The Dann Carlton [Medellin]

[Jook]

All things considered, it was a good experience. My fiancé and I stayed in what was called a junior suite for 10 days. However, I would call it a big room. Maybe I don’t know the travel lingo, but I assumed a “suite” would be 2 rooms. Whatever, it was fine for the 2 of us.

The service was excellent and virtually every employee that we encountered was friendly and helpful. Most of the employees speak English, a plus for me. I also got lucky and befriended a senior front desk person who was helpful in many ways. Lilliana even arranged for me an inexpensive way to send flowers to my fiancé every month, which is my custom. [That is, if Bogota Bob ever becomes unavailable.]

I proposed on Valentine’s Day and I had asked Lilliana where to buy a ring. When we returned, surprise surprise. Our room was decorated with rose petals everywhere and a bottle of champagne was waiting, not to mention the roses I had bought from Bogota Bob were neatly arranged. It was really a nice touch.

Breakfast is included and was top notch. Coincidentally, I work in a NYC hotel restaurant. The hotel I work at is about on the same level as the DC. However, my hotel could stand to learn a few things from the DC. We only ate breakfast there, a buffet, which was included with the room rate.

As for amenities, there’s the usual that you’d expect from a luxurious hotel. There’s a pool and exercise machines outside the pool. The room came equipped with a computer though I brought my own. There’s the usual business center and a spa. All the usual stuff except for the computer, which I never encountered in a hotel.

The hotel is convenient to most everything and is in a very safe area. Restaurants are nearby – either walking distance or if you’re adventurous, within a 15 minute taxi ride.

Having said all these nice things, I don’t know if I would return. Our wonderful experienced soured at checkout when I was presented with the final bill. [I settled the bill the night before but I still owed for laundry.] I’m still in shock from the laundry bill.. 192,000 pesos or about $100. And we’re only talking underwear and 1 dang shirt. At first I refused to pay but I could see they weren’t gonna let me leave. It was very early morning (5:45) and no one from management was around. I had a plane to catch so I relented and gave them my credit card. [However, in the signature portion I wrote “refused”. We’ll see how far that gets me when I dispute it.]

I don’t think the DC is all that different from any other luxury type hotels with all the bull**** charges. The $100 internet bill (for 10 days) didn’t sit too well but I expected it after my last stay in Bogota. They get you on every little thing. Our $100 a day room turned out to be more like $170 a day after taxes, laundry and internet. We opted for no other services and never even touched any overpriced food and drinks in the refrigerator. But $100 for laundry is absurd and highway robbery. Why not charge $500? $5 million?

However, the thing that pissed me off the most was the way my grievance was handled. I called the manager from the airport. He checked with laundry service and confirmed the bill was correct and he more or less told me “tough noogies, next time do your laundry elsewhere.” Well, not in those words but that was the gist of it. I was left with the feeling that they didn’t care very much about my business.

It’s a shame that this issue marred an otherwise wonderful stay,

[Flaco]

Jook-
Sorry to hear about the rediculous laundry bill, brings back memories of a similar situation that I experienced awhile back in Costa Rica. I was told the laundry was expensive because it was done by machine and the machines are very expensive to bring into the country. I was told to have the laundry done by hand next time.

[RXD]

It is the best hotel, I stayed here lots of time. They gave me warm welcome. One of the best services I've ever recieved in an hotel. The rooms are big enough, clean and spacious. It is certainly no 4-5 star hotel but at that price it is a treat.