Splendid Hotel, Montreux

sambol,

you say

This hotel was recommended to us by you.

I'm confused, because all your other posts here were about England. I can't find where one of us hard working - yet completely free - volunteers has made that recommendation to you.

Perhaps you mean that you read it in the Switzerland Guide Book? Or do you mean that Rick Steves made a personal recommendation?

If the latter, he doesn't read these travel Forums, as far as we know.

If you have a criticism about an entry in the book the best place for that - where it will get the attention of those who need to know - is at http://www.ricksteves.com/forms/guidebook-feedback-form

For walking it is only 200 metres, one street down the hill and just across. What would you have expected to be a walking distance? I'm curious. Montreux is on a hill.

The email that you sent to me has long since been deleted. I do, however, remember the wording that was used. I had written to you asking Rick's opinion for a hotel in Grindelwald. The reply was that he preferred Gimmelwald over Grindelwald and that since I mentioned we were going to Montreux he would suggest the Splendid. As far as walking distance is concerned, your wording lead us to believe that the distance was much closer. For example, in Grindelwald the Derby hotel has the tracks right in front of the hotel. We did not expect this is Montreux, but even maps we saw online made it seem closer.

Perhaps you were emailing directly with staff in our Travel Center. The Splendid is Rick's only hotel listing in Montreux, so they would be likely to share that one; he has more in Lausanne. It is described as a 5-mintue walk from the train station, and the book mentions an escalator to take you down from the train station to Avenue des Alpes. To provide specific feedback about the features of the hotel, please do use the link provided above.

This hotel is ranked 2 out of 14 in Montreaux on TripAdvisor. It has 346 reviews, it has almost 200 excellent reviews and 7 terrible reviews, one of which is most likely the OP.

And this comment on location and stairs from a recent review:

If you come by train, it's a 5min walk to the hotel. You can take the
red elevator on the right side of the street so you won't have to
carry your luggage down the stairs

Honestly, you just can't please some people!

Jim

Agree with you, Jim, but I don't think that that is necessarily the same person. Maybe, maybe not.

In the TA review she said she had been there previously in 1988. This OP appears to be saying it was a recent first time stay.

But I agree, it is tough to see how it could have been as bad as the complaint above makes it sound.

The escalators and lifts are part of what makes Montreux so easy to get around and so nice.

1. Yes I am the same person that stayed there in 1988. There is VERY little difference now from then. The bathroom has been redone, the bed is closer to the floor, new flooring has been put in, and a closet has been built in.
2. If you think I am being too particular, try staying there yourself, and unless you are used to staying in lowgrade hostels, you will see what I mean.
3. The whole room smelled of bath gases. I have refrained from writing this because it isn't something pleasant to write, so there you have it.

We were lead to believe that it was within walking distance and this it is not. Even without pulling a suitcase it is too far. Besides that there are lots and lots of steps to go down from the train station to the main street.

Well, flipping heck, surely to goodness they haven't moved the place in 26 years. Wasn't it there then. How in flippin heck can you blame them for the location when you knew it 26 years ago.

This sounds a lot more like a disgruntled employee than a genuine traveler.

You know what? The way you are writing, + the words that you are using it makes me wonder why Rick Steves has hired a person like you to represent him. In 1988, a coach hired by the school who was transporting our jazz band to the Montreux Jazz Festival transported us down the street and stopped at the entrance of the hotel. Any thing else you would like to know? I feel that this segment has come to a close. I am tired of stating my reasons in depth for a review that I made hoping to save others from uncomfortable lodging.

Hi Sambol, just to clarify - Laura is part of Rick Steves' staff and referred you to the appropriate guidebook reference. The others who responded are regular people, volunteers (not paid employees) who provided feedback based on their experiences. Thanks for posting your views of the hotel.

Donna, thanks for clearing this up. As my words indicated, I was getting a bit "put-out" by Nigel and others' words. If this is not the correct place for entering a review, then let me know where I should go. I do not understand what Laura meant by "using the link provided above."

Hi sambol, I think Laura was referring to the link Nigel provided. You can use it to let the Rick Steves staff know that you have a change to or issue with the info in the guidebook regarding this hotel. You could post this under Hotel and Restaurant Reviews.

Montreux is not easy to get around when pulling luggage, to any hotel.