Hotel Rialto in Victoria

February 28, 2026

This was, without exaggeration, one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever had in my life.

The entire interaction happened over the phone, and the employee who answered demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of basic hotel procedures. When I asked about a standard credit card authorization form — something routinely used in the hospitality industry — she clearly had no idea what I was talking about.

Instead of acknowledging her lack of knowledge or offering to confirm with management, she became dismissive, irritated, and condescending. It was shocking to speak with someone in a hotel position who appeared so unprepared and uninformed about fundamental payment processes.

Her tone was rude from the beginning. Every question was met with impatience. There was no effort to help, no attempt to clarify, and no professionalism whatsoever. It felt like speaking to someone who should not be handling customer inquiries at all.

For a hotel that presents itself as reputable, having front-desk staff who do not understand basic authorization procedures is unacceptable. Proper training is clearly lacking.

As a result of this interaction, we immediately chose to book a 5-star hotel instead — where staff were knowledgeable, respectful, and capable of handling standard payment questions without confusion or attitude.

Management seriously needs to evaluate staff training and competence. This level of service damages the hotel’s reputation.

Extremely poor and unacceptable experience.

Today I had a phone interaction with a staff member at Hotel Rialto, and it was honestly one of the most unpleasant customer service experiences I’ve had.

I was not even staying at the hotel — I was simply calling to ask questions. The entire interaction happened over the phone, and from the very beginning the tone was rude, impatient, and dismissive. Instead of answering clearly and professionally, the staff member sounded annoyed that I was even calling.

I asked straightforward questions, and the responses were short, unclear, and delivered with attitude. There was no effort to be helpful, no courtesy, and no basic hospitality. I felt talked down to and brushed off.

Customer service over the phone is often the first impression of a hotel. If this is how potential guests are treated before even booking, it raises serious concerns about how actual guests are handled.