Hotel Telegraaf (Autograph Collection) Tallinn Estonia = Popov Suite is Great

I had a mixed stay at Hotel Telegraaf, it started on the wrong foot but ended on a strong note after changing room.  I guess I can partially recommend this hotel but I think which room types are available for upgrades would be a non-negligible factor if I return or not because I found Hilton Tallinn to be more uniformly good than Telegraaf.  

First off, service was uneven before, during, and after our stay and there were a few hiccups.  Staff was quite slow in responding in chat via the Marriott app; on various occasions I had to repeat because they did not respond several hours later.  Making requests in person was not always much better, when I requested for housekeeping to be done at a specific time it was not done when we came back to the hotel.  The problem was compounded by the fact that the sink of the first room type we had was plugged so I had to brush my teeth in the bathtub.  I also had billing problems after check-out which had to be resolved by e-mail; thankfully once again the final outcome was positive because they gave me Bonvoy points to apologize for overcharging my Marriott gift card.

I was originally upgraded to a junior suite, but it was simply a larger room and there was not much which was worthy of the Autograph brand in my opinion except perhaps the unusual carpet and the old-style phone, otherwise the room was forgettable.  The hotel is only 5 years old, but the bathroom looked 25 years old and had a thin brittle door; it looked like they tried to save costs in the construction.  Also for such a recent hotel it was surprising to have a tub not a stand-alone shower, in what they call a suite no less.

After housekeeping was missed and the sink became unusable, they moved us to the Popov Suite on the top floor which was night and day with the first room we had: much brighter, not only more spacious but also higher quality materials used, and there was even a private sauna in our bathroom which was fantastic.

The breakfast buffet was decent, the food presentation was attractive, the restaurant venue was a strong point of the hotel with good service unlike at reception, and they offered free flow Prosecco which we enjoyed.  The way they dressed the boiled eggs was quite stylish as well.

Telegraaf is in an ideal location in the heart of the old town so for that reason alone the hotel can be recommended and it’s an undeniable plus over Hilton which is outside the old town.  

Wifi worked well with speed of 55 Mbps.

In conclusion Telegraaf has clear strengths and weaknesses in my opinion, whereas Hilton Tallinn is one of the best Hiltons I have stayed at anywhere in the world, location being one of the few downsides.  For people who put a premium on being in the old town then Telegraaf will be a good choice but might require to be willing to compromise on perhaps having a room which is so-so unless wanting to guarantee having a full suite by paying for it and not rely on upgrades.