Ritz Carlton Hotels in Suzhou

It's been many years since I last stayed at a Ritz-Carlton, primarily because the ones in China often feel quite old and dated. I also saw mixed reviews online, some mentioning the hotel being small or its location being remote. However, I personally found it excellent. The rooms were very new, and the location suited me perfectly, as I prefer places that aren't too crowded. Breakfast was also excellent. Overall, I was very satisfied. I must commend Lucy. After seeing so many mixed reviews and feeling quite indecisive, I decided to call the hotel directly. Lucy answered the phone, and her exceptional warmth and patience immediately left a great impression, making me decide to book the hotel right away. We had also discussed that upon arrival, I could view the panoramic Suzhou room – which I preferred – to decide if I wanted to upgrade. Next, I have a complaint about a front desk staff member named Xu (whose full name I couldn't recall). I arrived at 1 PM and explained to her that I had spoken with Lucy yesterday about viewing a room to decide on an upgrade. She flat-out said it wasn't possible, nor would it be the next day, essentially giving me a cold shoulder throughout. I had booked a scenic view room. Upon arrival, she informed me there was an available room on a higher floor, but it wasn't a scenic view. She said if I wanted a scenic view room, it would be on a lower floor and I'd have to wait. I decided to wait for my original room. When I returned to my room at 6 PM, I found it was completely obstructed – there was a restaurant or something directly in front, blocking any view whatsoever. There was no scenic view. I contacted the hotel, and they told me they would handle it immediately. I waited for half an hour with no response. I called again, and they promised a reply in 5 minutes. Another half an hour passed, and still no one got back to me. Later, I saw other guests in the comments section with the exact same issue. It wasn't until I truly lost my temper that a manager finally came up to resolve it, but by then it was too late in the day. They ended up moving me to a different room the next morning. Another point is the hotel breakfast. There was a male staff member in the pastry area with a very poor attitude. I wanted a coffee with latte art, and even offered to pay for it. A female server nearby indicated it was possible, but this male staff member flatly stated it wasn't offered there and told me to go to the opposite side. Even the female server looked quite embarrassed. The day before, I had specifically confirmed that latte art coffee was available. Yet, this male staff member maintained a very bad attitude, insisting it was never provided there. Eventually, a manager had to step in and resolve it for me. What I want to convey is that despite these issues, I ultimately gave a full five-star rating. However, it's crucial to point out areas for improvement. It's inappropriate for every problem to escalate to the point where a guest is deeply unsatisfied before a manager steps in to resolve it. Why can't the service simply be consistently good? What we're asking for isn't that much.