Prima Luce Downtown

Okay, so I’m only writing this review as this is the most bizarre hotel stay I’ve ever had and I would want people to be informed before booking, as the management photos are misleading. Firstly, the good points - you could not find a more central location, absolutely perfect! And the young ladies on the front desk could not have been any nicer or more helpful……. Now for the downside - when we arrived at around 11:30 we walked around and around a seemingly disused building for about 45 minutes until eventually a kind local phoned the hotel for us and discovered it was actually inside this building - basically the entrance was the door into what was at a time a fully functioning shopping centre. We were given a room that was, without exaggeration, absolutely dreadful, the stink of sewage was vomit inducing, however, as we were exhausted and it was so late we just went to bed (avoid room 307, unless the problem has been resolved). The next morning we said we would not sleep in there again and were shown to the room next door, 308, which, as soon as the door opened we realised was actually worse! I said that we would not be staying in any room that smelled like a sewer so we were shown a ‘suite’, and told we could have it at an extra charge, however, once I insisted we would not be paying extra, we were allocated that room without additional charge. The room was made up and when we returned I actually could not believe that they had only made up one of the 2 beds…..now obviously that was enough for us as a couple, but it just seemed so skimpy. There was a massage chair squashed into the corner that had a broken plug….very bizarre! There was no water in the room and the mirror light in the bathroom didn’t work. I asked for and received an iron, but nothing to iron on, so I basically put a towel on the floor and ironed on it! All I suppose little issues but not reflective of the ‘luxury’ hotel advertised! Also, FYI, there is not even a hint of a roof terrace. Strangely though, there does seem to be some nice rooms….we left our luggage at reception as our flight was late and when we returned the lovely young lady (didn’t get her name, long brown hair and a fringe) allowed us to change in one of the rooms we hadn’t be shown, and it was beautiful! I suppose my summary would be, if you don’t mind staying in the top of a disused shopping centre and you are not bothered by the kind of issues I’ve mentioned then it is a good choice for you, as it’s relatively cheap, and very central! However, ‘luxury’ this is not!

I have never before written a bad review on trip advisor but decided to write one for this hotel as a warning not to ruin your time in a wonderful city with so much to offer. My sister-in-law entered her room to a horrible smell. They identified the problem as a broken sewer vent and offered to fix it. Gee, thanks. They did not offer another room for over 45 minutes. They only offered another room after threatening to leave and then only for 1 day of a 4 day stay. As of today, they have not offered to refund her room fee even when she cancelled her stay. Not even for the additional three days even though they then had 24 hour notice. The hotel is on the top floor of a mostly abandoned shopping mall. Water stains are everywhere including the bathroom we stayed in. The lobby, is unfinished. We arrived at 9:00 PM and there were no signs suggesting how to get into the building. We searched for 5 minutes before calling and getting instructions to push a button on an unmarked box. The reception area is not staffed 24 hours a day. When we left, we had to place our keys under the computer keyboard. While the receptionists are very nice, they are poorly trained and have no authority to do anything. There are no emergency instructions on how to leave the building in an emergency and front desk staff had no idea where the emergency exits were located when asked. The photo offered on trip advisor is very deceiving. Where you see cars, is a taxi and bus terminal. We were told by the police that we could not discharge passengers in front of the building

Don’t know where to start, but here goes : - difficult to find. It is in an old run down, graffiti covered shopping centre, of which only the ground floor is in use. Sign outside is missing letters and doesn’t even say hotel - the lobby is old and tired. Stained carpet on the top floor of the shopping centre - the first room we were shown, was like an office converted into a bedroom. Small high windows. A box. - we said we are not staying there and were shown a nicer room - but still there was no way we would stay there. - the photos on their website are misleading. There is no terrace, it was closed during COVID and not reopened. There is NO WAY they can describe this as a luxurious boutique hotel. It is not even cheap. The only positives were Dora on reception who was charming. She understood our concerns (obviously used to it) and booked us into one of their sister hotels. We walked to the new hotel, but was told that the room they booked us into had been taken! But they found us another room at another sister hotel which was fine. The management of these hotels is dreadful. Advertising is extremely misleading. Look at the photos and book elsewhere! How they can say this hotel is in a “prestigious shopping mall” is beyond me. The shopping centre was old and run down - most of the floors were abandoned.

This is a scam- not a hotel! Be very aware as this is not even a hostel. This is a nonexistent property which scams travellers. Expect a locked door and having to rebook elsewhere! My flight was delayed so arrived late with 2 kids under 8 to find the place locked! Impossible to find, no hotel sign. Eventually after asking bouncers and taxi drivers found a door through a parking lot which was locked! A4 posters had the name along with phone numbers which noone answered. Rang a door bell noone answered! With 2 by this point scared, distressed and crying kids had to rebook at the opposite 5 star hotel at a cost i didnt budget for. Raised with ******* the criminality of this issue and apparently the hotel said I was a No show so refused to refund me. Stay away from this scam to avoid a similar experience. Split is full of lovely places- just not this nonexistent scam.