As part of repeated business trips to Algeria, I stayed at the Sofitel Algiers 5 times in January and February 2016 for stays of 2 to 3 nights. The establishment is located in the center of Algiers, next to the “Jardin d’Essais”.
Booking
The hotel reservation was made by my client directly, as was the payment of the bills. I had no choice about the hotel nor the possibility to indicate my Accorhotels Club loyalty number.
Arrival
The arrival formalities in the hotel are fast, the welcome cordial. I had to give my Le Club Accorhotels card number several times because the system made an erroneous reconciliation with an old number.
Being virtually nothing at Accor, and a little Silver at the end of these stays, I was entitled to almost no benefits, except for a welcome drink at the Bar.
Rooms
The great weakness of the hotel. The rooms are highly outdated in this property: visible electricity, marks on the walls, antique carpeting, recurrent cigarette smells even in the non-smoking rooms.
The beds are comfortable but this is the only positive point.
Even the internet connection is very slow, a shame for a business oriented hotel like this.
Another problem is cleaning. It is largely inconsistent, and the rooms sometimes not cleaned enough between guests, as evidenced by the stains in the bathroom right after check-in.
In short, these rooms were stuck in the early 80s!
Hotel services and facilities
The hotel has a swimming pool and a fitness room, both of which are very pleasant. The fitness room is equipped with very modern and well maintained equipment.
The pool area is a bit more unsatisfactory, with towels sometimes lying around.
Restaurants
This is another area of concern. Apart from the charming and competent bar staff, the restaurant staff does not seem to me to be up to the standard of the flagship brand of the Accorhotels group.
In terms of service, everything is extremely slow, including breakfast service when most customers are in a hurry.
The quality of the breakfast is unacceptable, the eggs not well cooked and the bread not up to par.
The evening buffets are expensive and not very varied.
Two of the three restaurants in the facility were closed during my stays.
Departure
The departure formalities are also quick, but be careful to check your credit card statements. I had a charge with an extra zero on two occasions.
Conclusion
The hotel clearly takes advantage of the Algerian shortage to charge prohibitive prices and provide a more than mediocre service. If I had the choice, I would have stayed at the Sheraton or the Saint-Georges!
