InterContinental Presidente — Hotel in Mexico City

Ive been to numerous areas in Mexico and was so excited when my cousin chose to have his wedding in Polanco, Mexico City. My entire family booked rooms at the Intercontinental Presidente and we talked about this trip for the months leading up. We were delighted at the hotel and its location upon arriving. We checked in and were told that our room was a double which being a married couple, asked if a king bed was available. They said there was and assigned us to a room. Upon chatting the front desk employee told us that we could upgrade our stay for $50 a day which would include: access to the 39th Floor Lounge, happy hour a the lobby bar from 7-9pm and breakfast included. We said that sounds like a great idea lets do it. We ate breakfast daily at the only place we knew that had breakfast; Cafe Urbano. Which was great and offered a variety of items. We closed out daily to the same total thinking this would be covered in our "$50 upgrade." We never made it to daily Happy Hour as we have dinner reservations we made thru our amex platinum concierge and we ventured up the 39th lounge one day only to see a mediocre food spread at best. We traveled outside the hotel daily only to come back to our room never cleaned or beds made (mind you this was 5pm or later). The noice from the street was loud and kept us up numerous nights as well. We did dine at Chapulin which our families loved. Our stay seemed to go not so bad until we decided to check out and were given charges for the breakfast which we stated we were told we could eat breakfast at the Cafe Urbano (which mind you was the only place we knew that served brunch buffet). The front desk employee told us we were only allowed to eat the 39th floor lounge to which we stated that was not told to us. We also stated that we did not drink at the happy hour any days of the stay. We said we are fine i paying for the daily breakfast at Cafe urbano if you could take off the Daily "$50 upgrade." The front desk employee seemed to understand and think that was fair however he had to double check with his manager on duty. Well when we spoke with Alejandra, her demeanor was first off less than pleasant. It seemed as if she had worked a few too many days in a row and just didn't want to hear what we had to say. Upon explaining the exact same scenario we had just explained to the front desk employee, she replied that the charge would stand and that she would check the cameras to see if we in fact drank at the bars (check the cameras as if we were shoplifters), as you can imagine that made us feel really great. We tried to explain over and over that it now wasn't even about the money but the principle that her staff did not have or give us anything in writing about where to eat, drink or what the lounge was used for. We wound up leaving only to speak with other family members who said they had a similar experience and were also upset considering we had an entire wedding party under Sheridan there. Just to think that's the last impression we had upon waiting for our Uber really makes you think about what hospitality really means and how well training is at the Intercontinental Presidente. Needless to say this was the first time at a Grupo Property and will be our last. Taking care of guests is why you chose a job in the hospitality field.

For the record I currently own 3 restaurants and previously worked for Starwood Hotels for 10 years. I get in it when guests want want want or try to take advantage of the hotel. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. We feel very taken advantage of over a situation that could have easily...

I’m giving this hotel 2 stars because while it is clean, the room service and cleaning staff were really nice, the front reception and concierge were absolutely inadequate in attending the guests.

First, the concierge was almost useless when it came to helping us. They first neglected to let us know that the day we were planning to go into center city, it was international women’s day and huge, dangerous riots were common. We soon realized the entire city and locals knew this as most places were closed or boarded up, yet the concierge made no mention of this and let us (foreigners) go out into a dangerous situation. Next, when we asked how to get to the Chapultepec Castle, they led us down a path that after 20 minutes of walking, led us to a closed gate and forced us to walk back to the beginning just to have again locals to help us find where we were going. Incompetent to say the least.

Second, we stayed at this hotel for a total of 3 days, and in these 72 hours, we had to get a new key 7 times. Everyday, our original keys would get deactivated and we’d be locked out. We informed the hotel every morning, afternoon, and evening about the issue, but nothing was resolved. Having to wait outside your room for 15 minutes late night for someone to AGAIN make a new key is not ideal.

To make matters worse, our final day, when we were ready to head out to the airport, we again get locked out. We called down from our floors phone to the front desk five times over 15 minutes to let them know the issue, spoke to 4 different women at the front desk. All said they were sending someone up. Not until we went down ourselves, grabbed the manager and brought him upstairs with us, we’re we finally helped. Naturally we are late for the airport. The hotel then set up a car (not complimentary despite their fault for making us late) to take us to the airport.

The estimated travel time to the airport is about 25 minutes, and even accounting for some unforeseen traffic, let’s say 35 minutes. Our driver, who the hotel claims had 30 years of experience, was not even able to follow his navigation. All four of us passengers got on our own phones to check the GPS, and told him multiple times where to make a right or left and he just kept refusing. Instead, he was taking us through traffic, and naturally, any guest would be furious as we were now about to miss our flight. After 45 minutes of the drive (now 20 minutes longer than it should have been), he took the wrong turn 3x, to only make our ETA 30 minutes later than it should’ve been.

During this drive, we even called the concierge to speak to the driver since he wouldn’t listen to us, and he had the audacity to be talking badly about us and that he knew where he was going. Little did he know, we understood Spanish and the entire rude conversation.

Luckily we made the flight, but by far this hotel, the staff, and the vendors they associate themselves really put the global name of the Intercontinental Hotels and IHG as a brand in...

I had first stayed at this hotel first in 2001. I arrived amidst a general black-out (no generators in a place like Mexico where ths is common !) and there was a lot of confusion about my access to the Club lounge -- that's what I remember -- but it was overall good despite a couple of rude staff.

Now, things are great for the hotel. The rooms have been further improved with the latest technology like in-mirror TV and stuff like that. Excellent rooms, spacious, modern... Great restaurants, great Club lounge, good food. What else could you want ? Oh, and really good location. :)

Still, here is how bureaucracy can cripple an experience:

I was determined to get lounge access, and as Amb some hotels give it, some give it a discounted rate, some don't. And those who don't usually help the customer quite easily to see what room type will allow an upgrade so that Club access is included... But not here ! After lengthy e-mails to agree that if I pay for room X I would be upgraded to a Club room, we found that in such case a Club room doesn't include Club access... Even the hotel staff seemed unclear on this. So the e-mails continued: book this room and pay X extra, book that room and pay Y extra... Per person or per room ? Per night or per stay ? Pfff... Why could not someone just tell me "AS AMB, TO GET CLUB ACCESS, THE CHEAPEST WAY IS TO BOOK ROOM X OR/AND PAY X IF APPLICABLE" Easy, no ? No ! So I just booked a Club room: saving a few bucks isn't worth my time... Ok, so Club access done.

Billing ? Ah, what a mess, this was a record of mess... Friday to Sunday I stayed with my Amb weekend night voucher. But when I asked for the folio more than one, it says zero and no charges ! They said this was correct, hmmm... Then I saw the stay post as "non-qualifying" nights and no points except for incidentals. So, they got it badly wrong... It took a while but IHG fixed it: my points and nights -- and their payment which they might even have forgotten haha.

And then... For Sunday to Monady I had booked a reward night, but decided not to use it and cancelled it in time. Then not only the cancellation didn't work out and all that, but the hotel was showing me a folio for Sun-Mon with the charges that should have been applicable for Fri-Sun, pfffff.... With all due respect, I feel I know Holidex and their own computer systems better than they do by now. Anyway to make it short, I didn't use the night, the points didn't come back, IHG intervened, and the hotel said I used that night ! Fortunatetely I had proof that I stayed at a HI that night (and they could have got further proof from CCTV or key card logs if wanted), and how could I be there on a cancelled reservatiojn anyway ? All sorted in the end, but what a mess...

My advice is: great hotel. But if you decide to stay, make sure you clarify your billing in advance, make contact with a senior manager, and check your billing every day to ensure no hassles and...