There is no dedicated thread for this hotel, so I will start one up with a TR with pictures.
We had stayed before at Novotel Nathan Road two years ago. It was nice, but this time we decided to stay on the island.
We were travelling with extended family so I booked two rooms. Both rooms were booked as Superior room (available rooms: Standard, Superior, Executive Premier, Executive Jnr Suite). For some reason Superior rooms were cheaper than the Standard rooms.
Our room was booked with points + 1 free night AccorPlus cert and the
other room was prepaid during the last sale period.
Payment wasnt straightforward as for some reason 3 different cards (all debit) kept being declined and "they have no issues in accepting debit cards" - I think they do.
Anyway, all sorted when I used a credit card.
So the day came, we arrived mid afternoon and checked in at the lounge. As a plat member I tend to always do this in accor properties as I honestly believe they place the better staff there.
Our group consisted of my family with one kid and my in-laws with two under 12s.
Service
Staff was very friendly, asked us to have a seat in the small lounge and arranged the rooms. They mentioned they they had upgraded both our rooms to Exec Premier. I read in some reports here that the rooms were small (just like at the Novotel Nathan) but asked to view them first.
They showed us the room, and agree, they are small - small enough that there is practically no space even for an extra bed. When we returned to the lounge I asked if there was a room with a slightly different layout in the same category (corner etc.). They checked the system, made some calls and asked us that they had something but we would need to wait.
log story short, we were given a double upgrade to a Exec Jnr Suite and the second room remained a single upgrade Premier room.
Room
The Jnr Suite is a large living room with a bedroom attached. Both rooms have their own TV sets and Nespresso machine is also included. There are two twin sofas in the room of which one is a sofa bed!
So the decision was made that the other couple would sleep "have a honeymoon" in the Premier Room, my wife and I in the Jr Suite bedroom - and the kids, well they had a blast for 5 nights in their "own" living room. We were not charged for using the extra bed and all of us had access to the lounge.
Overall
Some bits to mention:
Nice pool. Great swim in the morning.
Very very nice staff in the lounge. They rotate them throughout the hotel which is good as all staff get exposure to different departments throughout. But there is always 1 senior staff in the lounge.
They don't have Bircher Musli in the lounge (they do in the restaurant). When I asked if they could arrange for that for the following days it was no issue at all.
Internet was good.
"VIP" snacks were sent to the room daily.
Housekeeping are also very attentive. Too often I stay in hotels with wife and daughter and ask for an extra towel on the first day. Its also clear that there are 3 people in the room. But I tend to always just get 2 towels when the room is made. NOT at the Novotel Century. We had in our room 2+3 people and we were given 5 towels every time they made the room.
So here are the pictures to show the room and the view!
The Suite is converted from two old bedrooms. So as you can see there is a door in the walk-in closed/bathroom which leads out:
View from the room. Lounge also has the same view:
Evening Canape in the lounge. I was alone and the lounge staff saw I wasnt taking any food from the buffet (I wasnt hungry). They put some things on a small plate and did a really nice presentation out of it:
Programs: QR Privilege Club Gold; Accor LeClub Platinum
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Thanks for this review! Sounds like quite a nice property all in all.
Originally Posted by gilbertaue
So the day came, we arrived mid afternoon and checked in at the lounge. As a plat member I tend to always do this in accor properties as I honestly believe they place the better staff there.
I was always wondering, do you just march in and ask where the lounge is, to go there and check in?
I've only been asked in one or two hotels, if I would like to go up to check in; otherwise I was always just checked in downstairs without any staff mentioning executive check-in.
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Originally Posted by zehbra
Thanks for this review! Sounds like quite a nice property all in all.
I was always wondering, do you just march in and ask where the lounge is, to go there and check in?
I've only been asked in one or two hotels, if I would like to go up to check in; otherwise I was always just checked in downstairs without any staff mentioning executive check-in.
Yes, I do. I just march in and ask for the Executive Floor and head straight there. In some hotels the concierge needs to tag the lift for me.
Completely backfired two weeks ago in Pullman Surabaya. Asked where the lounge was, and that i'd check in there. Staff says 25th floor. Concierge tags the lift for the 25th floor. I reach it - lounge closed "due to Ramadhan". Had to go down again.... but thats another review I will do tomorrow
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Originally Posted by islandcub1
Geez, when I last stayed there I had to argue at the front desk to even get access to the lounge as a platinum.
From the tip book: Ask for the lounge, check in there. (In most hotels the lounge floor does not require a keycard - so just ask the concierge or the porter for the floor).
It works most times: My last stay in Surabaya the lounge was closed and in the Novotel Kuala Lumpur there sometimes isnt anyone at the desk. But I've had no issues in all my other stays at properties with lounges.
What's also nice in doing so is that you are not tied to standing at the check in desk in the lounge. In most hotels you can sit down in the lounge, have a coffee and complete the check in formalities from a sofa.
For some reason Superior rooms were cheaper than the Standard rooms.
I believe the standard rooms are booked en-mass by the tour groups, and given the high occupancy of that category on specific dates, there aren't any discounts for them. I think how it usually ends up is that the mainlanders in tour groups are segregated into standard rooms, and everyone else gets the superior rooms. It's probably not intentional, it's just the results of their block bookings.
Never tried checking in at the lounge myself. I think they expect plats to also check in at the lobby, as they always have the paperwork ready there - details pre-printed, vouchers stapled to the form, etc.
I will be staying here later this week. What sort of offerings come along with the lounge?
Also, is it allowed to smoke by the pool(, assuming it won't rain heavily)?
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Originally Posted by remymartin
I will be staying here later this week. What sort of offerings come along with the lounge?
Also, is it allowed to smoke by the pool(, assuming it won't rain heavily)?
Small breakfast, small evening canapé, all day soft drinks/coffee, small meeting room.