Mercure Milano Solari in Milan

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This stay was definitely a one-time experience for me.

The hotel experienced a power outage starting around 10 PM and lasting until approximately 10 PM the following day over 24 hours in total. This was extremely long, and the hotel could not provide any clear information about when the electricity would return. The cause was a short circuit, and most concerning of all, the hotel had no backup power system, leaving the hallways completely dark and unsafe.

The next morning, although I had breakfast included in my reservation, the hotel announced that due to the blackout they would provide a “meal box” instead. However, when I went to collect it, the meal boxes were already gone. The hotel then said they would change date breakfast by offering breakfast on my check-out day instead.

After being out for the day, I returned around 8 PM and found that the power was still out. While waiting in the lobby along with several other unlucky guests who checked in that day, I heard multiple Italian guests loudly complaining to the staff. It seemed the staff had been under pressure all day, and eventually they lost their temper and argued back in raised voices. There were more than ten witnesses who heard the entire scene.

Overall, the hotel’s crisis management during this situation was very poor:
- No alternative accommodation was arranged for guests
- Staff lost their temper and argued with guests
- Staff could not provide any timeline or clear information regarding when the electricity would be restored
- No backup power system, leaving guests unable to use any electronic devices

Safety was severely compromised, as emergency lights eventually ran out and the hallways became completely dark
Later that night, after the electricity finally came back, I noticed staff placing fire extinguishers along the corridors. This was unsettling because there had been no fire extinguishers visible earlier — it looked as if they had just been brought out after the incident.

It was extremely unfortunate to encounter such a situation, and it clearly showed that the hotel lacked proper preparedness and had no effective contingency plan to handle emergencies.

As for the room, noise from the hallway could be heard clearly inside  the room was not soundproof. The towels provided on the first night were old and worn out, but interestingly, after the power outage ended, the towels were suddenly upgraded to much newer ones.