), recycling/trash days, please don’t touch the artwork or side tables as they are also art (which to be fair, as it is all price tagged are not particularly expensive). We have one set of small shampoo/cond, toilet roll, coffee pods and then we must buy our own. There was also no hammam/spa as detailed on their Airbnb site.
Being on many cameras in all communal areas is also not relaxing. With 4 teenagers, my elderly mother and ourselves sitting in pj’s on Christmas morning opening presents, it felt a real invasion of privacy. Stephania said it was to protect the paintings.
On our first night I wanted to turn all the spot lights off in the hallways and communal areas, couldn’t find the switch as behind the reception desk (which I was not meant to enter). Long story short, I was not allowed to touch the light switches and we were meant to leave them full on 24hrs.
I am sure as individual boutique rooms it is enjoyable but to rent the whole property with no real ‘living space’ apart from small coffee lounge chairs which don’t fit up to a pop up table and no other relaxing sofa space for 7 people, with white plastic flooring throughout, it feels cold and clinical.
One last point, having spent c£15,000 you would think with check out 10am (they arrived to clean 9:30am) on Sunday they might let us keep our luggage in reception until 13:30 but no, they wanted us to leave it outside the front door. Their rationale was a camera there, but we have photos and the downstairs door to outside was left wide open throughout the day. After an abrupt rude conversation with another receptionist, they allowed us to leave the cases (filled with all our Christmas presents) in the hallway.
Just not special, not personal, not comfortable nor welcoming.