I was on a quest for relaxation at a supposedly relaxing thermal hotel. My experience turned into an obstacle course of disappointments.
Our room-changing odyssey began immediately. The first room was a tech wasteland, broken safe box, dead TV. We barely unpacked before being moved again, this time to a room clearly meant for two… though we were a party of three! It took multiple trips down to reception to finally secure a proper room.
The real blow came with the realization that the sauna and steam room, features I'd specifically asked about before booking were out of commission. "Renovations," they said, which felt like a slap in the face after being assured of their availability.
The food wasn't terrible, but the monotony was disheartening. As for the thermal pool, it started promisingly warm, but then transformed into lukewarm territory. Ideal thermal pool temperatures typically range between 37-40 degrees Celsius (98.6-104 degrees Fahrenheit), so 23 Celsius was a frigid surprise.
The cherry on top? Terrible WiFi, slow, unreliable, constant drops. The staff's smiles were empty consolation when faced with our growing list of issues. However, I must give credit to Elif, the manager. Despite the circumstances, her warmth apologetic nature and welcoming body language showed she cared, even if the solutions weren't readily available.
The Verdict: This hotel convinced me that unless you're incredibly lucky, your stay is guaranteed to come with a side of unexpected hassles.