Monday 19 September 2011

You can’t win ‘em all

There is no doubt that Rafayel has a distinctive incomparable uniqueness. It is devoid of the generic corporate aloofness or dismissive attitudes of management executives in the hospitality industry.  Even in its operations and functionality, Rafayel exhibits a hands-on, roll-your-sleeves-and-get-down-to-it imperfect rawness and urban sophistication in equal measure making the hotel a living, breathing, social being.  No effort is spared and no stone left unturned in Rafayel’s hallmark policy of “exceeding expectations,” but just like a human being, there may be a slip-up or more often than not waves of genius exuding from its personality which some may even find over-exuberant. 

No single individual is alike.  Each has a different sense of aesthetics, a social sense of no-nos or do’s and don’ts, or to quote a clichéd line, “One man’s food is another man’s poison…” We do our best to ensure that our guests receive the warmest hospitality, get the best 5-star services at the best rates which may or may not be appreciated.  Therefore Rafayel feels much pride in sharing the rave reviews and negative views to give an insight into the living breathing entity the hotel is.

“Excellent Hotel, can't fault it!”
We spent 2 nights here on a last minute break, 5* hotel for 3* price. We really loved it, cool, chic decor, big room with a view of the river, comfy bed, smart bathroom with jets in the shower. everything was spotlessly clean, with all that you could need. Staff were polite, helpful & friendly without being over the top. Location is far enough out of centre to be quieter but still easy to get about on buses. Would definately stay here again when visiting London :)

“Chic hotel on the river”
 
Beautiful hotel in a great location, bus number 170 stops right outside which you can take from Clapham Junction to the hotel & then from the hotel to Victoria.

Room was modern & the bathroom was a great size with a powerful shower.

Staff were polite & friendly & we even got a card & tray of posh mini cakes as it was our wedding anniversary, a really sweet touch.

Only negative was the lack of vanity items, not a major thing though!

“Amazing best boutique hotel in London”
 
Beautiful hotel tucked away in corner of battersea decor cool staff friendly and exeptionally helpful the room was huge and tastefully decorated beautiful bathroom when we visit again which we will definitely asking for a river view cool bar and restaurant busy so I guess good food the owner very welcoming can't wait to go back an absolute gem of a hotel and exceptional value

“Fabulous!!!! boutique style - amazing service”
 
Just got back from a stay at the rafayel and its was amazing. we got upgraded to a suite becuase they were quiet and it was HUGE! really modern, clean and very impressive for the price. comfy bed, robes, tv in bath! great views of the thames and the complimentary pick up from clapham common was fast and polite. didnt eat at the restaurant but looked lovely and the roof terrace had amazing views.
Took a look around the spa and loved equally luxurious, as were the function rooms.
if you need to get into town another way the bus stops directly outside so if your coming back late it is loads cheaper than a taxi. Not really that far out of town (just across the river from chelsea) and i'd rather pay what we paid for this 5* than 3 times as much for a worse place that is more central.
definately a savy choice if you want affordable luxury! - the location is actually really nice so dont be put off. (lovely battersea village 2 mins walk for breakfast/dinner/drinks very european). Cannot speak highly enough of this hotel.

Planning to stay there again next trip.

Outstanding service, reasonable price, availability of a secure garage, exceptionally large and well appointed room. Now that we have found this hotel we will use it again when we come to see family, and the next time it will be less of a rush and give us time to enjoy other facilities offered by Hotel Rafayel. Superb hotel in a very good location. Many thanks for making our brief and busy stay stress free. We have already recommended the Rafayel to friends.

Amazing junior suite, staff added the extra touch of a anniversary card and cupcakes. Much appreciated!

The design of hotel and rooms exceptional.

The staff were the best i have ever met in a hotel,very friendly and made you feel like you have known them for years,very much the stars of the hotel.

At first the location,but this was changed with the courtesy car and driver.

Great hotel and great views
Stayed two nights and can recommend this hotel,it is clean ,spacious rooms with great river views ,very comfortable high tec rooms all with mod cons,mini bar and fantastic bathrooms ,power showers tv in bath tub !! Only downside the hotel is a fair way out of the centre of london but the hotel runs a free complimentary shuttle service to the nearest tube station which is clapham common which is 10 mins by there shuttle car and did not cause us any problems wht soever you just ringa nd they turn up and collect you and drop you off ,all in all best hotel and service we have stayed at for several years and we are fairly well travelled people both in the uk and internationally

Business stop-over on short notice
Arrived late circa 10pm and staff were friendly and efficient. Room was larger than I expected and was fitted out to a high standard. For business travel it was perfect and a tourist would be very pleased also.
The restaurant had an special offer (effectively half price) and for this price the food was good value - and very good. The staff were fine, but catching their eye required more effort than subtlety.
The only complaint was the various noises in the room. The a/c system, even on low speed, was too audible, more air noise than machine noise. Having turned that off, it was the turn of the LED drivers, buzzing away in the background.
Nevertheless a good stay, good value (at the Late Rooms price of around 30% of the normal rate), and will use again

Regular guests
Never disappointed by this hotel. Can't fault it.
A few drinks with friends on the Thames side terrace is a great way to end the day.

Sanctuary in a Bustling Capital
If there is such a thing then Rafayel on the Left Bank is it. Rarely do you find such unashamed luxury at an affordable price. Far enough away from the hustle and bustle to relax, close enough for a short taxi or train ride to the centre. The hotel is perched on the banks of the Thames and is not over declaring of it's 5 stars. If you really want enormous, luxurious rooms with absolute attention to detail then Rafayel is for you. I will stay again and again.

“Nice rooms but lacking in service”

We stayed here for one night after a long haul flight before moving on from London. The room was perfect for crashing out - a nice shower, comfy bed, loads of room for luggage. What was disappointing however were our experiences outside of our room. The reception area was chaotic, not from guests but from the huge number of reception staff who, despite their numbers, were very near to completely unhelpful. Save your money on the breakfast, selection is limited, service was lacking and when I ordered poached eggs (made to order) they were inedible given the huge amount of vinegar the cook had used. To set your expectations appropriately - come expecting a nice, modern, pleasant room but don't expect anything near 5 star service from the staff.

Management Response:

Dear Guest,

We thank you for your choosing to stay with us after your long haul flight to London, and for taking the time to comment on your experiences at Hotel Rafayel. We appreciate the fact that you gave our room accommodation the highest rating and would like to thank you for pointing out the comfort of our Hypnos beds which are individually made to measure by hand.
Rafayel on the Left Bank also offers more revitalization facilities for guests after long haul flights, from Jetlag-recovery rooms through to the specially designed SPA treatments and the 24-hour room service form our highly rated Banyan on the Thames restaurant. We are considered by many to be a perfect location after a long flight, convenient for both Gatwick and Heathrow Airports.
We would like to offer our sincere apologies for the poor service you feel you received as we pride ourselves on attention to detail. Rest assured your comments will be taken on board and our procedures reviewed to ensure high levels of service are maintained at all times. We are generally praised for the outstanding performance of our front of house staff, but it seems that during your short stay we failed to impress. We are constantly working towards improvement and adopting the totally customer-centric approach in everything we do.
We would be very proud to receive your patronage again in the future and are confident we will be able to meet all your expectations of a 5 star hotel.

Best Regards
The Management

“Amazing 5 star hotel at 3 star prices”
 
We wanted somewhere special to stay for our 20th wedding anniversary for 2 nights. Tha room was the amazon suite and it was perfect, amazingly clean and spacious, with a tv in the bathroom!!!!! The staff were very helpful and the free shuttle service to the underground was great. One tip would be to get back to the hotel from the city after the shuttle service finishes (after 10 pm) get off at Victoria and get the 170 bus and it stops right outside the hotel. They even made sure my car was outside waiting for us at 5.30 in the morning. Faultless service. We will definitely be back, maybe with the children in a suite next time!!!!!!!!