Imperial Spa Hotel

The children loved the pool and slide at Aquaforum, and free entry there was a real plus. Staff were friendly and helpful, and our rooms were comfortable, with heated bathroom floors, good showers and beds. The hotel has a gorgeous old-world feel, retaining its late 19th-century features, and the architecture is impressive. The whole town felt like a lost pearl with lots of potential. We were four adults and two children, though, and could tell from the beginning the hotel was geared more toward guests over 70 coming for a "Kur". The restaurant was the main problem. Dinner was very good, but breakfast was ordinary, and the meal times were awkward: breakfast only ran from 7 to 9, and dinner from 6 to 7:30. We often waited more than an hour for food, while the two kids got hungrier and hungrier. Before arriving, I called several days ahead to ask for vegan, wheat-free food, which has never been a problem at other four-star hotels when I've given notice. On arrival, I was told I could just have salad. It felt like they hadn't prepared or made an effort, and there wasn't even soy milk at breakfast. On our last night I booked a table and asked again for a vegan meal. The kitchen had somehow been told that all six of us would eat vegan, so they'd prepared six vegan meals the others couldn't or wouldn't eat. I felt bad for the kitchen staff, as we'd really tried to make our request clear, but somehow the message got lost. There were also a few misunderstandings around dinner, even though we speak good German, just not Czech. Downstairs, the wellness area felt white, sterile and clinical, almost like a hospital, and didn't invite me to get a massage. The pool was small, a bit cold and had no bubbles. Tea and coffee making facilities were missing from the rooms. If you're visiting with kids, there's a great skate park and playground behind West Park. A little farther northwest, outside the village, there's a lake called Amerika with a small, nice-looking zoo. The animals seemed well cared for.