Scandic Vulkan

Receptionist Gintare was racist and rude throughout my entire interactions with her. It is unfortunate because the rest of the staff in the hotel was very nice and helpful. Upon checking in, I booked a queen-bed room but Gintare offered me to move to a twin-room as she said "it is a bigger room with view" so I agreed. However when I get to the room I was afraid the twin bed might be not very comfortable, so I asked her to give me the original room from my booking. She didn't seem to be happy about that and she told me: "Ok I'll give you what you book but you cannot change again" in a very threatening tone. I was not happy with her attitude but I didn't argue with that. She gave me a room in a corner all the way to the end of the corridor on 5th floor with a creepy small window, as if she was intentionally purnishing me for not taking up her first offer! The furnitures in the room were not arranged properly, chair is fallen and there are dusts as if nobody has stayed in this room for a while. I immediately came down to the reception again and requested to change to another room with more light and not in a corner. I also told her if these are the only 2 options then i prefer the first one. Then she started to raise her voice and attacked me with sarcastic comments and I quote her exact words: "Did I not tell you you cannnot change the room again? Did I not say that? Did I not say that 3 times?". I was shocked by the way she talked. Then she also said the first room already has another guest checked in and it's a sunday they don't have many staff working so not many cleaned rooms available. I was sure she lied to me just to purnish me for giving back that room in the first place. She didn't look like she wants to find a solution for me. Her attitude the entire time was very rude, with eyes rolling at me and not even looking at me properly when we talk. I was very offended but I remain to be polite as it looked like the destiny of my room remains in her hand at that point in time. After a very difficult conversation and I had to fight for having a better room for a while, she finally gives me a twinroom with proper lighting, so although the sleeping arrangement is not ideal with 2 single beds, the room was brighter and definitely better than the creepy one she gave me. The breakfast of the hotel was very good (bonus points for the Liver Pate and Pickled Cucumber!) and my 3-night stay was alright. The room has all basic amenities and facilities that do the job. Other staff has been very nice so I initally didn't want to write a review and let my bad check-in experience with Gintare behind. However upon checkout, her attitude towards me was as equally bad as the first interaction - No basic greetings, thank you, have a good day or whatsoever, Gintare was completely cold and even intentionally ignoring my colleague (she is also Asian) and just focusing on chatting with others. I have concluded it is racist because she treated other western looking guests completely different from the way she treated me and my colleague. I'm a very frequent traveller with both business and personal trips. This trip is the first time for me in Oslo and the 11th country that I've been to in 2023. I have stayed in hundreds of hotels but I unfortunately I have to say this is the worst experience I've ever had with a hotel staff. She is the most disrespectful, racist and unkind woman that I've ever met. This is a shame because my entire experience would have been much better without my interactions with Gintare, and I would have recommended this hotel to others. She should be re-trained on her manners and attitude. And if she cannot change her behaviors, perhaps consider a change in career given that she will have to interact with many nationalities working in hospitality industry. I do not wish this experience for anyone else.

Had to cancel my booking and let them now out of politeness and got a very rude reply (in Norwegian) that I won't get any money back for the room. Thanks I know. I was trying to be helpful, you could at least bothered to start the email with a hello, and reply in the language I wrote you to.