Basmo Fortress

As a customer, I am extremely disappointed with the way this hotel is being operated. There is no reception and no staff available to address even the most basic needs of guests. We have had difficulty getting basic items such as towels, fans, and access to a microwave for heating food. The rooms are hot, and when we ask for a fan, we are repeatedly told to go to the laundry room and pick one up ourselves—only to find that there are no fans available. If the hotel is being operated remotely, there still needs to be a reliable system in place to ensure that essential items are stocked and easily accessible 24/7. Towels, fans, irons, and other basic guest necessities should be properly stocked in a clearly designated location that guests can access within a couple of minutes. There is also a serious issue with the trash outside the back of the hotel. The smell is unpleasant, and this needs to be managed properly, especially if there is no staff physically present to monitor the property. I understand that remote hotel operations may be efficient from the management’s perspective, but as a paying customer, I am experiencing the opposite: frustration and inconvenience. We are on vacation, and we should not have to repeatedly spend our time chasing down basic necessities or advising the hotel on how these things should be handled. The have been operating this property for years, so I would expect these basic operational issues to have already been addressed. Please take this

What I don't like the most is the breakfast. There are very limited breakfast options and it's a very small buffet - compared to other 5 star hotels nearby it's inferior. The first morning, I ordered boiled eggs, I waited for more than 30 mins or so, then checked with the staff. They responded eggs had to be cooked - clearly we don't need 30 mins for hard boiled eggs. It was brought out less than 10 mins after I checked in with them You could have just admitted the order was missed and apologised. Also staff didn't show me where I could get water on the first day. I checked in and got to my room before 5pm. Complimentary filtered water bottle was brought to my room after 8pm. I can't understand how this is helpful. This is an odd customer welcome journey - it's all about the right moment at the right time - wondering if the hotel wants guests to drink and pee at night and that's why they brought it to the room so late? The same thing happened the following day. The sauna had very loud music and poor quality speakers so it's not at all a relaxing time in the sauna. I requested the music be turned down or turned off but obviously no change was made. Overall this hotel falls short of my expectations and I don't recommend.

This is a good choice for travelers who want to be centrally located, but off the busy street. Nice, comfortable space and the ability to cook is a high priority for me. Very walkable and transit-friendly location. It is great to have laundry onsite, but with only 2 washers and one dryer, expect to have to wait. I don't love the app-based key system, but it mostly worked.