Berlin Marriott Hotel

The booking process was smooth and professional. Check-in, however, left me quite surprised. The front desk agent only informed me about the room number and the amount that would be blocked on my card per day. There was no welcoming tone or effort to provide additional information unless I asked. After a short pause, I inquired about breakfast hours, which were given. The interaction ended with just a “Ciao,” and only after I reminded her that perhaps a “Have a pleasant stay” would be appropriate, she added it almost as an afterthought. The rest of the stay was overall good. Housekeeping did a great job—clean, timely, and attentive. However, I would like to point out a disappointing incident. My daughter accidentally left one of her wireless earbuds on the bed. That same day, the linens were changed, and the earbud was gone. I don't blame the staff for not noticing it on the sheets, but it is concerning that the laundry process does not seem to include checking or shaking out the linens before washing, as guests often leave personal belongings, sometimes of much higher value, on the bed. What added to the disappointment was that, despite requesting the HK staff to contact the laundry service and give us some feedback in case the earbud was found, we never received any response or follow-up. Breakfast was served in a temporary area, but the selection was good. However, there were recurring issues with food labels being placed incorrectly—for example, the apricot jam was labeled as orange, a lentil spread was placed under what appeared to be guacamole. Also, due to the use of very small containers for many items on the buffet, replacements often took too long, leading guests to return multiple times only to find the item still missing. I would recommend that containers are not removed unless a full one is ready to be replaced immediately. While the staff at breakfast is generally dedicated, there was a noticeable sense of irritation or stress when asked for small requests—such as asking for a specific table to be cleaned because I preferred sitting there. This isn’t what you expect at a 5-star property. I also visited the bar, which was a pleasant experience, and the team there was very warm and welcoming. At the end of my stay, I asked to extend my reservation and requested to pay via bank transfer. Initially, the receptionist said it was not possible, without explanation, simply quoting a colleague from finance. After insisting and reminding her that she represents a 5-star property where the answer should never be a quick “no,” but rather an effort to explore the request, she agreed—and the payment via bank transfer worked perfectly. Unfortunately, check-out was also below Marriott standards. I was handed an invoice without clear breakdowns or explanations, especially regarding the amount that would be refunded to my card. While many of these details might go unnoticed by the average guest, as a hotelier, I notice where service and communication could be more refined. With better consistency and attention to detail, the overall experience could reach its full potential.