The 'various' European languages and guests of ‘The Rafayel’ on ‘The Rafayel’

Dutch: “Perfect hotel”

Zeer modern en goed doordacht hotel, alles geregeld dat een re iziger wensen kan incl iphone oplader en free metro dropp off.
Lekkere lunch (fish and chips) Zeer aan te bevelen

Translation: Very modern and well thought out hotel, everything arranged that a traveler may wish incl iphone charger and free underground drop off. Tasty lunch (fish and chips) Highly recommended

French: “Très agréable et reposant”

Situation idéale juste au bord de la Tamise, les chambres sont belles, la literie exceptionnelle, le restaurant est de qualité, géré par un chef français, bonne carte des vins, et un très joli bar où l'on se sent bien. Nous avons dîné dans ce restaurant au bord de la tamise, en terrasse, pas un bruit... C'est tout juste si nous ne voulions plus bouger de l'hôtel.

Parfait pour un week end romantique ou en famille.

Translation: Ideal location right on the River Thames, the rooms are beautiful, beds exceptional quality, the restaurant is run by a French chef, good wine, and a very nice bar where you feel good. We dined in the restaurant on the Thames, terrace, no noise ... It’s as if we did not want to move away from the hotel. Perfect for a romantic weekend or family.

French: “Très bon hôtel à recommander sans hésiter”

Hôtel bien situé pour ceux qui ne veulent pas être en centre ville. Très bien desservi par des bus et à 15min du centre en bus. Le restaurant est très bien et bon réduction de 50% si clients de lhotel. Par contre point négatif il faut impérativement de la monnaie pour les bus anglais sinon pas de transport.

Translation: Good location for those who do not want to be downtown. Well served by bus and 15 minutes by bus from the center. The restaurant is very good and 50% discount if customers of the hotel. Only negative point it is imperative to change for bus transportation or no English

German:“Exzellentes Designerhotel mit ausgezeichnetem Preis-Leistungsverhältnis”

Nach meinen negativem Erfahrungen mit den Hotels in London haben wir nun UNSER Hotel hier gefunden. In London ist es mit Hotels nicht einfach, wir hatten schon alles von der besseren Besenkammer bis zu dem miesesten Service (Mandeville Hotel), aber was uns hier erwartete waren riesige, modernste, ruhige Zimmer mit gemütlichen Kingsizebetten (eigentlich fast wie eine Wohnung) mit Blick auf die Themse, modernstes Design unmd freundliches Service und Personal.

Der einzige Nachteil, das Hotel hat keine Anbindung an das öffentliche Verkehrsnetz, die nächste Station Clapham Common ist etwa 10 Autominuten entfernt, dafür bietet das Hotel aber auch kostenlosen Shuttle von und zum Hotel mit 22.30 Uhr alle 30 Minuten an. In die Stadt benötigt man auf diese Art gute 30 bis 40 min.

Translation: After my negative experience with the hotels in London, we have found OUR hotel here. In London it is with hotels not easy, we had all of the best broom closet until the lousiest service (Mandeville Hotel), but what we here expected were huge, modern, quiet rooms with comfortable king-size beds (actually, almost like an apartment) Overlooking the River Thames, modern design and friendly service and staff. The only downside, the hotel has no access to the public transport network, the next stop on Clapham Common is about 10 minutes away, but the hotel but also offers free shuttle to and from the hotel by 22.30 every 30 minutes. In the city is needed in this way a good 30 to 40 minutes, which is OK.

Italian: “HOTEL DI LUSSO A PREZZO RAGIONEVOLE”

Siamo stati al Rafayel dal 9 al 12 ottobre 2011 io mia moglie e figlia. L'hotel si trova a circa 3 km a sud della stazione Victoria nella zona Battersea, stazione che si raggiunge con il bus 170(fermata di fronte l'hotel) in 15-30 minuti a seconda del traffico. L'hotel in stile moderno-indiano si trova sulle sponde del Tamigi; è confortevole, pulito e ha camere ampissime per Londra (credo che la nostra fosse almeno 40/45mq). Il bagno è grandissimo con doccia eccezionale. Vi sono tutti i confort, internet gratis, media station televisore lcd e occorrente per fare il caffe'. Il personale è estremamente gentile e efficiente. Non abbiamo fatto colazione in hotel ma abbiamo mangiato nel ristorante attiguo con ottimi piatti e non guasta sconto 50% per i clienti dell'hotel. Ottimo il rapporto qualità-prezzo per un 5 stelle reale. La posizione per chi è un po' pigro e stenta a muoversi con i mezzi pubblici non è comodissima.

Translation: We stayed at the Rafayel 9 to 12 October 2011 me, my wife and daughter. The hotel is located about 3 km south of Victoria station in the Battersea station which can be reached by bus 170 (stop in front of the hotel) in 15-30 minutes depending on traffic. The modern-style hotel is located on the shores of the Indian River Thames, is comfortable, clean and lighted rooms for London (I think ours was at least 40/45mq). The bathroom is large with a great shower. There are all mod cons, free internet, LCD television and media station needed to make coffee.'  The staff is extremely friendly and efficient. We have not had breakfast in the hotel but we ate in the attached restaurant with good food and not bad 50% discount for hotel guests. Excellent value for money for a real 5 stars. The location for those who are a bit 'lazy and hard to move around by public transport is not convenient.

Norwegian: “Drømmen..”

Hotellet var fint og flott, enormt rom/suite med spisebord, sofa, kontor og stooort bad. Alle rommene hadde TV, samt høytalere. Du får en følelse av luksus av å bo her. Hotellet ligger ikke så sentralt, men de kjører deg gratis til nærmeste underground eller togstasjon/buss, så du kommer deg lett hvor du vil. Opplevde litt kommmunikasjonssvikt da vi skulle hentes, men men..! Vi var veldig fornøyde med oppholdet, ville nesten ikke forlate rommet for å dra inn til sentrum.

Translation:The hotel was fine and great, huge room / suite with dining table, sofa, office and  large bathroom. All rooms had TV and speakers. You get a sense of luxury of staying here. The hotel is not central, but they are running free shuttle to the nearest underground or train station / bus, so you'll easily go anywhere you want. Experienced some communication failure when we should be picked up, but but ..! We were very satisfied with our stay, would hardly leave the room to go into the city center.

Portuguese: “Excelente”

Estive em um duplex com vista para o Thamisa. Confortável, espaçoso, limpo e ótimo serviço. Conta com um spa e tem um restaurante bastante bom também para quem quiser mordomias. Achei legal ter a praticidade de um apartamento alugado, com cozinha e lavanderia individual e o luxo e bom atendimento de um bom hotel. Fica em uma área mais afastada, porém o transporte para o metrô é fácil (até a pé). Custo-benefício bem legal. Gostei bastante.

Translation: I was in a duplex overlooking the Thames. Comfortable, spacious, clean and great service. It has a spa and a restaurant is also very good for those who want perks. It was nice to have the convenience of a rented apartment, with kitchen and laundry facilities and individual luxury and good service for a good hotel. Is in an area further away, but transportation to the subway is easy (even on foot). Values cool. I really liked.

Spanish: “Impre$ionante”

Quedamos varados en Londres por los efectos del volcán y casi milagrosamente encontramos una tarifa a mitad de precio en una suite del Rafayel. Fueron las mejores 5 noches de nuestro viaje. El hotel es totalmente nuevo, lujoso y tecnológico. La habitación equivale a 4 habitaciones standard de Londres. El staff es muy atento y la zona donde está ubicada es muy agradable, con restaurants muy lindos a solo 5 minutos del hotel.

No hay que preocuparse por la ubicación. No solo hay un bus (el 170) que para en la puerta y te lleva a Victoria Station en 10 minutos, sino que además el hotel ofrece un shuttle gratuito hasta Clapham Common. Dos pulgares arriba para el Rafayel.

Translation: We were stranded in London for the effects of the volcano and almost miraculously found a half-price fare in a suite at the Rafayel. They were the top 5 nights of our trip. The hotel is brand new, luxury and technology. The room is 4 standard rooms London. The staff is very attentive and the area where it is located is very nice with very nice restaurants just 5 minutes away. No need to worry about the location. Not only is there a bus (the 170) which stops at the door and takes you to Victoria Station in 10 minutes, but the hotel also offers a complimentary shuttle to Clapham Common. Two thumbs up for Rafayel.

The Dark Side...

Hospitality business faces tougher challenges in this modern age of connectivity.  While on the one hand online travel forums are an excellent marketing tool where good guest reviews attract guest traffic, there unfortunately is a dark side to it…

Online travel sites can become an instrument of destruction of a business when fake malicious reviews are posted to hurt a business like a lightning bolt.  This is why it becomes of penultimate importance for corporate management of a hotel to ensure that all their T’s are crossed and I’s dotted in making sure that their house is in order.  It gives them the confidence to publicly dispute questionable allegations and set the records straight.

Hotel Rafayel has not been immune to such questionable reviews, but our policy dictates that we remain transparent and honest with our customers, making sure we rectify misconceptions immediately and publicly.  We believe it is vital for our survival to exhibit our principles and ethos to let everyone know who and how we are.  The latest example is this extremely destructive review and our public reply to it:

“Dirty room and rude lazy staff! Made fraugelent charges to my card after I checked out!”

Reviewed August 17, 2012 NEW

I stayed at this hotel for a weekend in the Summer of 2012.

I have stayed in many of the top hotels in London, and this hotel was recommended to me by a colleague who stayed here for one night a few months ago.
When I arrived at the hotel at 5pm I was told that my room was not ready and told to wait, no apology was offered no explanation I was literally told "oh it's not ready yet, you will have to wait" I was then shooed away with a hand gesture so that the receptionist could see to the next couple checking in (who were given their room key card no problem).
After standing in the lobby for 20 minutes I approached the receptionist again to ask if my room was ready yet, her respond was "if it was ready I would have told you".
After 15 more minutes she rudely told me the room was ready, I was then checked in, the whole time the receptionist was have a very animated conversation with a collegue, which she continued the entire time she was checking me in, and when asked a question she looked at me with disgusts because I interrupted her conversation.

When I finally got to the room I was hoping for a relaxing bath and something to eat after traveling all day.
Unfortunatly the concierge who showed me to my room was very rude,
He 'dumped' my bags (one containing my MacBook) down onto the floor quite hard, he did not offer to show me how to work any of the rooms controls, and when I asked he told me it was "easy to figure out, even a moron can do it" but when I asked him to show me he seemed very annoyed and me the most useless 'demonstration' that I have ever witnessed.
I didn't dare ask again so I just thanked him and told him that I was sure I would manage on my own. I then went over to pick up my bags, but he did not leave, I began to remove my laptop from my bag and he just stood there staring at me, clearing his thoat three times.
I asked him if there was anything else and he just stood staring, I asked again and he put out he hand.
Now I am usually the first person to offer a tip when it is deserved, but I did not think the service this man offered was entitled to anything, and certainly not when it was insisted.
I said thank you but I don't require anything else, and yet he still refused to leave, and continued to clear his throat.
He then began staring at my handbag.
I asked him to leave so that I could unpack and he trust his hand at me,
I asked him to leave and he told me it was polite to tip the concierge in 5* hotels.
I told him that I was fully aware of that, but decent polite service was also expected in 5* hotels. I asked him to leave again and again he thrust his hand at me. I told him that I was not going to give him a tip and that I wanted him to leave, now.
He left, slammed the door and then I heard him call my a bi**h.

Unfortunatly this was not then end of my disappointment.
The room was dirty, I had to wash out the bath before I could use it as it had hair and soap scum around it from the last use. I did call down to reception, but nobody came to the room.
There was also rubbish, in various places in the room, suspecting that the room had not been cleaned from the last occupants I asked that someone come and change the bedding for me, but nobody came.
After an hour I went down to the reception (after no answer on the phone) myself and asked to change rooms, I was told that the hotel was fully booked and there were no empty rooms.
I then asked for someone to come and change the bedding as the room has clearly not been cleaned.
It took another 4 calls and 2 hours minutes for anyone to come to my room.

The food I ordered from room service was inedable and had to be sent back, twice. The third meal was still disgusting and I called to ask for it to be taken away as it was revolting and inedable.

I stayed for two nights and it didn't get any better.
I had to call and request fresh towels and linen.

On check out I discoved that I had been charged for all three room service meals that I had sent back!
I was also charged for items from the mini bar that I had not had.
I refused to pay for them.
And after a long discussion they were eventually forgiven. which my receipt shows.

When I returned home I discovered that a second charge had been made to my card AFTER I had left, for the room service meals, mini bar items and several other unknown charges.

I am very annoyed and have already contacted my bank and informed them that these are fraudulent charges.

I also made several written complaints to the management, none of which they even bothered to respond to.

I WOULD NOT RECOMEND THIS HOTEL TO ANYONE, AVOID LIKE PLAGUE!!!

Hotel Rafayel Management Reply:

Dear Guest,

This is a killer review that can hurt any corporation severely, but we are sure we will be able to highlight the inconsistencies in your post that are ample.  Since the publication of your review we have investigated to find out the details of your stay.

1.      You claim that you have written several letters.  Most disappointingly we have gone through our entire database but find no record of any such complaint in the month of July, or even in the last six months.  After having checked thoroughly, in the entire month of July, no overcharge has been made to any customer card, neither have we made any refunds for such an error. We cannot trace this at all with our best efforts. We would request you to send us all the details immediately. If we can bother to respond within 12 hours on a public forum it would be more like us to respond to customer complaints within 24 hours and not to sleep on it, especially to an explosive complaint like yours that could not have been avoided.

2.      Our standard policy, if a room is not available, is to request the customer to wait in the restaurant with a river view.  From your review it appears that this was not the case yet any customer that is delayed so late - until 5 - due to non-availability of the room is recorded in our system. Unfortunately in the last 12 months not a single incident of such an oversight has been recorded. Our house-keeping goes off at 4.00 PM and we simply do not leave room preparations to 5 PM, this would be catastrophic.  Most unfortunately we could not find any complaint on such an incident. 

3.      Reception and Concierge rudeness: This is not our speech or approach, we would not exist in this business if we called people “Morons,” what justification do we have? Our staff is professional and very courteous. We DO NOT accord such treatment to our guests.  We serve around 50,000 guests per annum and in the last three years, our policy is that “Customer is king.” If any of our staff acts in such a manner they will be severely disciplined; we are here to serve not to abuse our guests.

We refuse this allegation without further substantiation from your side as to the time of arrival.   We can find the person in no time.  Such deliberate oversight, if it occurred, is just not acceptable. We can get CCTV footage of all this if you give us the details to help sort out the issues if in fact it happened, especially where we would be able to find out ‘who took you up’ and who asked for the tip and who allegedly  abused you. These are very grave accusations.

Our 2” main doors (5.08 cm thick) are equipped with ‘Hafele’ locking system that cannot be banged. To avoid problems of banging sounds for other customers, the whole lobby is totally sound proof from the room, the whole idea being that the noise should not be heard from the other side.  You allege that the concierge banged the door and literally abused you using the ‘ B-word ‘.  Even the toilet seats from ‘Roca’ are hydraulic, designed to come down gradually to avoid any banging which may cause disturbance to other guests sharing rooms. The pains we have taken have cost us £150 instead of £10.

We once again request you that circumstantial evidence unfortunately does not support your allegations.  Our staff’s conduct with other customers has always been above board.  And if we have ever discovered an unusual tendency of greed in our porters, like we did on a single isolated occasion, we immediately removed such staff on mere suspicion, forget the notion that we will live with it for years. This is not us and we as a corporation will defend such an allegation unless we are given full information.

Such an attitude will be severely censured and will lead to automatic suspension of the staff. We can determine the culprit if you let us have more details instead of anonymous reviews where we spent hours to discover the identity and still are not even 10 percent as records of such incidents do not exist.

4.       We have 95% star rating on ‘cleanliness’ in our 600 reviews here and also on other third party sites, we never ever had complaints like this, this is not us, we don’t see this as us, we will stop the business than to act in such a horrendous manner as you have depicted us.

We take pride in our cleanliness and it is handled ably by a lady director of the company who is here from 6.00 in the morning every day; cleaning and food and beverages plus service forms the core of our approach here.

We are top class cleaners and this is something that is just not probable.  We are not an ordinary hotel as far as our dedication and commitment to serve is concerned. We serve with pride: that is us.

We claim that we are affordable luxury; we don’t give away rooms like that.  There are three levels of checks and controls before a room can be given out to guests, and we are happy to share our reports with you which would show how steps are taken, from guest checkout to new arrival, to ensure that the room is thoroughly turned around with the kind of luxury we think our guests deserve.  We have never been accused of giving dirty rooms away, or with bathroom scum or unclean lines or lack of towels, this is not us. This is something that rejects our ethos and our corporate identity.

In the entire three years of our kitchen, our food has never been returned thrice, such gross cooking would raise eyebrows at the highest level  Ours is a fine dining place, and we take pride in our connoisseur skills and think we serve great food; our ambience in the Banyan, as most have written, is exceptional. We have checked our entire record and have been unable to find a single incident in July or last three years where food was returned thrice, it is just not true, no return has been observed in any of our records - neither in July nor in the last three years of our existence. We have checked the entire food and beverage data, the guest which has similar name as you was given free food for 23 pounds due to a change of room that was requested but we could not give. We have taken evidence from our head chef and found your allegation to be untrue so far.  We would like to receive the bill you paid that would help us to trace the whole accusation painstakingly.   The only times we may have had complaints are likely to be with steaks which are not cooked to the desired level of the guests or in a rare mix-up between the different flavours of prawns served.

It’s a shame you have not noticed the many facilities at the hotel offered to our guests. Free 20 MB Wi-Fi, free shuttle service, large rooms and bathrooms, Hypnos beds, World class linen, 50% discount on food at the Banyan restaurant and on spa therapies, a Library with the latest books...just to name a few.

Please note that for you it is a review but for us it is our fledgling business that is attacked so openly and if this is the kind of business we run, we have no right to claim ourselves as a pro- customer business. This is not us.  We are proud of our service, and we will continue to serve with pride but our whole plan is to get to the bottom of this, with the hope that one day you will not advise people to “avoid us like the plague,” once we discover the facts that we so confidently refute.  We are so confident that we have selected this review to appear in our blog and in our facebook page, because our customers know this is not us.  This is the kind of review which helps us to establish who we are..."This is exactly not us".

Saving our planet - the change starts from YOU.

We are not idle preachers, but practice what we preach all the time. A change should start from 'us.'  It is all within us to save our planet!

Do you know that it will take between 450 and 500 years for a PET bottle to degrade?

The simplest way to recycle PET water bottles is to refill them with water rather than buy another one! 

Given that more than 25% of all bottled water comes out of a tap anyway, doesn't that make sense? And if you're worried about fluoride and chlorine, use a filter or boil the water.

Hotel Rafayel, a luxury hotel in London’s Battersea, asked water cooler manufacturer Vivreau to help it in achieving its low-emissions goal. We have no plastics, we use glass bottles, and we refill water.  At Hotel Rafayel in Battersea the only water available is filtered tap water in branded re-fillable glass bottles.  Reduce, sort and recycle waste.

"The more waste a company produces, the more it will inevitably cost them in disposal charges and makes its overall carbon footprint larger. Source suppliers who don't use excess packaging to reduce the amount of waste coming in, or cut some services out completely. Hotel Rafayel avoids sending an estimated 250,000 plastic bottles to landfill by not offering complimentary bottled mineral water, or selling it in the bar or restaurant. If you do create waste, sort it first to cut costs."

To help them with their eco goals, Hotel Rafayel has enlisted the assistance of Vivreau, a manufacturer of mains-fed bottled water systems. It’s estimated that the Vivreau table water bottling system – an alternative to pre-bottled still and sparkling mineral waters – will allow Hotel Rafayel to eliminate 432 tonnes of delivered bottled water over five years, in addition to a further 205 tonnes of glass bottle waste for disposal. This is based on a requirement of 250 litres per day, 1,750 litres per week, or 292 cases per week, which invariably will free up fridge and storage space as well as address waste and carbon emissions.

Vivreau drinking water systems dispense purified and filtered mains water and, according to a Vivreau spokesperson, this equates to a carbon footprint close to that of mains water as the need for carbon intensive packaging and transportation associated with pre-bottled waters is eliminated.

http://www.foodbev.com/news/vivreau-invited-to-stay-at-hotel-rafayel

Gone are the days of faceless, heartless, soulless businesses ...

The hospitality industry goes through tremendous challenges which are not simply restricted to adhering to the traditional tools of the trade so to speak.  While necessary to implement and maintain the quality and quantity of your products and services, keeping your economic efficiencies in sight, today’s highly technological world of global connectivity imposes a slightly bigger burden on those in the hospitality business.

Gone are the days of faceless, heartless, soulless enterprises and the corporate aloofness that comes with it.  Gone are the times when indifferent executive attitudes towards consumers do not account the “human” value in measuring the worth of their product.   

Rafayel believes that hospitality is about serving “people,” about cultivating relationships with them; about being transparent with them; about admitting mistakes; about finding success in its failures; about exchanging meaningful dialogue with their customers; about honesty and integrity.

As an operating business, we are proud of our guests’ patronage, both the old and the new.  But like any establishment, we are not impervious to praise or criticism whatever the case may be.  Our policy is to publicly express our deepest appreciation to compliments, or address any guest criticism or complaint, as and when they come.  This is the reason why we take the extra effort to explain any inadvertent oversight on our part, or rectify misconceptions that our guest may create unknowingly based on their unique individual taste or character.

No review on our hotel is unimportant; not a single guest is insignificant for us.  We are proud to share our guest comments and the quick-time way our management reacts to them, which substantiates our open-door policy of meaningful and productive dialogue:

Guest Review

“Poor location, good food, noisy restaurant, trendy room”

July 17, 2012

My wife and I stayed here for 2 nights whilst visiting Wimbledon, staff were very friendly,curteous and attentive, the reviews are slightly misleading in that it is in a poor location, not somewhere you'd want to walk around and also the train/tube stations are too far to walk to and you have to wait at least 10-15 minutes for a taxi, they have an hourly scehduled taxi service to clapham junction, which is Ok if you plan to travel on the hour. Restaurant is well positioned and food is lovely,but it is very noisy, not sure if that's to do with building, the sounds seems to reveberate and the barmen insist on throwing empty bottles from a great height to create the sound. Ok if you want somewhere to stay not very romantic.

Rafayel Management reply

July 18, 2012

Dear Guest

We thank you for your review and are glad to note that overall you enjoyed our product and services.

It is disheartening and rather annoying that some people keep talking about where we are located and we have to keep repeating ourselves that this is highlighted in all our websites and that you are taking an informed decision when booking to stay with us. Specially more so when you get a room which is twice the size of a normal London room with large bathrooms in return. We take pride in that.

However we reiterate that we are not far away from stations. Infact in good weather conditions many of our guests prefer to walk to Clapham Junction Station which could be reached within 8 minutes rather than using our shuttle which by the way is every 30 minutes and not hourly as you have mentioned. Further, Battersea square with a variety of restaurants is just 5 minutes walk from the hotel and a brisk walk will take you to Kings Road, Chelsea within 12 to 15 minutes...So we are not in an isolated location after all.

We are glad to note that you enjoyed our food and services in our restaurant. Banyan on the Thames is one of the rare busy restaurants in Battersea. When it’s busy you say it is noisy and when the restaurant is quiet it’s said that it has no soul. We are sorry about the noise made by the barman. It is against Health & Safety to throw bottles, and we have checked on CCTV and found that it was the clanging of bottles in a busy bar environment and not throwing them away.

We have beautiful views of the River Thames and Chelsea Harbour across the river, and you could walk undisturbed for miles along the embankment which could be very romantic indeed.

We thank you once again in the hope that you will visit Battersea and Hotel Rafayel in the near future.

Guest Review

“Beautiful in all aspects”

July 15, 2012

We only stayed here for one night but I wish that it had been longer. Our suite room was very large and amazing! It had a working area with a desk, a relaxing area with a sofa and table which we used to eat our deliciousdinner from the room service menu. The bedroom area had a large tv which we could control all of the lights and the air con from which was very handy throughout the night! It was a shame that we had a first floor room as we only had a view of the car park out of our massive window opposite the bed which seemed like such a waste. Very good value for money, we booked the night before through a coparison website which definitely helped with the cost! We would both love to stay there again and i am most sure that we will, the service was outstanding and the spa and resteraunt were exceptional.

Rafayel Management reply

July 18, 2012

Dear Guest

We are glad you enjoyed your stay with us and experienced the hospitality of our Restaurant and Spa too.

We are encouraged and motivated when our guests are happy and appreciate our services.

Thank you for your review, and we sincerely hope to see you soon !

 Guest Review

“Such a let down”

July 13, 2012

I  really cant see the point in complaining about the hotel's inconvenient location - this is made very clear on their website and on the main booking websites so it is unfair and pointless to complain about this. However, I do agree that the area is just - well, drab. My heart sank as we arrived in our taxi, all I could see was what I later realised were private apartments and it just looked so messy - the full glass windows meant you could just see weird piles of clothes and furniture - it was just horrible. The reception area is weird. I agree it is like a loading bay and again I just felt so disappointed when I walked inside it was just really small, no glamour or slickness it was just like walking into a department store - really weird.

Our room was also really irritating, The docking station didnt work (took nearly 1 hour to get it sorted and when it did you could hardly hear it). We decided to use the TV music system instead and that was a complete joke it was as if the remote was from another TV - complete waste of time so the build up to going out and getting ready was just completely flattened. The bathroom (without a bath) was a massive disappointment and why it does it not state "shower room" is wrong - I have a skin condition and showers aggrevate it massively so this was a real annoyance. There was no proper area to get ready - one of us had to use the mirror inside the wardrobe and I tried to use the bathroom but it was so dark it was just pathetic. The main lightbulb had also gone but I got fed up of ringing reception and getting no answer so just put up with it.

Although we had a partial view of the river, we were directly on the main road with a view straight into someones office and a builders merchant - it was really really depressing - plus the helipad started to get on my nerves after a while considering I couldnt even drown the noise out with music! As the room layout is long and thin you cant really help but be on view to the road, builders merchant and girl sat at her desk so had to keep the blinds closed - pretty pointless having a room with a view then - maybe vertical blinds would be more sensible instead of roller blinds DRRR?! at least then you could see the nice bit of the view and still have some light and privacy.

The room is SO badly appointed. I never stay in anything less than 5 star as not going away often I would rather make the most of it and have stayed in some beautiful places around Europe and this place defintely is not 5 star any day of the week. There were so many basic things missing and what was there was just rubbish - hairdryer without a nozzle/broken lights/broken docking station/stupid TV/no fire exit instructions (great!) and loads of other things. It just had no panache and you didnt feel like you had treated yourself. I felt like I was in an office block - when you approach you will see what I mean. I expect it looks impressive from the water front but as we were not arriving by boat (!) then you cant really appreciate this.

Have not stayed in many London hotels so cant compare but I really didnt enjoy it. The view out of the bar and the bar itself is lovely but thats it. Maybe if this was owned by a chain then it may have a chance but it just felt like an old office block trying to be a hotel and not really working! I cant complain about the price but so wish I had paid more for an established brand as I couldnt help feeling like a fool. How this has got 5* rating I have no idea - even the spa was weird as the jacuzzi was right next to the window in the corridor and when I walked past I just got some guys backside in my face - it was so wrong!

What should have been a treat just didnt feel like it in any way at all. It was amateur and strange and although I could sit here nit picking and moaning I can only sum in up by saying how disappointing and depressing it was and lots of irritation which is not how I should feel about a 5* hotel in London. It has no personality, no warmth and no hospitality - like an office block!

Rafayel Management Reply

July 17, 2012

Dear Guest,

Thank you for posting your review which we find to be totally unfounded and hyped. We are what we are but we are not what you have tried us to portray. It is such a letdown to work 'so hard' and face with such a debilitating kind of criticism that has little merit. As is our policy, we are always keen to exchange dialogue with our admirers and critics alike, taking their recommendations and suggestions to heart in our continuous quest to improve the quality of our amenities and services, or to rectify misconceptions as the case may be.

Unfortunately, most of the points you raise or the description of the area you highlight do not in any way reflect the quality of our hotel or the environs we are set in, neither does your review suggest any constructive criticism to help us serve you better. On the contrary, it gives a reader a completely distorted picture of our establishment which serves no purpose other than imperiling our business.

Battersea on Thames is anything but drab. We are sorry to learn that you found the area “drab” and that the reception area was “weird.” Every individual has a different sense of aesthetics or glamour and perhaps it did not appeal to yours. On the contrary, most of our guests have highly praised our lobby/reception areas, among other things, with all its floral arrangements and artistic pieces that decorate the place. Rafayel is a boutique hotel uniquely designed with state-of-the-art amenities that have earned it remarkable awards and citations not in the least the 2011 Wandsworth Green Business Awards. The analogy to a department store is unfair and misleading, and we also find ourselves bewildered over your statement that it was like a loading bay.

Battersea has come a very long way from being a “dogs and cats home” to becoming one of the most upcoming and expensive properties in London or, as some have termed it, the “Monte Carlo of London.” Hotel Rafayel, located in the landmark Falcon Wharf building on “the sunny side of London” with its beautiful views of the River Thames, will also enjoy the prestige of being showcased as one of the 700 of the city’s best buildings in Open House London’s architectural event due in September 2012. Your individual review is such a stark contrast to the kind of professional accolades and individual praise we have received, and continue to enjoy, that we can only attribute it to your personal taste.

We are sorry that you were not happy with your room. We take great pride in the fact that our rooms are equipped with the most advanced innovative technological VDA Micromaster touch systems. Even the most technologically-challenged guests have been nothing less than impressed. In the last 2 years since we opened we have lost 180 iPod docking stations and TV remotes and many that suffered abusive use, which regretfully we cannot complain about, however, we believe our helpful staff was prompt in their assistance.

With regards to your complaints on the shower, our website highlights in its rooms introduction section that baths are available in some rooms. Had you informed our staff you had a skin condition that could not tolerate showers (even though our faucets have multiple jettisoning options), they would have been happy to recommend an alternative arrangement. As far as the lights are concerned, please note that the hotel is fully fitted with Philips’ eco-friendly innovative energy-saving LED lamps. Hotel Rafayel has been used as Global Philips Corporation’s case study for being the first hotel of its kind to use this technology. We would happily send you web links to review these unfortunately posting terms and conditions do not allow such publicity, but please feel free to search for reference.

We would disagree that our rooms are badly appointed. All our guests have enjoyed the immensely spacious luxury of Rafayel rooms and bathrooms which most hotel rooms in London lack. Our windows, which are highly insulated and specifically designed to keep out outdoor noise, offer better views than many hotels in London that mostly consist of unsightly rooftops and chimneys. Your comments on the spa are unjustified too; the Jacuzzi is well-positioned and well concealed to respect the privacy of users. We are proud to say that River Wellbeing is a boutique spa in a boutique hotel but offers treatments and facilities that have earned it high ratings.

It distresses us when any of our guests take the extra effort to mock and criticise our facilities when they pay the most economical rates with zero service charges in the current financial environment. With the rates we offer, it seems unfair to pass judgement on the whole location, the hotel’s design concept, and completely disregard the quality of our services. We are still a new business but have achieved tremendous success with what we are, how we are, and where we are. We cannot discount the thousands of professional and individual acknowledgements and recognition of our establishment over your review, but believing that every guest is important, we take the liberty of addressing your comments in the interest of fairness, transparency and honesty.

We thank you once again.

Guest Review

“Wish we could have stayed longer”

July 10, 2012

We only stayed at this hotel for one night after returning from Paris at 10pm on a Monday night however I wish we were staying for at least a week. We got a great deal through last minute.com booking 2 weeks before with a total cost fo £129.00 per night.

The reception was serene and beautifully designed and the reception staff incredibly helpful and polite. We were given a ground floor room (a shame as I was looking forward to seeing the London skyline) however it did not matter in the slightest the room was AMAZING!!!!

We were given a complimentary upgrade to a double deluxe, the room was huge, the carpet was obviously very new, super soft and bouncy, the rain-style shower was fantastic I could have stayed in there all night and the bed was beautifully comfortable - a massive struggle to get up in the morning.

We also made use of the complimentary shuttle service in the morning to Clapham junction at 7:30am, having our own car to take us was a great help and ensured that meetings were arrived at on-time and stress free.

A fantastic hotel - I will definitely be going back.

Rafayel Management Reply

July 11, 2012

Dear Guest

We are delighted you enjoyed your short stay with us. It's a shame you didn't have the opportunity to experience our Restaurant 'Banyan on the Thames' and our 'River Wellbeing' Spa.

We look forward to welcome you back very soon for a longer stay.

What a delightful review to read !

Guest Review

“Great potential, poorly managed.”

July 15, 2012

A frustatingly mixed review.... Great potential, if managed better - I think the website does this hotel lots of favours and they could start by managing peoples expectations....!

Firstly, the location is a bit of a headache, not really a stone throw away from anything, more of a helicopter flight away (which is probably why theirs a heli port on your doorstep at this hotel (probably the owners - he has thought it through).

but if location isnt a concern, then you'll get an amazing room at a budget price with excellent food, so no need to even venture out!

great for getaways where the room is more important than locations and things to do!

Rafayel Management Reply

July 17, 2012

Dear Guest,

Thank you for your positive comments on your stay at Rafayel. We try our best to incorporate and implement our customers’ recommendations which helps us to enhance the quality of our services.

We very much appreciate the fact that you highly rate our room and food, two very important factors that are attributed to a well-managed and efficiently operated establishment. Therefore, we are confused with the cryptic and ambiguous caption of your review that it has “great potential but is poorly managed.”

Our website goes the extra mile to let people know exactly who we are, what we offer and where we are located. We disagree that it misleads people’s expectations as our website carries more information than is the norm. We are perfectly aware of our limitations, in terms of transportation and commutes, which we have tried to mitigate by offering free shuttle services to Clapham Junction and Clapham Common, with Bus 170 at our doorstep which takes you directly to the heart of London within 20 minutes. We also offer car parking at £15/day in a non-congestion zone, which you will not find anywhere else in London.

Your oblique reference to the helipad and the owner is improper as there is no connection between the two. This sounds very personal. With a small business like ours it’s a battle of survival.

We have great faith and pride in Battersea – an area witnessing the kind of development that has put it on the map, let alone the fact that it has fast become the urban social and dining hot-spot, with Kings Road being a mere 12-15 minutes’ walk away. When you chose Rafayel, you took an informed decision so to imply that it is in the middle of nowhere is unfair and gives the reader a false impression.

We thank you once again for your appreciative comments on our facility and look forward to your repeat visit soon.

London at its best - a season loaded with events for holidaymakers

Rafayel Newsletter-Spring issue

The Great Easter Escape - 6th to 15th April 2012

Easter Offers!

From 6^th April-15^th April 2012

Take advantage of our Easter Escape Packages and treat your partner or your family to a mini holiday and escape this Easter weekend.  Our 5-star facilities and central location ensure you’re in the best place to enjoy all the city has to offer!

Our Easter Family Package includes:

• *Family of four – Nile room available for Sundays and

Mondays

• £299 per night inclusive of continental breakfast for four
• And inclusive of lunch for four (food only)
• Complimentary 4 Easter eggs on arrival

*children up to 14 years of age

Our Easter Couples Escape Package includes:

• 2 nights accommodation for two adults- Amazon Suite £299.00
• Complimentary breakfast for 2 on both days
• Complimentary Easter eggs and a bottle of white bubbly on ice in room on arrival
• 50% discount on food at the Banyan on the Thames (for minimum of 2-course meal per person)
• 50% discount on Spa treatments
• Minimum 2 nights stay – Rates per room and per night based on double occupancy

1)       Subject to availability

2)       Taxes and service charges included

3)       May not be used in conjunction with other offers.

Hotel Rafayel on the Left Bank | 34 Lombard Road | London SW11 3RF

Tel: +44 (0) 207 801 3600 | email: reservations@hotelrafayel.com

www.hotelrafayel.com

Have a cracking Easter holiday!

Last-minute Easter Weekend break! 

Sun-Mon, 8^th – 9^th April 2012

Missed out on our Easter offers? Here are special last-minute offers for your last-minute plans! Minimum 2-nights stay on Sunday and Monday (8th and 9th April 2012) The Mississippi (standard double) – room only Starting from: £150 (for 2 nights) Breakfast-for-2:  at only £15 per day Lunch-for-2: at only£30 per day (food only – our famous burgers) Dinner-for-2: at only £40 per night (2-courses per person-food only)  1)       Subject to availability 2)       Taxes and service charges included 3)       May not be used in conjunction with other offers.

Hotel Rafayel on the Left Bank | 34 Lombard Road | London SW11 3RF

Tel: +44 (0) 207 801 3600 | email: reservations@hotelrafayel.com

www.hotelrafayel.com