"Meals: Geared toward bus tourists
Breakfast buffet – a week without any variety
The breakfast buffet offered absolutely no variety during our one-week stay. The selection consisted of packaged rusks and cookies, white rolls, partially dried-out slices of bread with missing crumb in places, as well as croissants. In addition, there was canned fruit, a platter with three types of sliced cheese, another with three types of ham, cold hard-boiled eggs, scrambled eggs with bacon (the scrambled eggs stood out due to their strangely crumbly consistency), a bowl of fresh fruit, packaged butter and margarine, jam, plain yogurt, and fruit juices of rather low quality. Coffee was served by the service staff, and tea was available upon request.
An absolute no-go was the handling of food: A staff member replenished bread slices with bare hands from a plastic crate that looked unkempt. It was just as unappetizing when service staff helped themselves at the buffet while guests were still eating breakfast, and took hearty bites of their own buttered bread while doing so.
The noise level in the breakfast area was also at times barely tolerable. The service staff was busily occupied with transporting stacks of dishes from one dining room to the other with a loud clatter. A relaxed atmosphere at breakfast looks different.
Dinner – once was enough
We only participated in the set-menu dinner once. Since there was no choice for the main course and the quality of the food was not very convincing, we opted out of further dinners at the hotel.
The appetizer, a watery, bland cream of asparagus soup, was reminiscent of a ready-made product from a bag. There was no taste of asparagus to be noticed. Subsequently, ravioli with an indefinable meat sauce were served. The zander as the main course was clearly too dry, accompanied by mixed frozen vegetables and a mixed salad that was served without care in a large bowl. The dessert consisted of two small, frozen cream puffs with chocolate cream filling, covered in an indefinable sweet, light-colored cream.
Overall, the culinary offering fell far short of our expectations.
Service: Lots of staging, little professionalism
With table decorations, silver-plated cutlery, and service staff in livery, an attempt is apparently being made to convey the impression of a first-class hotel. Unfortunately, these outward appearances cannot hide the weaknesses in service and organization.
The way guests were treated was at times extremely rude. Anyone who accidentally sat at the wrong table was sometimes brusquely sent away. Friendliness, a smile, or a professional way of handling such situations were apparently not a matter of course.
The staff often seemed listless and poorly organized. We could hardly recognize an attentive, guest-oriented service culture. Ultimately, both the atmosphere and the perceived quality of the entire stay suffer because of this.
Safety: There is a need for action here
I view two points as particularly critical:
Blocked emergency exit: In the breakfast room on the ground floor, the emergency exit was blocked by two breakfast tables. For safety reasons, this is an absolute no-go and should be checked and corrected immediately.
Missing grab bar in the shower area: There was no grab bar in the shower tray, which would be helpful especially for people with limited mobility, but also for all other guests in case of a risk of slipping.
Poorly visible emergency call cord: The emergency call cord in the shower was white. A much more conspicuous, for example red, marking would make sense so that it can be recognized and reached faster in an emergency.
Conclusion
The external impression apparently promises more than the hotel can deliver in practice. In our view, there is a clear need for improvement regarding breakfast, dinner, and service. However, the safety deficiencies we observed in the breakfast room and in the bathroom are particularly serious.
Those who have low expectations for gastronomy, service, and atmosphere may be satisfied here. Those, however, who value varied food, friendly and professional service, as well as a convincing overall offering, should adjust their expectations accordingly. The safety aspects should be taken seriously regardless of this."
