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shower1
Wellington, New Zealand

Great place but stupid things let them down

3.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed Jan 14, 2013
First of all, the main reason I stay there is because of the location. I get lost in Auckland as it is so poorly sign marked, so seeing a large needle stuck up in the sky from the tower, from just about anywhere in the city, always guides you home. The concierge station is the best, bar none, from anywhere in the world and frankly the rest of it stops there. To pay for three nights plus a restaurant, car parking and mini bar, then to be told there will be a 1.5% surcharge if I use a credit card is an absolute insult seeing I've heard the only other organization to do that in our fair country, are brothels. I had forgotten about that I was insulted last time I stayed as well. Maybe a begging bowl outside the front door will help them achieve budget.
Now to the room, when we arrived I noticed we had a pet fly and for three days we could not get rid of it, it bombarded us every night when we had our bedside lights on. A real nuisance and unacceptable in any star accommodation.
Although they say there are instructions for the wifi on the room desk, there aren't; although it says slippers are provided, they aren't, we had to ask; although the mini bar should be stocked correctly, it wasnt, and although there should be two of each glass in the room, there wasnt. We had bought a bottle of champers to celebrate our relationship and had to ring down for a glass. My partner was sick when we arrived so we put the do not disturb sign up so she could have a good lie in the first morning, then later when she was feeling up to it and we went out for our celebration, we put up the make my bed up now sign. That was finally, after phone calls, done at about 6pm, but then only a change of sheets and clearing of rubbish, we made the beds ourselves.
(compromise). The room was never vacuumed the whole three days.
So, all these things seem like nit picking, after all the gym and pool are great, the proximity to the casino and the restaurants, plus Queen Street, are great etc etc. however this hotel holds itself up as a 5 star hotel and its these things that let it down and show quite clearly that it's not. The concierge station can hold is head up high, the rest of them need a kick up the backside.
Date of stay: January 2013
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
3.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
2.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
3.0 of 5 bubblesService
3.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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Alison B, Guest Relations Manager at The Grand by SkyCity, responded to this review
Responded Jan 15, 2013
Dear shower1

Thank you for taking the time to post your review on TripAdvisor.

It is from feedback such as yours that we can improve the service and standards that we deliver and again thank you for your detailed comments.

As a management team we have discussed your feedback and where we can improve so that your experience is not repeated. We have clearly not delivered our normal high standard of service we take pride in and please accept my apologies.

Please contact me directly prior to your next stay and I am certain that the team will meet if not exceed your expectations.

Kind Regards

Alison Borland I Guest Relations Executive | SKYCITY Grand Hotel
alison.borland@skycity.co.nz
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Reviewed January 13, 2013

We stayed here for two nights in December 2012. Booking through Agoda we paid SGD 340.52 (USD 278.86) which is pretty steep. This was a free wifi package so that was something of added value.
It's a pretty steep walk up from Queen Street to Federal Street on Victoria W Street if you have a lot of baggage with you. We walked everywhere around Auckland from Skycity so it's very do-able. The Tower is right beside the hotel.
Rooms were nice, staff at reception were friendly and efficient.

Date of stay: December 2012
  • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank surprisinghorizons
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alison B, Guest Relations Manager at The Grand by SkyCity, responded to this reviewResponded January 17, 2013

Dear colingally

Thank you for taking the time to post your recent review on TripAdvisor.

Thank you for your feedback, if returning to New Zealand, please do not hesitate to contact me directly and I will be more than happy to help you with your booking and transfers to the hotel. Alternatively please view our website for the bestavailable rates which will include 24 hour FREE WiFi.

I do hope that you enjoyed your visit to NZ and we look forward to welcoming you back to The Grand Hotel.

Kind Regards

Alison Borland I Guest Relations Executive | SKYCITY Grand Hotel
alison.borland@skycity.co.nz

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Reviewed January 12, 2013

Clean and of high quality, exceptional service and great staff but for value for money, I would choose the Langham Hotel in Auckland as it's more personal yet a little more dated than the Grand Sky City Hotel (you would never know it unless you look hard). Great location!

Date of stay: October 2012
  • Trip type: Traveled on business
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank WELLYFOODIE007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alison B, Guest Relations Manager at The Grand by SkyCity, responded to this reviewResponded January 15, 2013

Dear WELLIEFOODIE007

Thank you for your recent review on TripAdvisor.

I am delighted you enjoyed your stay with us, I am caertain that all the team will take great pride in reading your postive feedback about the exceptional service you recieved and the great staff.

We are in an ideal location in Auckland perfect, walking distance to the waterfront and surrounded by restaurants, bars and shops.

We do look forward to your return to The Grand Hotel in the near future.

Kind Regards


Alison Borland I Guest Relations Executive | SKYCITY Grand Hotel
alison.borland@skycity.co.nz

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Reviewed January 12, 2013

Our family enjoyed our stay at SkyCity. The rooms were decent and the gym and bar were lovely. We especially enjoyed the proximity to downtown and the amazing concierge staff. Breakfast was especially pricey, so we stopped going after the first day.

Date of stay: December 2012
  • Trip type: Traveled with family
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
1  Thank 615amyv
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alison B, Guest Relations Manager at The Grand by SkyCity, responded to this reviewResponded January 15, 2013

Dear ASValerio

Thank you for taking the time to post your recent review on TripAdisor.

I am delighted that you enjoyed your stay and our fantastic team at Conceirge looked after you and showed you all there is see in Auckland.

Thank you for your comments regarding our breakfast prices, we do constantly review our prices with our competitive set and I will pass your feedback onto our management team.

We look foward to welcoming you back to The Grand Hotel in the future

Kind Regards


Alison Borland I Guest Relations Executive | SKYCITY Grand Hotel
alison.borland@skycity.co.nz

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Reviewed January 11, 2013

We stayed at this hotel from January 7th to the 9th 2013. First the good, the people working at the hotel were generally nice and helpful particularly David at the Concierge desk for one of our reservations at the Soul Bar and Bistro. The second reservation at their own steak house was screwed up but the Hostess looked after us.

Now the rest of the story. We arrived at 5AM Jan 7th so we paid for an extra night to ensure we could check-in upon arrival as our travel agent, Goway, told us they would not give us early check-in. We checked in ok then went for a run and had a shower and left to see the city about 11AM, leaving the "Please Make Up the Room" sign on the door. All they had to do was the bathroom and after coming and going a few times it had not been done by 5PM. upon asking the maid to do it we were told that is was not on the schedule so she could not. I had to beat on housekeeping to do that which is really poor service in that we had paid for the full 24 hours. There was also no turn down service. There was a severe shortage of hand towels and face cloths. We do not eat a lot at breakfast, cereal, orange juice and coffee, and there was no a-la-carte menu to choose this option. Soooo, cereal, juice and coffee cost us $58.00, infuriating to say the least. The gym was poorly equipped for a hotel of that size. The bathroom design was ridiculous in that the shower door collided with the bathroom door and it was difficult to get in and out of the shower. There was also a howling wind noise in the bathroom.

The WIFI was free for 30 consecutive minutes only and at a very low speed so if you needed it you had to pay for it. The final insult was upon check-out they charged me !.50 per local phone call and then to insult to injury a fee to pay with a credit card.

Date of stay: January 2013
  • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank Lyle K
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alison B, Guest Relations Manager at The Grand by SkyCity, responded to this reviewResponded January 15, 2013

Dear Lyle K

Thank you for taking the time to review The Grand Hotel following your recent stay.

Firstly, thank you for your positive feedback about the team. Excellent Customer Service is what we take pride in delivering and I will be sure to pass your comments onto the team and in particular to David on Concierge.

Please accept my sincere apologies that we failed to service your room on the day of arrival. At any given time, we will service a room on request and this is not the standard we take pride in and your comments will be shared to team as a coaching tool.

The Terrace offers a Full Buffet and Continental Breakfast which was chosen by you when breakfasting at the hotel. We are more than happy to offer a la carte options which are available on request.

We would like to welcome you back to The Grand Hotel. I ask that you contact me directly to make your booking and I am certain the team will exceed your expectations.

Kind Regards


Alison Borland I Guest Relations Executive | SKYCITY Grand Hotel
alison.borland@skycity.co.nz

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Reviewed January 10, 2013

I know that the Skycity Grand considers itself to be a 5 star luxury hotel, but make no mistake, it is not. I'm sure the architects and designers thought they were designing a high end hotel, but somewhere along the line, someone lost the plot, and I'm guessing it's the management.

This is a 4 stars on a great day, 3 stars any other time.

Don't expect friendly personalized service. They aren't rude, they just aren't attentive. Personalized greeting? Nope. Any greeting at all? Nope. Attention to detail just isn't there.

The rooms are basically fine. Modern decor, lots of white and glass. Lots of light switches to run around and turn off at night. I must say that having an expresso machine in my room was a nice touch, but it didn't make up for the problems. The furniture has seen better days, the cushions are wearing out, and the table, chair and couch legs are chipped and dirty.

If you're here on business, beware that the internet is iffy and slow. 512KB. There's few spare outlets to charge your computer, and none by the desk. 30 minutes free, and you pay for the rest.

The linens, pillows and towels are not top quality, about what you would expect in a 3 star property. Don't expect a pillow top mattress, you're getting a standard chain hotel bed. Big flat screen TVs, but the reception is poor, certainly not HD.

Breakfast is served at the buffet in the casino. You walk through the hotel, into the convention center, across a bridge into the casino. Not that close. While many hotels pride themselves on their buffets, this is an embarrassment. Servers to seat you and bus the tables ? Nope, they take your $22.00 and then you're on your own. Fresh cooked eggs to order? Not a chance. Basically, if you've ever experienced a great hotel breakfast buffet, you will be demanding your money back from this travesty.

All in all, if you get a great deal and you don't set your sights high, this place may suffice for a night or 2. If you are looking for a luxury property, look elsewhere.

Date of stay: January 2013
  • Trip type: Traveled on business
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
2  Thank Stuart R
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alison B, Guest Relations Manager at The Grand by SkyCity, responded to this reviewResponded January 15, 2013

Dear stuartontour

Thank you very much for taking the time to post your recent review on TripAdvisor.

I was disappointed to read your review. Customer Service is of extreme importance to us and we take pride and enjoy delivering a 5 star. I am sorely disappointed you did not receive this feedback and we will use your comments as a coaching tool with the team.

Following your comments, I am delighted to advise that we are in the final decision making process and we will be carrying out a full refurbishment of our rooms in the coming year. This refurbishment, along with the new beds with mattress toppers and a full pillow menu will certainly bring the wow factor to our rooms and offer our guests a 5 star expereince.

We have recently upgraded our internet service now offering greater bandwith, greater speed and we also offer 24 hour free WiFi on many of our rates. We will continue to monitor the service we provide and feedback we receive from our guests as we are aware how important this service is to our guests.

The Grand Hotel's breakfast restaurant is on Level 7 of hotel. From your comments, I have noted that you visited a restaurant at SKYCITY and I will certainly pass your feedback onto the manager to share with the team.

Thank you again for your feedback, it is from feedback we can improve.

Kind Regards

Alison Borland I Guest Relations Executive | SKYCITY Grand Hotel
alison.borland@skycity.co.nz

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