Stay Report: Radisson Blu Hotel Norge,Bergen
Radisson Blu has been taking large portion of the market share in Scandinavia when it comes to 4 or 5 star hotels,but with most of its properties across the Nordic region has been open for more than 2 decades,they are losing competitiveness.
Their design and furniture has become old and out of fashion,so most of them is considerably in a vulnerable position if any of the other chians decide to come into the market;taking Oslo as a example,the city only has several Carlson properties,other than that,the best is like Clarion,Scandic or Best Western,which is not at the same level in terms of service and standards.As it's not my intetion to explore to that route,but it's one of the current situation customers are experiencing now.
Radisson Blu Hotel Norge,Bergen is right in the sentrum of Bergen city,the second largest city in Norway.I booked the standard room during the day time with a very low price for 2 nights,then I was fortunate to get a big upgarde to Junior Suite.
After consideration,there could be serveral reasons for this to happen:
1)I had filed a complain with my previous stay at one of their property in Sweden,which was a big disappointment as they failed to deliver a welcome gift as well as no greeting but standard cold face service.
2)The hotel is very lowly occupied as now is not the peak season for tourists coming for the fjords,since I was a Club Carlson gold member,they might just leave some bonus for their loyal customers.
3)The hotel is very generous and kind for doing this to most of their loyal customers,as this is not the first time I got upgraded at this hotel,but it is the truth that I was truly surprised by the size of the room(suite).
Regarding Welcome gift:never has any of those Radisson Blu I have stayed at remembered to deliver welcome gift on time,(only once in Copenhagen)so it's not always fun to call the front desk and ask for it.So here is what I did before:
1)Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel,Oslo,Norway------I called for a welcome gift with a choice of fruit plate,and the resuts is amazingly delicous as I got a huge plate of all kinds of fruits well cut and plated on a marle stone plate.
2)Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel,Oslo,Norway------I got things on the desk which is chips and a bottle of cheap wine and some other nuts which is not my type,so I called them for a fruit plate as a welcome gift,they only delivered a rather small portion of unpilled fruits in a okay sized bowl.
3)Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel,Gothenburg,Sweden------I got a small plate of fruits and some peices of candy,but the fruits looks dead already and wasn't even that tasty,I called for something else,but they failed to do so.I'd rather have nothing if they deliver shitty service.
Bottom line
Most of the Radisson Blu now can only be qualified as a 3 or 4 star hotel with no high expectations,but the one I have stayed at this time truly surprised me with their kind but small chocolate welcome gift as well as such a huge upgrade which is a huge plus,I definately gonna stay here agian next time I am in Bergen.
