Having been here last year and now again this year, we can say we have some experience with the…read moreproperty. We use it as a nearby getaway from Hamburg and prefer it in the colder months as there is far less going on. If you come for the spa and to relax, it's perfect. There's also hardly anything to do in the area so seriously, don't come for action outside of the summer months. Nevertheless, there was still enough going on to not feel like the place was about to die. Unfortunately, last year when we booked, they declared bankruptcy the same day. A lot of people must have cancelled last minute and the week we spent there was very quiet. We liked it but many people wouldn't.
Best part and everyone says this is the breakfast. We always enjoy spending a lot of time in the breakfast room and hitting the buffet multiple times. I easily gain a kilo or two every week I am here. It doesn't help that I go back for seconds and thirds (and fourths) washed down with champagne and coffee. It's that good though and I work it off in the gym that they have in the spa and pool area.
Without writing a ton of things that you have to see for yourself, I prefer to focus on what is lacking. First off, use the public parking about 200m from the front door. Annoying that you have to pay 5 Euro every morning but it's better than paying 25 Euro for valet parking which puts your car in an outdoor lot. They also have to go pick up your car so when you order it, you have to wait to get it. Further, always negotiate when coming with a dog. We bring ours and the hotel is dog friendly but they wanted to add a surcharge of 35 Euro per day. I negotiated this out of the price and was glad I knew about this beforehand. Finally, don't bother looking at prices in the bar or outdoor areas when having coffee or whatever. It's price gauging and to be expected at a hotel trying to be a 5 star. It was expected on my end but some people may be put off by this. Finally, don't come to watch TV. The rooms still have ancient TV's.....we're talking not even flat panels. They're functional but you don't want to spend time in the room watching movies on them.....which we would have liked to do to relax.
If you have kids, this place is great ,as the pool area seems to be really popular for them. We didn't mind since we only used the spa and sauna area but if you hate kids, go elsewhere. This seems to be a yuppie destination and as kids are quite fashionable nowadays, they all seem to bring them along. Be ready to deal with it or you'll be miserable. They tend to also run around at breakfast and dinner too. Again, we don't care but we saw a bunch of people getting mighty pissed off by this. Quite entertaining to watch but I remember my kid-hatin' days well and know how they felt.
In summary, we really enjoy this place and love walking on the beach or just sitting in the "Strandkörbe" when the weather is nice, wrapped in blankets, drinking wine. We also really enjoy using the spa and sauna and just hanging out in the room relaxing. Breakfast is amazing and highly recommended. Come early and sit until they kick you out. We did! Dinner is quite good too if you have the three-course option included. It's not stellar but quite good and the sushi restaurant is always a welcome alternative.
