Alvear Icon Hotel

An Experience of Stark Contrasts: Excellent Facilities, but Services That Fall Short The hotel boasts truly remarkable facilities. The room, the location, and the luxurious spaces are excellent and reflect the standard of an establishment of this category. However, there were situations during our stay that considerably marred the experience. First, the whirlpool area. I believe its capacity is clearly insufficient for a hotel of this size. The number of guests far exceeds the capacity for comfortable use of the facilities. It would be advisable to implement an efficient reservation system, with limited availability per time slot, allowing guests to enjoy the service under conditions befitting the establishment's category and price. Second, and much more seriously, our experience at the Crystal Bar was truly disappointing. We ordered a breaded cutlet that arrived at the table spoiled. When we reported this, both the waiter and the manager began questioning our description of the problem. When we said the meat was "overcooked," they asked if we meant it was dry. When we clarified that it was "bulging," they asked again if we meant it was undercooked. What was truly surprising was their insistence on arguing with us about the food's condition, instead of immediately resolving the situation. We asked for a different dish, and even then, they continued to insist on leaving it on the table, despite our explicit reiteration: "We're not going to eat it." A restaurant of this caliber should understand that, when faced with a complaint about the condition of food, the first reaction should be to listen to the customer, remove the dish, and offer a solution. It's inappropriate to subject the guest to an interrogation to justify why they believe the food is unsafe. But the problems didn't end there. When it came time to pay, they tried to charge us again for the menu item that was already included and paid for in the STAY & CRYSTAL package. After pointing out the error, approximately ten minutes passed before they brought us a new bill, this time including the cost of some tempura prawns. The dish was ordered to replace the one that was spoiled. In other words, we had to complain about the quality of the food, insist they remove a dish we weren't going to eat, and finally, review and question the bill twice. The most disappointing thing wasn't just the problem with the food, but the way the staff handled the complaint. The quality of a luxury hotel isn't measured solely by its rooms, decor, or facilities, but also by its ability to resolve issues with professionalism, sound judgment, and respect for the guest. The hotel has magnificent infrastructure, but the experience at the Crystal Bar fell far short of the service standards one expects from an establishment of this caliber. True luxury isn't just about offering extraordinary facilities, but about providing service that lives up to them.

Excellent in every way!

It doesn't live up to the Palace's standards; many details need improvement (I gave detailed feedback in the survey) for a hotel of such a high caliber. For future guests to be aware: the pool water is 30°C (this is due to city regulations, but it's an unpleasant surprise for those who aren't aware of it).