Goldorak

I believe this is an excellent summary assessment of this hotel.

Awesom Andy

Just heard that the pool parties are coming back, so you might want to stay away from here on weekends.

ozmouse

Checked in yesterday for 2 night stay. Have just reread my previous post and it is spot on. And now I'm just whinging....

Booked So studio room at a sale rate (same as previous visits), no mention of upgrade. Upon arriving at room I had to ask if this was room I paid for?! Was not acceptable imo. It is one of the triangular rooms on the curve of front of building. Long hallway takes up 25% of your 55sqm. queen bed only. Toilet room tiny due to angular walls. No tub. Triangular room means you can not watch the tv in bed.

Called down to confirm I had received room I booked. Yes I had. Enquired about plat benefit of avail upgrade. Was told no rooms avail. Checked, Vip room was avail on Accor app.

Received callback from person whom checked me in, clarifying I had asked for an upgrade. No That was incorrect, I called to confirm my room allocation and I was disappointed with it. He offered bottle of wine to appease me. Stating no upgrades avail.

At the same time requested ice bucket for drinks (bar fridges here don't work). Nothing arrived. Went out for 1 hour, nothing in room on arrival.

Finally wine arrives, go to door staff member juggling 2 plates and wine bucket at his feet on floor. Says to me, can I hold this, handing me a plate.

Comes in delivers wine and only 1 plate. I presume arrival amenity 3 hours late- Don't know wasn't told. Stated I requested ice bucket for cold drinks. He said it is coming. Never arrived.

Went up to pool ... No (official) pool party (that was last Friday night March 5th, just general 2for1 Friday night drinks for city workers. Quite the scene. We had great time.... Well had to return drinks twice as they were wrong order.

But sure enough poor hotel guest in bathrobe and slippers comes out of elevator shocked at scene. But got to hand it to her, She had a dip in front of 200 bargoers!!

Pool clean but pool tiles breaking off on steps not being replaced.

So as stated previously.... More design over function. Not enough hotel features. No special recognition of status. Too many negatives now for me.

PS the hawker food is fantastic! LOVE SIN!

Awesom Andy

The official pool parties are on Saturday. Don't think there's one this weekend but there was one last weekend. Their facebook page has photos of it. They sometimes announce the next party there as well so do check before your next booking. Reviews on that site somehow also scores 4.4 out of 5, which is nowhere near what posts here would suggest.

ozmouse

Yes my mistake ... saturday march 5th. friday nights are 2 for 1 drinks special designed for local workers i suspect.

Yes quite different reviews... i'm guessing different clientele/demographics between the 2 forums. gen x v gen y. asian v european. business v holiday. For people wanting a highly stylized urban experience, they will be impressed. For seasoned travelers (incl accor members), whom enjoy new experiences but still expect traditional hotel services, might review differently.

i fall into the gen x holiday traveller accor member categories. I was attracted by the So brand after my bangkok So experiences. But as stated, this property falls short for me.

Awesom Andy

I'm gen-y, Asian, and for this demographics, while the iPhone-related things can be interesting, and most have a taste for funky designs, they still wouldn't like tiny triangular shoe boxes, refused upgrades when rooms are available, failed room services after multiple requests, or broken pool tiles not being replaced.

ozmouse

LOL.... yep.... we on same page then! so i cant explain the FB reviews then.

PS ... ipad thingy room control flaky. sure you can turn off the lights with the ipad. but the bathroom wall switch wouldnt work....

KezzaKawasaki

Without a doubt, the most disappointing Accor stay I have had in recent years. As a platinum we received complimentary breakfast and welcome drink voucher; however, despite all room types showing as bookable on the day of arrival, we did not receive any upgrade from the So Cosy room booked and probably received one of the worst rooms in the hotel. There were no coffee pods in the room for the machine. Pool area was very depressing. Location was not good for a Saturday night stay.

ozmouse

Here are some pics of our studio room which was one of the 2 triangular rooms on the corner of the hotel overlooking front entrance

https://www.flickr.com/photos/133374.../shares/SU6Y0H

missing pool tiles

https://www.flickr.com/photos/133374.../shares/6fC54R

here is 2 pics from my so lofty room last year... no complaints there...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/133374.../shares/68H1AQ

ozmouse

We were lucky ..... we got 1 reg & 1 decaf pod (never replaced at evening turndown if used during the day so no coffee in the morning). And 1 each of black, green, chamomile, and mint tea. What do hotels think when 2 people share a room, we share 1 tea bag? When i asked for more tea from housekeeping at evening turndown, she asked which one.... and i got 1! I then asked for 1 of each!!

Location is an issue for taxis. Pickup location is at back of hotel, which is not known by some of the taxis/ubers. Some taxis will not pick up on robinson at the front. Complicating this, is side street is blocked every evening for lau pa sat satay market, furter restricting access to hotel.

yauee

Experienced the same fate when higher rate room are bookable but refuse to upgrade.

bluecrabs

If one is plat and they see the higher rate room available to book, wouldn't politely asking for the manager and telling him that work? for the upgrade?

yauee

Was told manager not around. Maybe due to the rate we pay :-) hopefully only happens to us not others. Once with So Lofty and once with So Studio.

ozmouse

Tis true, none of the staff at the So have name tags, so you have no idea whom you are speaking with. In my case the person whom checked me in called back after my phone query over my room to the "solution desk" to repeat there are no upgrades avail.

Ill even go far to say you know your not getting your upgrade when they dont even confirm your room booking. They will confirm your check out date, but they dont repeat the room category at checkin, knowing they are not meeting expectations. (hence the reason i had to call to confirm i was allocated my correct room).

In the case of these optional upgrades, I usually don't pull the "can i speak with a manager" line. I give the person i am dealing with a second chance and I usually rephrase my question, quite pointedly, "you say you can NOT blah blah blah....". In this case, it was clarification that the offer of a bottle of wine was being offered instead of a change of room, then it is rather closed conversation imo.

Following a stay last year at the hotel, where i did make a written complaint about noise, i was in possession of an asst mgr bus card. But after the poor response last year (ie only email contact and letter and bus card on 2nd arrival, with no solution), i did not pursue management response this year.

Of course this is quite different to when checking in to M Gallery Hoi An on same trip, I introduced to customer service manager at check in (hotel manager called room after check in), F&B manager and hotel manager during stay, and am offered cards and approached during stay (and already given upgrade), i would contact anyone of them without hesitation. But course ... there was no need.... they were proactive!

ozmouse

Yes .... VERY good point!! does rate have anything to do with upgrades?!

I was on the 40% supersale rate. (and usually am on leisure trips)

But on this trip i got 1 cat upgrade, 1 double cat upgrade and no upgrade.

At christmas it was 50% success on upgrade.

Obviously depends on hotel occupancy .... and quite simply how hotel treats accor membership imo.