I booked a room at Les Chambres D'or in Rome from 19 July to 22 July. I was never informed that I needed to confirm my arrival time, and I assumed, as with most hotels, that reception would be available 24 hours a day. Travel plans are often unpredictable, and I expected the hotel to accommodate late arrivals.
On 19 July, while traveling by train, I had poor internet connection and could not contact the hotel. I arrived at the property at approximately 23:30, only to find the hotel closed. When I rang the bell, I was told to wait outside on the street at midnight. I was alone and felt unsafe. I waited for about 30 minutes until I sought help from nearby police officers, who called the hotel manager (or possibly the owner).
When she arrived, she informed me that check-in closed at 21:00. If this rule exists, why was I not notified in advance? She also demanded that I pay an extra โฌ50 because I arrived late. I have never encountered such a policy, and typically, hotels offer compromises or assistance in such situations, not additional feesโespecially when the stay has already been prepaid.
The manager was also rude and requested documents I had never been asked to provide before. I did not feel safe or comfortable staying at this hotel and had to find another hotel in Rome around 1:00 a.m., which cost me all of my remaining funds.
If such strict rules exist, they should have been clearly indicated on the website and communicated to me directly via email or messaging apps