Novotel Canberra

Location is great certainly close to shops and immunities. walking distance to everything I needed. rooms are a bit dated and worn.

Ordinary

Dear Novotel Management Team, I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding my recent stay at your hotel. The experience I had was far below the standards expected of a Novotel property, especially considering the average room rate of 400 NZD per night. I sincerely hope you will review this matter seriously and provide me with an appropriate explanation and resolution. 1. Inconsistent and Unprofessional Staff Training Upon check-in, I inquired about access to the lounge. The front desk staff responded with, “You don’t know yourself?” and admitted they were not clear about the policy either. This level of service and attitude is unacceptable and reflects a severe lack of training. 2. Extremely Poor Hygiene and Room Conditions The initial room assigned to me—a third-floor apartment-style room—was in shockingly poor condition: • The room was clearly not cleaned for a long time. • The bed frame was completely damaged, with foam visibly protruding from multiple areas. • Dust clusters were found on the bed headboard, walls, and even the ceiling. • The bathroom contained numerous strands of hair on the walls. • The mirror was unclean, and there were dried, unidentified yellow stains below it. These conditions are utterly unacceptable for any hotel, let alone a Novotel. 3. Repeated Complaints Required Before Any Action Was Taken It was only after three separate complaints that I was finally moved to Room 115. The front desk staff even told me, “You taught us a lesson—we never noticed these issues before.” This comment left me even more concerned about your hotel’s operational standards. 4. Issues in the Second Room (Room 115) Unfortunately, the new room also had significant problems: • The bathroom door was broken and once closed, it could not be opened. • The cupboard above the range hood contained thick layers of dust and insect remains, clearly accumulated over a long period. • Although I tried to show these issues to staff, no one returned as promised. At this point, I was exhausted and felt that communication with the hotel was nearly impossible, as problems were only addressed after repeated complaints—if addressed at all. 5. Follow-up and Lack of Proactive Service Front desk staff photographed the issues in the third-floor room, and the bathroom door in Room 115 was eventually repaired after another complaint the next morning. However, I am certain the cupboard issue remains unresolved, reinforcing my impression that this hotel only reacts when pushed, and never proactively maintains its facilities. ⸻ In summary, the stay was extremely disappointing due to: • Very poor staff training • Serious hygiene and maintenance issues • A reactive rather than proactive service culture • Extremely poor value for money Given the price level and the reputation associated with Novotel, this experience was unacceptable. I request that you contact me promptly to provide an explanation and propose an adequate resolution.