May 26, 2013 Algeria Africa

Hotel Saint George, El Djazair: A Vivid Idea of Algeria's History

Phone Number: +213 21230933

Address: Avenue Souidani Boudjemaa, El-Jazair, Algeria ‎

Website: http://www.chaineeldjazair.com/saint-george/EN/#/home

Price Range: 250-400 $

RATING:0/100

Welcoming: 0/5

Food Temperature: 0/10

Ambiance / Music: 0/10

Menu Choice: 0/5

Food Taste: 0/30

Architecture / Interior: 0/10

Food presentation: 0/10

Service: 0/10

Value for money: Soon

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Opened in 1889, the Saint George hotel gives you a vivid impression of the history of Algeria, its culture and art. built on a site of a former Arab-Ottoman palace and surrounded by a luxuriant botanical Arden, the hotel is a jewel of the national cultural heritage.

Hotel_Saint_George_Algeria010 Having one of the rooms over viewing the bay of Algeria, I enjoyed a pleasant stay in a calm and serene atmosphere. The hotel doesn't seem to have an end. It took me two days to discover it completely with all its saloons and entertainment corners.

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The hotel services and facilities:

  • A big pool is a great way to spend some unique times under the sun
  • I loved their blue tennis court
  • A huge SPA and Hammam are the talk of town around here
  • The botanical garden has more than 350 different plants on a surface of 700 square meters
  • I spend hours at the terrace enjoying Algeria's local beer; Tango
  • Next to the pool is a pleasant terrace where a drink or a quick snack are enjoyed calmly
  • There is also a gift shop, a barber shop and a tobacco shop for all your needs

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The room comfort and amenities:

  • Free and speedy internet connection
  • 32 LCD screen
  • More than 50 TV channels and 10 international radio stations
  • Air Conditioning
  • A safe
  • Mini bar and coffee machine
  • A small saloon
  • I loved the balcony and its view
  • The bathroom is filled with the needed amenities: shampoo, vanity kit, slippers, bathrobe, toothbrush and a hair dryer
  • The room has it all: shoe shine, a working desk and two closets

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The room's Jacuzzi and showers are the biggest joke:

  • A water pressure that is drastically too low with which you can barely shower
  • A flow that doesn't even satisfy a bird. I didn't want to imagine how women clean their hair with it
  • This water flow needs a minimum of 50 minutes to fill the jacuzzi
  • While trying to fill it, and after reaching only 10cm, the water stops unexpectedly. lol!
  • Water consumption has a security limit that doesn't even fill 1/10th of the Jacuzzi

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At this hotel, more than four restaurants welcome you all day long:

Le Saint George, The Jade Pagoda Chinese gastronomy, Le Dey lounge terrace and the Snack El Yasmine by the pool. 

Even though I loved the hotel, I believe that it can be much better. Be sure that this in Algeria's finest place to stay with a professional staff that tries to give the best they know. But imagine with a tiny bit of finesse, which is missing in this country, it can be a perfect five-star hotel. The decoration around here is really impressive. An Ottoman's palace filled with those little tiny details of architecture, mosaic and wood I never expect to see in a country where luxury or a good finish has no meaning. I was amazed with this hotel.

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The details of architecture:

  • A very big hotel with many pavilions
  • A high ceiling everywhere makes it pleasant and enjoyable. Light enters abundantly from all sides
  • A palace ambiance that transports you to the beginning of the century
  • Mosaic of the Turkish ages is everywhere covering all walls and columns
  • The ceiling is all covered with white carved plaster, the old fashioned way
  • There is more sofas than needed filling all corners and empty spaces
  • From the outside, the building looks tropical, colorful and fun. Something this country misses a lot
  • Red relaxing leather sofas are everywhere

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Behind the door of this compound is a ticket to another dimension out of this city's lack of beautiful things.

The pluses:

  • When you discover Algeria and experience its bad service, scathing food, lack of welcoming spirit, nonexistent tourism, you'll just fall in love with what this hotel has to offer
  • Room service is generous: A complementary water bottle is added every day even though the previous one is still full. Shower gels and amenities are renewed every day. Few hotels do that
  • This compound away from the city's chaos transports you into another dimension

The needed upgrades and changes:

  • More training of the staff is a must
  • In such a beautiful setup, breakfast should be served outside and not between four walls
  • The main advertising screen in the lobby is too cheap
  • Sell some of those sofas. Everywhere and on every floor are more chairs and saloons than needed for an entire civilisation
  • The water pressure in the rooms needs a serious boost

The hotel food is as bad as other places in town. Breakfast is inedible and the burger I ordered to the room is below the acceptable limit of being average:

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Cheese Burger a Cheval: (cheeseburger with egg on top) 19€

  • I received a HUGE tray which looks empty. Only a plate in its middle covered with aluminum foil
  • A plate with the burger and some uncooked and oily French fries
  • No extra ketchup accompanied the burger
  • No coleslaw salad, even though its a burger platter
  • Burger is too thick and the bread is too condensed and of low quality. I love it how bread is naked once a week in here. The bun tastes even worth than sponge cake under the sun
  • Its content: Tomatoes, wrapped cheese, ketchup, lettuce, bun, fried eggs
  • Cheese is not even melted. Tiny little bits of wrapped cheese sticking to the lower bun
  • Thick 220g ground beef meat, cooked from the outside and soft red from the inside. It just tastes blood, nothing else
  • Potato is way too salty and not cooked enough
  • Plate has blood inside soaking the paper on which the burger is presented. It's disgusting
  • A Coca light can without a cup and no ice. No way!

Would I visit this hotel again? Yes. Do I recommend it? Of course. With all its problems, it is the best around. At least you don't expect to have bad surprises.

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