Hotel President Wilson, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Geneva — Hotel in Geneva

I selected Wilson President Hotel for my New Year’s Eve stay based on numerous positive reviews. However, my experience fell significantly short of the expectations for a five-star luxury hotel.

We arrived at the hotel at 12 PM, well ahead of the standard check-in time, hoping for an early check-in. Unfortunately, no rooms were available, but Ines at the reception assured us that our room would be ready by 3 PM. This was acceptable, as we had a La Mer facial appointment and intended to use the spa facilities while waiting.

However, I was informed at reception that spa access was only permitted after the facial, leaving me with nothing to do but wait until 1 PM. Following the treatment, I inquired about using the spa, only to be advised by the beautician that it was not recommended immediately after a facial. This inconsistency in communication between the hotel and spa staff was both unprofessional and frustrating.

At 3 PM, I returned to the reception desk, but my room was still not ready. I continued to check periodically, yet by 4 PM, there were still no updates. Despite following up more than 10 times, I was not provided with any clear answers or even an estimated time for availability. Ines repeatedly stated that she was not responsible for housekeeping and could not provide any information, at least she should give me an estimated waiting time. Given that this is a basic inquiry at any hotel—especially a five-star property—the lack of assistance was disappointing.

Seeking further clarification, I approached Emma and Laura, who also claimed to have no information and suggested I check back later. At this point, it became evident that the hotel staff were either poorly trained or unwilling to assist guests properly.

Finally, at 6 PM, after another inquiry, I was informed that my room was ready—yet no one had notified me. The lack of communication was completely unacceptable.

To make matters worse, upon check-in, I noticed that my reservation had disappeared from my Marriott Bonvoy app. When I raised this concern, Ines was unable to provide an explanation, while another staff member vaguely suggested that the app might be updating. It was only upon checkout that I discovered the hotel had incorrectly registered my name, causing my reservation to be removed from the system. Despite presenting my passport at check-in, this error resulted in unnecessary complications when attempting to reclaim my missing nights in the Marriott Bonvoy app—an oversight that should never occur at a luxury hotel.

Beyond these operational issues, the service quality did not reflect the price paid. A property that presents itself as a five-star luxury hotel should deliver a seamless check-in experience, professional service, and clear communication—none of which were evident during my stay. Instead, I encountered mismanagement, poor training, and an overall lack of professionalism.

Overall, the reception staff were inadequately trained and did not meet the standard expected of a luxury five-star hotel. From the disorganized check-in process to the miscommunication about the spa facilities and the inability to handle basic guest inquiries, the experience was deeply disappointing. While I had high expectations based on reviews, this stay fell far below the standard expected from a hotel of...

I chose to stay at Wilson President Hotel for my New Year’s Eve countdown after reading many positive reviews. However, my experience did not meet the expectations of a five-star luxury hotel.||||We arrived at the hotel around 12 PM, well before the regular check-in time, hoping for an early check-in. Unfortunately, there were no rooms available, but Ines at the reception assured me that my room would be ready by 3 PM. That was fine, as I had booked a La Mer facial and thought I could use the spa facilities while waiting.||||However, the receptionist informed me that I could only access the spa after my facial. I found this disappointing, as it left me with nothing to do but sit and wait until my appointment at 1 PM. After my facial, when I inquired about using the spa, the beautician advised against it, stating that it would not be beneficial for my skin. This was frustrating because the receptionist had originally advised me to use the facilities after the treatment. The misalignment in communication between the hotel staff and the spa team was unprofessional and disappointing.||||At 3 PM, I checked back at the reception, but my room was still not ready. I waited patiently, but by 4 PM, there was still no update. Despite checking more than 10 times, I was given no clear answers or estimated time for the room’s availability. Ines repeatedly stated that she was not in charge of housekeeping and couldn’t provide any updates. This response was extremely unhelpful—surely, a five-star hotel should have staff capable of handling such basic inquiries.||||As the wait dragged on, I also asked Emma and Laura, but they, too, claimed not to know anything and asked me came back to check later. It became clear that the hotel staff were either poorly trained or simply unwilling to assist guests properly.||||Finally, at 6 PM, I went to check once again—only to find that my room was ready but no one had informed me. This lack of communication was unacceptable.||||To make matters worse, upon checking in, I noticed that my reservation had disappeared from my Marriott Bonvoy app. When I asked about it, Ines once again had no answers, while another staff member vaguely suggested that the app might be updating. It wasn’t until checkout that I discovered the hotel had incorrectly registered my name, which resulted in my booking being completely removed from the system. Given that I had provided my passport at check-in, this was an inexcusable mistake. It gave me unnecessary trouble to claim back my missing nights at Marriot Bonvoy apps. ||||On top of all these issues, the level of service I received did not match the price I paid. For a hotel that markets itself as a five-star luxury experience, I expected far better service, proper communication, and a seamless check-in process. Instead, I encountered poorly trained staff, mismanagement, and a complete lack of professionalism.||||Overall, the reception staff were poorly trained and lacked the professionalism expected at a luxury five-star hotel. From the disorganized check-in process to the miscommunication about the spa facilities, and the inability to handle basic guest inquiries, the experience was deeply disappointing. I had high expectations based on reviews, but this stay fell far below what a hotel of this caliber...

Just stayed at HPW last weekend and it was a mixed experience. Frederick at the front desk was extremely friendly when I checked in with my partner. Our room was ready extremely early, as requested, which was a huge plus. When we got the room, the view was lake side with a very nice room lay out and an extremely comfortable bed all expected but still very pleasant and compliment deserving. He asked if we new how to work our espresso machine, which I did, but after he left I tried making coffee and it would not turn on, as we are not coffee drinkers, we were not bothered, but I was surprised to find non working equipment at a 5 star property. Later we inquired about paragliding and Pascal at the concierge got us fully set up for the next day, he was very professional on several encounters.

There were a few opportunities for improvement, not counting the coffee machine, as we did not care to get it sorted. The bell staff were less than professional, we went in and out of the hotel many times and on multiple occasions the staff did not even say hello, or open the door in the evenings, even though they would congregate by the entrance and chat among them selves. The pool was closed, which was a bit disappointing, I imagine it is a seasonal issue, but a 5 star hotel not able to keep the pool open year round sounds a bit silly. We tried to self remedy to see if there was a steam room or whirlpool, and that was through spa and private appointment as well, which seems to be more of an inconvenience and not very anticipatory. Lastly, the last two days there was a lot of dirty dishes and outside peoples rooms, a table from room service was left out over night, we saw it on the way in on Monday night, and it was still there on Tuesday morning. Our second to last impression was leaving our hotel room only to go through a hallway with at least one or 2 glasses or dishes in front of every room and the room service table on the way to the elevator. The last impression was with Frederick who checked us out and was just as pleasant and charming as the check in process. Overall an above average hotel experience with shortcomings that could have...