Loden Vancouver

Room Comfort: Rooms are described as spacious, beautifully appointed, and cozy, with comfortable beds and a variety of pillow options. Despite some hardware being slightly dated, the overall atmosphere is warm and inviting, contributing to a pleasant stay.(based on 3 reviews)

As a frequent traveller who stays in 5-star hotels around the world roughly every eight weeks, I tend to rely heavily on Tripadvisor when making my booking decisions. The Loden’s exceptional reviews were a major reason I chose it for this stay. I normally submit feedback only after checkout and directly to the hotel, but I felt compelled to share some interim thoughts given the contrast between my expectations and my experience so far. Despite the many glowing comments about the hotel’s outstanding service, I have yet to encounter anything close to what others have described. There is nothing personalised (for me). At this stage, I would be genuinely surprised if any member of staff knew my name, or even that I’m staying here. While I do occasionally receive a polite smile if eye contact is unavoidably made by staff, I haven’t experienced the personalised, attentive service that seems to be mentioned in almost every review. Check-in, for instance, was efficient but very transactional. Beyond taking payment, there was little explanation about the hotel or its facilities. A simple overview, such as the location and opening hours of the gym would have been appreciated, especially considering the gym is one of the hotel’s few amenities. The room itself has been a mixed experience. The coffee machine appears to be a relic from another era. Large, dated, and not particularly inviting to use. While this isn’t a major issue with so many great cafés nearby, it’s still an unexpected detail in a hotel with a 5-star rating. More problematic is the heating system, which is both loud and difficult to regulate. It sounds more like a building-wide industrial unit than an in-room climate control system. The choice seems to be either enduring the noise or feeling uncomfortably cold, and this has made it difficult to get a proper night’s sleep—despite the bed itself being very comfortable. The bathroom experience also got off to a rocky start. On my first night, the shower reached only a lukewarm temperature at best, leaning more towards cold. This appears to have improved slightly over the last 24 hours, so I’m hopeful it was a temporary issue, but hot water is a basic expectation at any hotel, let alone one positioning itself at this level. TV lost signal the other evening. I called reception to check if it was or a generic issue. They said they would check and call back. 36 hours later - I have not heard back. But the problem fixed itself. I’ll update this review before checking out, but these are the observations currently on my mind. Given how frequently other guests highlight the hotel’s personal touches and guest-focused service, I’m beginning to assume that perhaps my experience is an exception, or the ‘face doesn’t fit’ and simply not a priority for the team during this stay. To give credit where it’s due - the location is fantastic and the overall hotel is fine. But this is not a 5 star hotel experience and not comparable to a ‘true 5 st