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[CLOSED] Munich Four Points Central [Master Thread]

[CLOSED] Munich Four Points Central [Master Thread]

Old Nov 3, 2002, 7:29 pm
  #1  
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Arrow [CLOSED] Munich Four Points Central [Master Thread]

Any reviews on this property vs other *W properties in Munich?
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Old Nov 3, 2002, 11:19 pm
  #2  
 
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I have never stayed there myself, so I can't comment on the hotel itself. I have passed it many times and can say that it is located in a fairly central location and very close to a subway station. There isn't too much in the immediate vicinity (except for a large home electronics store)but with the subway central Munich is just one or two stops away.
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Old Nov 4, 2002, 8:14 am
  #3  
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I stayed there a couple of years ago for Oktoberfest and was pleasantly surprised. It's not a "luxury" hotel but the rooms were clean, good sized and the staff was very pleasant. At the time, I booked two rooms for myself and my parents and had no problems at all. Based on the ratings scale that Starwood uses, I think it's at a Category 3 which I would agree with. As with many German hotels, breakfast is included with the room price and was very satisfactory. I can't say much for any of the other services provided since, the only thing we basically did there was sleep.

The Hacker Pschorr Festhalle (beer hall) is down at the end of the block and the TheresienWiese subway stop is about a 5 minute walk from the hotel right near the Oktoberfest grounds. If you're connecting over to the Marienplatz, you can either walk to the Hauptbahnhof (about a 10-15 min walk) or take the subway and down and then transfer.

Hope this helps!
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Old Nov 4, 2002, 9:29 am
  #4  
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My comments are similar to CDF. It is not a grande hotel, but a modest, comfortable budget property nearby one of Munich's largest parks, where some of the main Oktoberfest events are held. It is about 5-minutes by tram west of the main RR station [Hauptbahnhof], and a short walk across the northern tip of the park from the U-bahn lines 4/5 station. [If you are taking the S-bahn line 8 in from MUC, then transfer at Karlsplatz not at Hauptbahnhof to the westbound 4/5 line -- less confusing than doing so at the main RR station even those the all lines connect there -- and get off at Theresweinwiesse station at the edge of the park. You will see the Beer Hall and the SATURN electronics superstore across the way, so just walk toward them, the FOUR POINTS is just around the first corner and up the block.

Alternatively, you can get off the S-bahn 8 line at the Hackerbruke station [one west of the RR station], then walk south about 10-minutes to the FOUR POINTS.
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Old Nov 4, 2002, 11:41 am
  #5  
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Thanks everyone---as you can see I have never been to Munich but I am wanting to stay in a good central location where I can walk to restaurants, bars, whatever! It does not sound like the 4Pts is ideal. I want to be in a people place, not a cold district.

So, which is best, the Sheraton 4Pts, one of the other Sheratons, or some other hotels all together??? It appears most of the other major hotels (Sheratons, I-C, Hilton) are on the other side of the river? Is that a better location? I just do not know the city at all.

HELP!

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Old Nov 4, 2002, 12:22 pm
  #6  
 
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by 100,000miler:
So, which is best, the Sheraton 4Pts, one of the other Sheratons, or some other hotels all together??? It appears most of the other major hotels (Sheratons, I-C, Hilton) are on the other side of the river? Is that a better location? I just do not know the city at all.</font>
It does not matter which side of the river you pick. It matters how close the hotel is to the city center...

With regards to location, I believe the City Hilton is the best pick if you want to stay with a major US chain. Other than that, there are many nice other hotels in Munich, it all comes down to your personal preferences and/or how much money you'd like to spend.
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Old Nov 4, 2002, 12:28 pm
  #7  
 
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I'd like to recommend you a Starwood property, but I'm afraid they are not centrally located.

Try the Bayerischer Hof hotel. Good hotel, best location, and usually very interesting offers in their website.
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Old Nov 6, 2002, 8:01 am
  #8  
 
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Hello -

We just came back from this property (checked out on Saturday), and cannot say that we would recommend it.

Our problems started when we checked in around 11pm. When we arrived, we were not greeted very warmly or very professionally by the hotel staff - who seemed to be more preoccupied with the goings-on in the bar area than checking us in. When we asked for a non-smoking room, we were told several times that was what we were going to receive. The staff member then proceeded to arge with us about our checkout date (this was with SPG points, and was a continuous reservation from Wednesday to Saturday), yet told us that we would have to check out of our room on Friday and then check-in again on Friday afternoon. After telling him several times that this was not something we thought was true or acceptable, he went away in a huff, picked a room out of inventory, made our keys and summarily dismissed us.

When we arrived at the room, the keys did not work. As a result, we had to deal with the staff member again, who said that this was probably a plot by me (a Gold SPG member) to get an upgrade. He rekeyed the card keys, and we went back up. One card did not work, the other one did. When we got in the room, we were not happy. It was a very small and very smoky room.

My travelling companion, who is asthmatic, had a very horrible first night, since we didn't want to deal with the very poor staff member again. Even with the windows open, the room seemed like it was very smoky.

The next morning, awake and ready to deal with the hotel staff, I admittedly went downstairs to complain about (1) a breakfast charge on my bill (which, I was told that it is automatically put on there EUR13/person every night - and if we didn't use it, we are to tell them upon checkout) and (2) the room from hell. I went down there, and as nice as I could said, "what did we do to you to make you hate us so much?" After the night before, I was not in the mood for anything else.

They did get the room situation fixed, and even told us that we were pre-blocked for a room on another floor, yet the joker from the night before didn't seem to care. They did get us in another room as quickly as they could, but the initial impression was far from what I expected.

Can't recommend it for that reason, and for the fact that it isn't quite centrally located (it's closer to the Westend). For Oktoberfest, it's probably great, but for other times, I'd suggest another *Wood property over this one.
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Old Nov 6, 2002, 3:56 pm
  #9  
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As someone previously posted, there are no Starwood properties in the city centre in Munich. I visited for Oktoberfest recently and can thoroughly recommend the new Le Meridien next to Hauptbahnhof. Gorgeoous rooms with 42" plasma tv's in each one.
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Old Nov 6, 2002, 5:24 pm
  #10  
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Thanks for all your input on this. As a result of the negative reports on the Four Points, I have cancelled my reservation and now booked at Le Meriden, and at a great internet rate on their website of 135 Euros, less than the Four Points!!!! and for a better hotel. Thank you all so very much.
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Old Jun 9, 2003, 11:40 am
  #11  
 
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4 Pts Munich - You two guys in one bed! Don't like it? Have a free beer!

THE PLAN:

Arrive Munich in the evening from Rome, check into the 4 Points Munich, which is the most central *wood hotel in Munich.

Enjoy pleasant summer type weather, the evening out in Munich, then fly out the next morning.


THE REALITY:

Reservation was not honored as booked. Given a room with one bed.

I booked a room with two beds, as it was not appropriate to share the same bed with a long time associate.

Even after showing the front desk clerk the email confirmation/printout specifically stating that two beds in one room had been booked, they still claimed that my reservation only had one bed.


THIER OFFER:

Why not enjoy a 10 Euro credit in our American Bar? Then enjoy the room!

They further claimed that this was the next to the last room, and that nothing further could be done. Efforts to procure the last remaining room were rebuffed, as they didn't want to "walk" someone else.

They did not claim any responsibility nor would rebook us at an alternate hotel.


WHERE'S MANAGEMENT?

The front desk clerk claimed that she was not empowered to extend any further offers, and that was that!

Requests to speak to a manager were met by the reply that the manager would return to the hotel on Tuesday morning (this was a Saturday) as this was a long holiday weekend. He could not otherwise be reached by telephone.

__

Fortunately, I was able to contact the Plat. special member services desk and was able to arrange an alternate hotel (Sheraton Grand) through the kind help of Tray (spelling?) and Diana (supervisor).


WE SHALL MAKE AN EXCEPTION:

After all that, the hotel stated that they would make an exception and allow us to cancel our reservation without penalty, even though we did not check in. Cheeky!

Of course, later when Mrs. Globehopper called this hotel, she was informed (before I could call her from the Sheraton Grand) that we had cancelled our reservation! And this despite my request that she be informed that we had moved to the Sheraton Grand.

THE AFTERMATH:

Our evening in Munich ruined, as this non-check in process took over 90 minutes, then the transfer and check into the Sheraton Grand another 30+ minutes. Returning to the center city would consume at least another 20 minutes. Thus, no evening out in Munich enjoying the warm, salubrious weather and enchanting eveningit was simply too late.

Furthermore, no breakfast included in the room rate as would have been if the 4 Pts had honored my reservation.

Good thing for the Plat. desk assistance!

Imagine the difficulties if one were a first time visitor to Munich without any Plat. desk help.


MY GRIPES:

1. Reservation process is one sided-- I guarantee to my credit card; the hotel does not abide by the reservation.

2. No access to a manager. Even fast food restaurants generally provide access to a manager.

3. Absurd customer service. Compensation was inadequate, and my request that the hotel rebook us at an alternate hotel at their expense (for the cost difference) was refused. Plus no compensation for the taxis, the lack of breakfast, the telephone calls to the US, nor compensation for the inconvenience.

Not even an apology for any of the above.

What a sorry experience!


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Old Jun 9, 2003, 11:45 am
  #12  
 
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This hotel is not very well managed but the only reasonable location in Munich downtown for a SPG property.

The last time I was there, the shaving mirror was smashed in and there were pieces of broken glass falling off of the mirror. I called the desk and they not only would not change the room but wouldn't even bother to clean/remove the broken pieces of glass. I guess the US fear of liability is not in their mindset.

Not inclined to stay at this Hotel again.
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Old Jun 9, 2003, 12:06 pm
  #13  
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Sounds like an absolute dump. Will add to my "do not stay" list.
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Old Jun 9, 2003, 4:24 pm
  #14  
 
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I'm sorry that your experience wasn't what you expected. However, every reservation that I have made has come with the understanding that bed types are requested and not guaranteed.

I would equate your situation to requesting a king bed and checking in at midnight only to find that all the kings are gone. I wouldn't expect to be walked just because there wasn't a king.

I checked and it's unfortunate that the SPG site doesn't seem to have the "bedding is only a request and not a guarantee" disclaimer that most sites do. It could have saved you a lot of frustration.

William, any reason that you don't prominently post that bedding isn't guaranteed? Or, did I miss it.
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Old Jun 9, 2003, 4:57 pm
  #15  
 
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On the contrary, if people won't guarantee the number of and bed types, I refuse to stay with them. Marriott lost all of my business a few years ago (much to the delight of of Starwood and Hilton, to a lesser degree ~170 hotel nights a year) because most Marriott properties won't guarantee a non-smoking room.

I'm pretty sure the SPG site doesn't show the waiver suggested above because Starwood does allow you to reserve a specific room type, and guarantees it. In fact, I'm not aware of any hotel or chain that doesn't guarantee the number of beds.
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