Have you ever walked into a hotel room and been 100% disgusted? Looked around and thought, “I’ve stayed at better hostels than this so-called 4-star premium hotel”? This recently happened to me, and the outcome was even more shocking than the room itself. As someone who travels nearly six months a year, I have slept in a lot of beds that aren’t my own and stayed in many rooms rented for a night, a week, or longer. Yet, nothing in my years of traveling compares to the Grand Mercure Recife.
After a long day of travel, my partner and I arrive at the hotel around ten at night. It’s our first trip to Recife, and we’re excited to explore the city and beaches. There aren’t many well-known hotels to choose from in Recife, so we decide on the Grand Mercure. The reviews seem mostly good, and the brand is part of a large Accor international chain. Plus, the Grand Mercure is one of Accor’s premium brands. What could go wrong?
Upon entering the room, we are instantly transported back to the 1980s. The room is extremely dated, clearly never updated since opening – or maybe just lightly touched here and there. We look at each other and laugh. This will be home for the next four days. Could be worse. Dated, but it works.
As we walk around, we start regretting our decision. The wallpaper is peeling, but we figure we can deal with that. There’s mold in the bathroom, but hey, it’s the tropics. The more we look around, the more we debate leaving the hotel. Why stay here? Even if they don’t refund our money, we’d probably be better off somewhere else.
As we discuss our options, it’s nearing midnight. We tell each other we need to shower, get some sleep, and find a better place the next day. One night won’t hurt. Yet then again, how do we turn on the AC? Can we even?
The Final Straw
As we get ready for bed, I decide to take a shower in the oddly shaped bathtub. I jump in and turn on the water to find the pressure could probably kill a small animal. Turning it down doesn’t help – it’s full blast or nothing. No big deal, I think. It will serve as both a shower and a massage.
As I soap up, I notice the water ricocheting off me and pooling between the tub and the wall. Again, not a big deal. There’s a gutter around the tub with crevices leading the water back. I keep going for another minute before realizing that 90% of the water isn’t returning to the tub. I’m flooding the bathroom!
All I can do is laugh. Thankfully, the floor is tile and there’s a drain nearby. I pause my shower to deal with the water. Upon closer inspection, I realize the bathtub is crooked and tilts slightly toward the bathroom. This angle causes the water to bypass the crevices and spill directly onto the floor.
The bathroom all around was odd and in bad shape.. Even the toilet flusher looked as though it was going to fall off thew all.
By this point we had enough. There’s no making lemonade from this room. We’re getting a new room or leaving.
The Call to Reception
Diego picks up the phone and speaks to the gentleman at reception in Portuguese. The conversation is short and to the point:
“Good evening, is everything alright with your room?”
“Where do I even begin?”
“I’m sorry, do you need me to change your room?”
“Yes. I doubt there could be a worse hotel room than this.”
Within minutes, there’s a knock at the door. We are moved to room 1619, on the executive floor. The receptionist promises it will be better.
At this point, we’re doubtful, but we take our bags and head to the elevator.
The New Room
As we enter, the lights are off, but the hallway light reveals faint markings on the wall. It looks like a child took a pencil and drew random lines everywhere. Oh no, here we go again.
I find a light switch. As the room brightens, I realize the markings are part of the wall’s texture, not the work of an aspiring toddler artist. The new room is completely remodeled – new design, furniture, flooring, bathroom, and more. The initial experience has set the bar so low that I walk in expecting the worst.
Everything about this room is great – even the thermostat works, and there’s a new TV. The remodel skipped the closet, but that small detail doesn’t matter. This feels like a completely different hotel. I can’t believe I’ve been transported from a 1980s hostel to a modern, clean, chic room. It feels like some kind of joke.
Even the bathroom has been redone. A walk in shower, new tile, new everything. I cannot believe this is the same hotel!
Bottom Line
In the end, we stayed at the hotel and had a wonderful four-day visit. The initial experience was shocking, but we talked to other guests at the pool who also are staying in the older, non-remodeled rooms. None report mold or peeling wallpaper, just old tubs and furniture. We clearly drew the short straw.
From being ready to leave without a refund to waking up in a beautiful new room, the transformation is unbelievable. The new room isn’t a suite or anything grand. The ocean view was worse than in the first room, but that doesn’t matters. It’s clean, mold-free, and feels like a premium hotel.
Moral of the story: if you get a moldy, nasty room, say something. Our initial room should never had been rented. Yet, in the end, we have a lovely stay and We would return to the Grand Mercure Recife.
