I really wanted to like this hotel, but it sadly fell short of expectations and was less than average. I have travelled globally for business by myself, but this was my first solo vacation so I did some extra research on the hotel. I was planning to do a lot of walking so I wanted to ensure I was staying in a centrally located hotel. I wanted to stay in a small boutique hotel so that it felt more homey and more likely to give their guests a bit more extra attention. I considered staying at their sister hotel Praktik Rambla (a 3 star hotel and the flagship that is just 2 blocks away) upon the recommendation of a friend who has stayed there twice before, but they didn’t have the room choice I needed.. I also looked at Praktik Vinoetcca, but it was a bit further away from the Gothic Barrio, where I planned to spend a lot of time exploring. So I chose Praktik Essens, although the rates for the 2 star was suprisingly higher than its 3 star counterpart, the reviews seem to be favorable although mixed. I stayed for 6 nights, and the beds were comfortable and the location was convenient to train and some major sights and the reception staff were friendly. But, for the price (which averaged roughly $300 US a night — basically approx $289 during the week and weekends was over $331), This was pricey for my budget, but I made the investment due to the reviews and my needs. But, i was disappointed to discover that basic services and expectations were not met. Most have to do with the building itself and the poor communication/response from management. The walls were surprisingly super thin (and I sleep through anything coming from NYC). I heard every door knock in the hallway and the next door guests using the bathroom and shower. There was an issue with the temperature control in my shower and I burned myself with scalding water from the shower head so couldn’t take a shower until it was fixed. I read in the reviews about water pooling outside the shower door, and asked about it when I booked the room and they said it wasn’t an issue, but I assure you, it IS an issue and even with the bathmat on the floor, it can be dangerously slippery. A few days into my stay, I had no electricity in my room (it was late in the day so fairly dark so I couldn’t take a shower or charge my phone. This was yet another inconvenience as I was running late for a tour and my evening out. I was later told that i blew the fuse when charging my phone, but if you are running a hotel of travelers from around the world….ummm, don’t you need to make sure you can ensure that guests have the ability to charge their phones? I asked to speak to the manager to address some of these issues, but received no response. In fact, I followed up several times to address my concerns, and was told that the manager didn’t see an issue, and apparently, a need to respond personally. That response was unexpected. A few other smaller issues like the coffee maker not working when I arrived and not working properly throughout my stay, and basic toiletries like tissues and soap not replenished unless I requested it. When I asked about how to choos a scent for the room toiletries when I arrived (which is something they promoted on their website), I was told that has not been offered since covid….so the idea of a boutique hotel that provides individual scents customzed for their guests is not accurate. They do have some soap for sale in the lobby, but that’s about it from what I could tell. So, bottom line, it just misses the mark. And, footnote to this is that the hotel manager finally responded to me after I emailed her personally, but I had already checked out and back home. My main comment to her is summarized here and I only recommended that she respond more efficiently to her guests while they are at the hotel. Not after the fact in response to a public review.
