Radisson Blu Resort and Spa

I didn’t care for this hotel. The location was farther from the harbor than I thought, not walkable. Not much around it, abandoned building next door. Our suite had beautiful sea views but the layout was awkward. Open concept so just a glass door around the toilet yielding zero privacy. Huge closets taking up valuable real estate. Could have been done much better with an enclosed bathroom. Definitely a one and done experience.

Having stayed at a number of radisson blue hotels we were looking forward to an enjoyable last leg of our Croatia trip . Sadly we were let down by being led to what can only be described as a ‘filthy and dangerous room’ . After a challenge the management provided us with accommodation that we had paid for but it is sad to see a large corporation trying to get away with taking their customers for a ‘ride’ . Radisson blue will betaken off our list of hotel chains we will stay at preferring chains that want to look after their customers .

As someone who travels extensively internationally and has stayed at numerous hotels across the globe, I can confidently say that my experience at Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Split was among the most disappointing when it came to basic room comfort and customer service.

For a property marketed as an upscale resort, I expected considerably better.

1. Air Conditioning Disabled for the Season

During our stay, our room reached approximately 77–78°F (25–26°C), making it uncomfortably warm, particularly when trying to sleep. I have photographic evidence showing the thermostat displaying a room temperature of 77°F.

When I contacted the front desk, I was informed that the hotel’s thermostat settings were restricted to approximately 22–25°C (72–77°F). Even more surprisingly, staff explicitly confirmed that air-conditioning cooling had been completely disabled for the season.

As an experienced international traveler, I have stayed at hotels across numerous countries and climates. In my experience, I have consistently been able to adjust my room temperature to approximately 65°F (18°C), regardless of whether it was hot or cold outside.

I have never encountered a hotel that deliberately shuts off cooling based on the calendar while guests are still experiencing uncomfortable indoor temperatures.

I understand that hotels may implement energy-saving measures, and I support responsible environmental practices. However, those measures should not come at the expense of basic guest comfort, particularly at a property positioning itself as an upscale resort.

If air conditioning is advertised as an amenity, guests should reasonably expect it to be functional during their stay. At the very least, seasonal restrictions should be clearly disclosed before booking.

2. Opening the Windows Resulted in Cigarette Smoke and Numerous Mosquito Bites

With cooling unavailable, opening the windows was effectively our only option to make the room more comfortable.

Unfortunately, this created additional problems.

Cigarette smoke from neighboring rooms entered our room, despite the property being advertised as non-smoking. Furthermore, opening the windows exposed us to mosquitoes, resulting in numerous mosquito bites.

Guests should not have to choose between sleeping in an overheated room, breathing cigarette smoke, or being bitten by mosquitoes simply because the hotel has decided to disable cooling.

What should have been a straightforward solution to an uncomfortable room temperature instead created additional problems that significantly affected our comfort.

3. Beds on Wheels That Repeatedly Rolled Apart

Another particularly frustrating issue was the bed configuration.

Rather than providing a stable, properly secured larger bed, the hotel had pushed two separate beds together to create one sleeping surface.

Both beds were on wheels, and they repeatedly shifted and rolled apart during normal use.

I understand that combining twin beds is common in European hotels, and I have encountered this configuration during previous travels. However, I have never experienced a setup where the beds continually moved apart.

At an upscale resort, I would expect beds to be properly secured, whether through functioning wheel locks or another mechanism to prevent movement.

Between the excessive room temperature and the unstable beds, something as fundamental as getting a comfortable night’s sleep became unnecessarily difficult.

4. Inconsistent Room Service Instructions

The in-room television explicitly advertised that guests could place room service orders by telephone.

However, when I called to order, staff directed me to use the hotel’s application instead.

While this issue was less serious than the room comfort problems, it reflects an inconsistency between the services advertised to guests and those actually provided.

Guests should not have to navigate conflicting instructions for something as straightforward as ordering room service.

5. Disappointing Corporate Complaint Handling

Given the number of issues we encountered, I formally escalated my concerns to Radisson Hotel Group Corporate.

My complaint specifically requested a formal review, a case reference number, a written response, and consideration of appropriate compensation for the inconvenience and diminished quality of our stay.

Unfortunately, rather than providing a meaningful corporate-level response, my complaint was simply forwarded back to the property for resolution.

By that point, our stay was nearly over. I had already explained that we would not return to the hotel until late that evening and would be checking out early the following morning.

Consequently, there was little opportunity for the hotel to meaningfully address these issues before our departure.

I appreciate that corporate complaints may require coordination with individual properties. However, forwarding a complaint back to the hotel at the last minute does not adequately address the inconvenience guests have already experienced.

I expected Radisson Hotel Group to take greater ownership of the situation, particularly given the nature of the concerns and the lack of time remaining to resolve them.

6. Similar Air Conditioning Complaints From Other Guests

What makes this experience particularly concerning is that, after researching the property, I discovered other guest reviews describing similar seasonal air-conditioning restrictions at this same hotel.

Some guests reported being informed that cooling would not be activated until a predetermined date, even when indoor temperatures were uncomfortable.

This raises questions about whether the seasonal cooling restrictions are an ongoing operational practice rather than an isolated incident.

If management is aware that these restrictions have repeatedly affected guest comfort, I would expect the hotel to reconsider its approach or clearly disclose these limitations before guests make reservations.

Final Thoughts

My disappointment extends well beyond the lack of air conditioning.

It includes the inability to ventilate the room without exposure to cigarette smoke and mosquitoes, beds that repeatedly rolled apart, inconsistent room service instructions, and a complaint escalation process that failed to provide a meaningful resolution during our stay.

These are fundamental aspects of a hotel experience, not unreasonable luxury expectations.

As someone who travels internationally and has experienced a wide range of hotels, I recognize that accommodations and operating practices differ between countries. However, I believe that providing a comfortable sleeping environment and accurately representing available amenities should be basic expectations regardless of location.

My advice to prospective guests:

If you prefer sleeping in a cooler room, particularly at temperatures below 22°C (72°F), I strongly recommend contacting the hotel before booking and obtaining written confirmation that air-conditioning cooling will actually be operational during your stay.

Do not assume that a hotel advertising air conditioning means cooling will be available year-round.

If booking a king or double bed, I would also recommend confirming whether it consists of two separate beds and whether they are properly secured to prevent movement.

I expected significantly better from Radisson Blu, particularly given the property’s upscale positioning and pricing.

Unfortunately, this experience significantly diminished my confidence in the property and left me questioning whether I would choose to stay here again.