"We booked the Anantara Palais Hansen Hotel over a year in advance to celebrate my wife’s 50th birthday and our 25th wedding anniversary. We were very excited and looked forward to staying in this renowned property in a junior suite.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by the guest services team, who took our luggage and directed us to reception. Unfortunately, the check-in process took quite a long time due to issues with the computer system and the credit card terminal. While waiting, we mentioned that this trip was to celebrate two very special occasions. The staff were polite and said they would make a special note of it.
Once check-in was complete, we were given information about the hotel amenities and directed to the lift.
Our room did not disappoint—spacious, beautifully presented, and very comfortable. It included a lovely lobby area, a generous bedroom with a lounge space, a large minibar and TV, plenty of wardrobe space, a dressing area with amenities, and a beautiful bathroom with a bath and shower. We asked for additional hangers, which were delivered promptly.
We then spoke with the concierge, an older gentleman who was extremely helpful and recommended several attractions for us to explore.
When we returned for drinks in the bar later that evening, we found the service very slow and inattentive. Staff tended to gather around the till chatting rather than circulating to check on guests. After eventually ordering and waiting some time, we decided against having a second drink and returned to our room, where we enjoyed a very comfortable night in a quiet, cosy bed.
Breakfast Experience
At breakfast the next morning, we waited to be seated and were shown to a table without an explanation of how the breakfast worked. We had to ask ourselves, and were told it was a buffet. The buffet selection was outstanding; however, the chefs at the egg station were rather grumpy and more focused on chatting with each other than assisting guests. The waiting staff were also not very attentive, and we had to look for someone whenever we needed drinks. We also only later discovered that there was an additional à-la-carte menu, though no one explained whether these items were included.
Service & Maintenance Issues
Before heading out for dinner that evening, we reported a flickering light in the shaving mirror and a wardrobe light that stayed on all night. We were told these would be addressed, but they were never fixed during our entire stay.
That night we again attempted to have drinks in the lounge, but service was just as slow as the previous evening—and, unlike before, no nuts or nibbles were offered. We weren’t sure if this was intentional or simply overlooked. After waiting too long, we gave up and went to bed.
The following day, we visited the spa and enquired about treatments but were told—quite bluntly—that they were fully booked for the remainder of our stay. No alternative suggestions or effort to assist were offered. We did enjoy the splash pool, sauna, and relaxation room.
Dining Experience
On Sunday evening we called to book a table for dinner and were told the lounge was the only available option and that it was fully booked, though they would try to fit us in as hotel guests. When we arrived, the lounge was completely empty.
After ordering a club sandwich and a Caesar salad with chicken, we waited a long time for the food. The salad was very small with only a few pieces of chicken, and the club sandwich was cold, dry, and unpleasant. When we mentioned this to the waitress, she merely apologised and cleared the plates away. We ended up going out for dessert elsewhere.
Final Day & Overall Impression
On our final morning, breakfast service was excellent—managed by a young man who was attentive and organised, which made a noticeable difference.
We checked out after breakfast and left our luggage with the porter until our transport arrived at 3 pm.
Overall, while we enjoyed our stay at the Anantara Palais Hansen Hotel and appreciated many aspects of the property, whilst all the staff were polite and friendly we felt that the service did not reflect a five-star hotel charging around €1,000 per night, especially one with a Michelin-starred restaurant. Service at breakfast and in the lounge/bar was consistently below expectations. Housekeeping was generally good, but some areas of our room were not cleaned during our entire stay, several minibar items were missing, and maintenance issues were never resolved.
Our biggest disappointment was that, despite mentioning our anniversary and birthday multiple times, nothing at all was done to acknowledge or help us celebrate our two very special occasions.
At this level of hotel, we expected more care, consistency, and attention to detail."
