I would actually pay to see the moment when ALLLL of those managers and chefs lined up to ask you how everything was 😂 I like your sense of humor and honesty, even about being salty. Cheers! 🍻
I think most new hotels that try to impersonate the old, tend to veer towards the inane as far as decor is concerned. Reminds me of the cliche "new money" extravaganza, that is completely lacking in taste, overdone and contrived. You are right when you mentioned the feel of a Disney theme park when you entered the place for the first time! Unfortunately this is even true for newer temples that are built on a grand scale, the space is grand and the idols all nice and shiny but lacking in the sacred spiritual space that is so intimate and personal. I laughed hard as you assessed the hotel mgmt staff that overwhelmed you with their unwarranted attentiveness. They only do that to white folks, it probably comes from an English hangover after centuries of subservience and sahibs. I hope the owners are reading this and need to know when enough is enough! Glad you raised this issue on a video
You wrote exactly what I was thinking. After Kevin referred to the exterior as something from Disney (if I recall correctly), all the bric a brac strewn throughout the public spaces, just looked silly (way too much crap to dust). I saw a table with a bunch of stuff, and my first thought was... "can I just take that"? I was particularly amused by the leaking ice bucket... all flash no substance, and the niche ... seriously.
I stayed there just after covid when they had opened up after the lock down. Everything was basically how you mentioned, minus the pestering attention (that happens to 'white' folks only) Uncomfortable is the right word. I did not want someone being 'forced' to serenade me into the hotel. I did not want this cartoonish looking castle full of tacky caricatures either. What I liked was the uniqueness of their bathrooms. I had a very similar feeling in ITC Grand Bharat near Delhi. Everything was pretentious and fake and put on forcedly by a resistant staff. Compared to the amazing hotels like Rambagh and some other Taj/Leela hotels, this one was a let down. Btw, are you not visiting the *Aman hotels*? They really give Six Senses, Alila and Raffles a run for their money.
If I were you, I would escalate this and ask for a refund. You pay for a property with a variety of restaurants and only get 1; the staff stalking me like this would absolutely ruin my stay. I experienced bad food, careless/rude staff in hotel restaurants, but this is actually crazy.
Had this been for a personal stay, I would have done this already- but as this stay was purely for the channel, asking for a refund and then posting a negative video is not a dynamic that I subscribe to. Thanks for watching 🩴
I had a similar episode in the buffet. One particular dish was not very tasty, so I didn't eat too much. A chef asked me how the food was. I said very good, but he asked about the dish I didn't eat too much of. My first mistake was saying that the dish was not to my taste. Not saying it's bad, just saying I didn't prefer it. Then the chef offers to make me a different dish. I said no thank you. Then a manager comes over and offers me something else. Finally, I said OK... well that was my second mistake. They brought out a different dish, then the manager and chef both proceeded to watch me eat it. Another employee offered to cut it for me. Yes, it was quite tasty but it's uncomfortable for people to watch you eating, and trying to treat you like a small child who can't cut their own food!
Good to know! Will be going to Jaipur some day. This reminds me of how some restaurants in SE Asia cater to lunch and dinner for large bus tours. They're just not set up for individual tourists. Sometimes you don't know until you go to one of them.
Great video. Thanks for sharing your experience and your thoughts. I was intrigued by the 51/100 score at the beginning. After watching the video, I am speechless. I think the overbearing attention is partly due to inexperience of the onsite managers and lack of the understanding of 'subtlety.' My own experience with Fairmont is all over the place - some destinations they are considered high-end while in some others they are considered just a grade above Holiday Inn. Look forward to your future reviews...
I think Fairmont is simply in desperate need of a brand refresh and clear identity. I do this for a living and if you asked me "What is Fairmont's purpose/goal?" I couldn't give you a decent answer.
Great review as always … I’m sort of at a loss to understand how this all started - would it have been the initial interaction and perhaps they picked up on your displeasure at everything being closed or have they somehow identified who you are , they are very good at “investigating” I have found 😃 I too would have been mortified with all the unnecessary attention and line up . As far as the property goes it’s underwhelming and lacks warmth and character - great to know for future reference - cheers
The only person that saw my displeasure was the front desk agent who just stared at me blankly. I just talked matter of factly with him. Normally I'd never give feedback before leaving but I literally needed to know what my options for dinner were lol. I was shocked when the duty manager later called becuase I wasn't aware the FDA was even listening to what I was saying haha.
I don’t blame you one bit for being disappointed with the hotel and the staff. I would’ve also been mortified with having all of that attention put upon me. That bathroom 🤦🏻♀️ thank you for your honest opinions 😊
Uncomfortable staff is an understatement. It was kinda cringe. Right at the entry gate one could tell the musicians & valet were not interested in their job at all. I have stayed in a hotel which costs not more than 4,000rs in banglore(not a huge property) but their staff made the service feel like it was a 5 star hotel and i honestly preferred it over conrad & Four seasons in my 2nd banglore trip. Anyways, another great video. Enjoying your series a lot 😃
Right?! I don’t like to call out specific staff as they appear in videos for things like expression or attitude, but my God they would have rather been anywhere else on earth and I can say for sure they looked the same when the camera was off as well lol.
hi Kevin. glad to have found your channel. appreciate your honesty and not dragging every video into a 2 hour long epic like some other channel. One suggestion tho, please get yourself a better mic lol. The one youre using doesnt even sound "stereo" if u know what i mean and therefore makes ur videos sound "dated". keep up the good work.
Thanks very much. To be honest, I've never had a single comment about mic quality since I switched to my current RODE mic over a year ago- one that is widely used in the industry. Was it just this video you noticed it on? Or others as well? I'm OCD about sound quality, so just surprised to see the comment.
I have to say the decor of the room was very good for the price. I have stayed at a few hotels in the US for work, at that same price point of the room, and they had zero glamor to them. I would think in the US a room like that would be over $300. I am surprised the rooms don't have a designated space for a coffee machine in a cove in the corner of the room, like a small butler's pastry? I think the fact that everything was closed off was very off putting, which spoiled your mood, and I don't blame you. It is like you are not important enough! They should have separate facilities for the wedding party. It is not right to deprive a guest that is paying full price for the full amenities of the hotel as advertised. If the hotel wants to focus on weddings only, than turn it onto a wedding venue only.
What an extremely aggravating experience you’ve had, you call it a sham, but it feels more like a scam! The way you described the entrance with all the musicians following you around, would already have made me feel embarrassed and comes across as kitsch. Anyhow, it made for a very interesting watch and a couple of classic lol moments with your typical dead pan humour! Thank you for the very entertaining review and taking another one for the team, highly appreciated 😅😆🙏🏼
Haha the thumbnail did say “Scam” just an hour ago, but I changed it because I’m not the most familiar with Indian laws and ‘saying negative things’ publicly. Thanks as always for watching 🙏🏻
Sometimes i do, but usually i so not enjoy extra service and touches like you mentioned. It sounded horrible. I always make sure to give honest feedback and to decline offerings like bottle of wine ect. during my stay. Great video as usual.
Decline compensation I think is the single most powerful tool a guest has to ensure their feedback is taken seriously, no matter how 'unfair' it may be. Thanks for watching 🩴
I am always shocked by the prices at hotels in Asia (at least the prices you are able to get). A night at the Waldorf in Jerusalem starts at $613 a night, the Kempinski in Tel Aviv, $596. And these are low season prices.
Well... I paid the same (as your mentioned prices) for Rambagh Palace and Six Senses Barwara and nearly the same for many others in India- also all during low season. Each hotel and location is different, cannot compare prices across borders. Thanks for watching 🩴
22:00 i can feel you. i had a stay in a new and very nice hotel, but they had so many stuff for no work. i couldn't enjoy eating without 6 person looking on me, doing nothing. I am very happy they don't speak to me that often as they did to you 😂😂
I had to laugh. 😂 😂 The dinner was a comedy sketch. The waiter running to carry your plates and pull out your chair.... 😂 😂 Good grief!! When you entered the dining room, a silent alarm went off..." Attention everyone: the difficult guy is in the dinning room". Word go out that you complained about everything being closed. Look, I kinda of feel for them as your review could mean they get to stay in their jobs or are fired. They are so nervous that they don't even pay attention or listen. It could be a language barrier too.
There are some times when I know one of my video may have... let's say, 'effects on staffing'... in the case of this video though, there are simply a handful of managers there who have the wrong job.
Oh wow. The staff parade show you got in the restaurant is one of the most cringe moments I’ve ever heard of anyone having while traveling, and I’ve heard some real doozies from friends. Yikes. Makes me grateful that I’ve dodged cringe hospitality disasters so far. On a separate note, I’ve only recently found your channel and I really appreciate your transparency and honesty - this is the kind of information I’m looking for when I’m trying to decide where to stay on vacation.
My feeling is that the best service is both perfect and invisible. Table service for instance should be done in such a way that everything just happens seamlessly and you should not even remember what the waiter looks like. I personally would have found the whole interaction with the staff gruesome.
Agreed. That is also the most difficult type of service to learn. The service I received at Fairmont is the type you can be taught out of a book. Thanks for watching 🩴
Wow, this is such an experience. I can see how poorly they have handled things. At the same time, I would wonder if the management has encountered guests who have required such pomp and circumstances, this is probably quite commonplace in Asia. That said, they should see how their guests see it (which should be fairly obvious). Thanks for another interesting video!
I've lived in Asia for the past 10 years and have been to many hotels... this level is not normal anywhere on the continent I assure you lol. Thanks for watching 🩴
@@tfft Thanks for sharing! This is certainly nowhere near normal, but I saw local-looking customers seeking this kind of treatment at various hotels/restaurants in China, Japan and SEA. Those with big egos I guess.
It could be one instance, I have been there quite a few times! The services are awesome... The hospitality team is great.... I like the services and also the property is very luxurious and lovely.
Hmmmm... six overly positive comments about this hotel from people that clearly didn't watch the video in the matter of an hour... the ONLY positive comments since posting. That doesn't stick of management saying "go write good comments on this video now!" at all...
What a sham of a “hotel “ Wedding venue is more like it 😂😅. Thanks for the laughs tho which were unfortunately at your expense 😅. Great video as always.
Excellent review and video Kevin. As I had mentioned in your Leela review, I stayed in this property shortly after it opened and was looking forward to hearing your thoughts. As a foreigner visiting Jaipur, the location did not work as the hotel would charge extraordinary rates to get you transport to anywhere. But I was also disappointed by the food and service and the architecture and finishings were not grand, more like a fantasy castle in the middle of an American highway but at least was new. It is now looking a bit tired. I was lucky there was no wedding during my stay but it was clear that this was going to be the core business going forward. In relation to the OTT treatment, it does seem to me that somehow they figure out you were a vlogger/reviewer but that their strategy backfired. Did they try to comp anything?
@@tfft On a different note, the Raffles is probably owned by the same owner so rather than selling the plot, it would seem to me that they will run the two properties to split the wedding market and it is easier for them to have them both under Accor and move the employees from one hotel to the other one as needed
That was an amazing experience. Service is quick and nice. The staff is good. Cleanliness is excellent. I enjoyed it a lot. They welcomed us in such a unique way, I liked it a lot. I hope you will also enjoy the same.
Hmmmm... six overly positive comments about this hotel from people that clearly didn't watch the video in a matter of an hour... the ONLY positive comments since posting. That doesn't stick of management saying "go write good comments on this video now!" at all...
This year march 2023 I had a stay of around 3 days 2 nights and I found everything really amazing! I came from Canada to see family back home and for my holidays I planned a stay. I am definitely going again❤ Feel sorry for those who had a bad experience Just communicate with hotel team if any issue as no hotel would want their guests to be offended. That’s what a great client service is all about especially in Hospitality Industry giving your host a way or a chance to correct something for there guests.
Hmmmm... six overly positive comments about this hotel from people that clearly didn't watch the video in a matter of an hour... the ONLY positive comments since posting. That doesn't stink of management saying "go write good comments on this video now!" at all...
Hi, Kevin. Another quality review. What an embarrassing meal for you. Nothing subtle about it. What a shame about the grounds being built on. All for the sake of more money. I prefer a low profile in a hotel when I'm dining, not lots of people bothering me. I like my hot food hot, and if staff are constantly "how is your meal, sir" or " I hope you are enjoying your meal" or whatever, then the meal is no longer hot. I'm sure I would have lost my rag and walk4d out refusing to pay. Keep the great content coming
Very sad, I love your videos, and yesvyour complete honesty it is so refreshing to hear the truth, especially being from Canada. I would hate to go all that way to experience that No Thank you . Again, sincere fondness for these insights, Mr. W Savorn .❤😢
Good Grief! 😲 I CAN'T STAND being 'followed' ... let alone 'managed' by 'management'. I (probably) would have requested 'a meeting' with the 'top guy'. Enough is Enough!! YOU.. are the most PATIENT of guests. 🙄 Your excellent Vlogs are an EDUCATION .. a study in restraint. Thank you. 🤗
I have tried one Fairmont hotel and that experience was enough to stay away from them. I think they are kind of stuck in a category of wannabe luxury without being able to strike real luxury.
It is a very manufactured ‘premium’… like someone made a hotel based on what their friend was told by their grandma who was told by her neighbor who was told by her nephew about what a “luxury hotel” is.
Interesting hotel review with some real, real life black comedy thrown in. Most of this I think was a cultral thing with some nationalities who like to show off maybe lapping up that degree of personal attention for all in sundry to see. While someone is eating though, or trying to eat in the restaurant just beggars belief but the most worrying thing is that the mangers and chefs probably genuinely had no idea how unprofessional and how intrusive they were. My one question was there no room service?
Oh good grief how uncomfortable you must have felt, I personally cannot stand fawning over customers, no matter who they think they are, it is uncouth. But I did get a giggle from your review. Thanks and please keep up the great work.
What we see here is the Hawthorne Effect playing out. With your constant filming, as anonymous as you would like to be, the managers probably deduced that you were assessing them, resulting in the over-the-top pandering. Just the knowledge of being observed can drastically alter someone's behavior.
Yes and no. For all hotels, I am careful for how and when I film things for this very reason. By the time dinner came around, I had filmed little more than a couple of 10 second clips here and there when people were around. The attention from management and chefs started before I filmed any of the food- but I won't argue that some of the persistant attention was from filming as the dinner scene progressed. I always reserve all of my "obvious" filming and gimbal useage for the morning of check out- by that time, if they deduce something, so be it. Thanks for watching 🩴
2:47. The way that lady in blue is swinging her arms before greeting is an absolute clear give away of the taken for granted and clumsy culture of the place. You expect that in a two star reception, not in a supposedly 5 star hotel. Didn't need to see any further
Kevin, can you put the booking rate and method in the video? Some of us watch this video on our tv and dont want to have to pull up the youtube app to find this information. Thanks.
I still don't understand why to this day descriptions still aren't easily accessible on TVs, so trust me I understand, but there are a handful of reasons why I don't put it in the video itself. EDIT: The booking method (website) is always in the video itself.
Much like the Grand Wailea in Hawaii: they advertise a water elevator in their pool. It hasn’t worked for 10 years. Always a different excuse: waiting on a part, civid, etc. Pathetic. This place with their main restaurant closed is about the same. Just so lame. This video is a gift to anyone considering this place. Thank you 🙏🏽
Very ironic you mentioned GW. 20+ years ago I used to goto the Kea Lani every year with family before it was a Fairmont. Fairmont bought it and we went back once and that was the last time. It was like they had a character eraser. Still like to see the prices there, often $1800pn for the same room we used to pay $520 for. An inflation calculator says it should be $860 now 😂 I’ve wanted to do Hawaii on the channel for a while now… still might do a couple this year, but there’s this whole thing about not enjoying to light my money on fire that’s holding me back!
@@tfft oh wow! As someone who has been to Hawaii who knows how many times now…35-45? More? The kea Lani is my absolute favorite in Wailea. And you can get rooms for around 800 and on occasion a little less if you watch for them. They are still the best laid out suites and great location. And that architect did the Royal hawaiin on Waikiki beach too. That lovely sand castle look. I haven’t been to the four seasons there, so maybe that’s even better? But, that Fairmont, and the one in Mayakoba MX made me love the brand. The only reason to go that the GW is to use the Hilton points really. Wouldn’t pay to stay there, at least not more than 500$ lol. So, the other hotel that has some sort of magic in HI is the grand Hyatt Kauai. It’s not fancy, but something about it is special. The Royal hawaiin in Honolulu has the most atrocious customer service ever. Too bad because the pink is so charming. The Kahala there is wonderful
Raffles Udaipur I acquired an entourage for the first time in life and enjoyed the wonderful food on one side and an engaging storyteller on the other side with frequent power cuts. Fairmont Jaipur I acquired a cringe entourage which made me eat my food faster than ever on one side and blow me up on another side while everyone was whispering about me. Truly I felt you were holding yourselves back during commentary, don't worry about Indian law as long as you're not criticising government they are quite liberal 😅
Fairmont all over India is segmented to a lower category hotel not 5 star it's 4 star .. it's definitely upto the stars ..yes marriages and events are big money since the hotel industry in India has tough competition they are forced to do cost control..
@@tfft if you ever feel like reviewing some airline that's small checkout Maldivian airlines. You are in India so you are close to the Maldives and I would be so greatful if you reviewed Maldivian a320s business class cuz no one on RU-vid ever reviewed if you can't it's alright.
Morena Kevin!! Woah!!!!!!!!!!! What a bad experience in that Restaurant for Dinner!! I actually felt sorry for you and having staff watch you whilst you are eating ................... total disbelief!!! I am a huge fan of a Morning Buffet Breakfast however you are more solely focused on getting out of the Restaurant quicker than you can eat is a major disappointment. Hope your next venture makes up for the lack of services you received at Fairmont!!! Safe Travels 🙂
This is indian hospitality which is no where in the world and we got rude behaviour outside India hotels, i know some very hospitality is shaking but this is actually royalty
I think they realised all the shenanigans is going on the internet by the way you were filming around and the managers must have panicked lol. Nevertheless, it seems like they should be trained on how to handle these situations better because clearly they don’t know how to act!
To be fair, I generally dont expect a great experience from any Fairmont. However, I did expect better than this. Even their flagship properties i’ve stayed at ie: Plaza NY, Banff and Maui…I would not give higher than a 80/100.
it might be the camera equipment you are shooting with. i recommend using a dji pocket 3 to get good video quality yet seeming inconspicuous to the staff and guests.
Lol, I shoot with iPhones specifically to look like 'everyone else' who is also filming their trip. I do have a DJIP3 for some airport shots. Thanks for watching 🩴
Im sorry that they treated you this way, kevin. It was super insensitive, and i really empathize w how uncomfortable you felt =< i would have felt the same way...
There is a clear line between elegant and tacky the Fairmont jaipur makes a noodle soup of that line....I've stayed there and the banging drums and screeching noise of the violin gave me a headache, the entire property is nothing more than a convention hote spacel and the service is a dog and pony show...😂
Hmmmm... six overly positive comments about this hotel from people that clearly didn't watch the video in a matter of an hour... the ONLY positive comments since posting. That doesn't stick of management saying "go write good comments on this video now!" at all...
Was waiting for this video since you posted the pic of it in your feed? or whatever it is called here. The buffet/breakfast thing was horrible and would make it extremely uncomfortable to eat. But I guess your stay was still average. There are many Indian people I know whose feedback/complaints are just ignored or never attended too (yes, that is what I am implying). Overall Accor Management in India needs a very serious overhaul. Fairmont, Pullman and likes of these in India are seriously mismanaged.
Considering I saw what Accor was capable of at Raffles, there’s really no excuse for it here, especially when you consider that there will be a Raffles here as well?
@@tfft I think their capability ends at Raffles Udaipur. The GM there might be good or since it is their flagship property in India, some attention is paid there. They are competing in Udaipur with some of the best properties in the world. They similarly share Pullman and Novotel at Delhi Aerocity and that Pullman is also one of the worst star rated property in India. So based on that, I think the Raffles Jaipur is going to be very much like Fairmont than Raffles. Such a shame.
I would consider it as water down big hotel chain for middle upper class income Indian who can't afford to do destination wedding in big hotal like leela, Oberoi, and taj.
I chuckled a few times while watching this log. This property needs lambasting. The over pandering was because of the fact that they would have realised that you are a blogger. The negatives you have touched were only tip of the iceberg.
ESPECIALLY for a location like this. It’s not like it’s a Hyatt Centric surrounded by restaurants… it’s literally an hour north of the city lol. Thanks for watching 🩴
ChatGPT I came very close to changing the channel to watch cat videos (kidding!) Honestly, what kind of hotel doesn't have its restaurants open? And nope, I don't even go to Disney Land.Thank goodness for your hotel review, sparing us from that experience.
Thanks for watching 🩴 and FYI comments with any reference to ChatGPT or AI, etc generally go straight to spam- I just happened to be in my held comments as this one came through.
Interesting, Kevin! The Fairmont everywhere has this same kind of vibe! Contrived & catering only for the volume & money. The one is Austin, Texas, “attempt’s” at greatness, & fails miserably. This is a mgmt problem. Mgmt is pathetic. It inspires no leadership at all!!! And they expect their employees to take care of the guests at the Austin location, and now Jaipur, to be the same pathetic execution providing a miserable value for money spent! I rage against inauthenticity! The Fairmont (worldwide) epitomizes this!!!
Yeah they seem to be an odd ball brand. Perhaps they were the dorky younger sibling of Raffles who just tagged along when Accor came around to buy them haha.
Слухами земля кормится! Похоже вас Раскусили! Ролики из ютуба делают своё дело. Отель потрясающ. Жаль , что так всё сложилось. И еда на завтраке впечатляюща
I too get annoyed when venues at hotels are closed for events. If a hotel wants to host weddings build a wedding specific venue and stick to it! Public areas, inc restaurants and bars should be available to ALL guests all the time! grrr...I feel ya! That nook could be a prayer room? The restaurant experience would creep me out! Nope! With you!
Inexcusable. In situations like this I would demand a refund, if they refuse I would initiate a credit card charge back. They are absolutely not honouring the contract of sale.
If this was a personal stay, I would agree agree to request compensation. For me, I generally turn down compensation (if offered) for hotels I'm filming for the integrity of the video itself.
Have had this issue in india also , the stare non stop ,wanna help you to almost clean your mouth after every bite 😫😫😫😫 but is important to mention that a Lot of Indian people love this treatment
Awful…not only the main emphasis on weddings rather than guests but the hassling of you during what should be an enjoyable dinner. Ugh no thanks, that would drive me crazy. A shame to the hotel and to the brand. They obviously have no idea…and that is a pity.
