"I recently stayed at Original Sokos Hotel Viru and overall had a pleasant stay. The hotel is well located, the room was comfortable, and the staff I interacted with were generally friendly.
However, the check-in experience left a sour taste. I arrived at approximately 1:15 p.m. and was told that my room was already ready. Despite the room being available, I was informed that I would need to pay an additional €15 to access it before the official 3:00 p.m. check-in time.
Rather than pay the fee, I waited in the lobby with my wife, a 3-year-old child, a 6-month-old infant, and our luggage. At approximately 2:00 p.m., I approached the desk again and a different employee checked us in immediately at no charge.
This made the policy feel arbitrary and inconsistent. If a room is ready and available, especially for a family travelling with young children, charging an extra fee simply to access an already-prepared room creates a poor first impression. The fact that I was later checked in for free only added to the confusion.
I understand hotels have published check-in times, but when a room is sitting ready and vacant, a more customer-focused approach would go a long way.
Overall, a good hotel, but the handling of the early check-in situation was disappointing and unnecessary."
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