Lázeňský hotel Villa Smetana

It’s a pretty hotel in a pleasant area, within walking distance of both the shopping area and the spa part of Karlovy. Staff were friendly, and the room was nice and freshly renovated. But the housekeeping was slack about replacing things, and we could hear every word from the neighbors. The laundry service listed on booking.com wasn’t available either. It was okay for the price, but don’t expect genuine four-star quality.

The hotel is good value for the money, especially for its lovely location. It’s clean, quiet, and the food is varied and tasty. Staff were friendly and helpful, and the center is a 10-15 minute walk away. Wellness treatments are available for an extra charge. My husband and I stayed without children and had a pleasant visit, but the wellness facilities let us down a little. They’re small, with one whirlpool and saunas. There’s no shower in the steam sauna, and the wellness showers splash water everywhere. There are only a few seats, no proper loungers to rest on after the sauna, and you have to cross the hotel in a bathrobe to get there. The pool is visible from the hallway, so there’s no privacy. I wouldn’t choose this hotel mainly for wellness, since those facilities don’t feel up to four-star standards.

The front desk gentleman was very kind and attentive, and I really appreciated his service. Breakfast was average and could get crowded during holidays. My room was in building 3, which seemed newly renovated. It was spacious for a single room, with views of the wood forest and the next castle building. The toilet and shower are separate, but only one body-and-hair shampoo was provided. Soundproofing wasn’t great, and at night I could clearly hear the neighbors talking and laughing. The hotel sits on top of hills, which isn’t convenient with luggage. There are three buildings, two connected, and the indoor pool, sauna, and jacuzzi are in building 2.

The room in the newly renovated part of the hotel was luxuriously furnished and very clean, so we felt comfortable straight away. My boyfriend and I also enjoyed the freshly made restaurant food. The restaurant staff were especially friendly and attentive, and reception were helpful whenever we had questions. My stay in the Czech Republic was nice overall, but I won’t return to this hotel because the problems outweighed the good parts. The parking space is extremely small, so a larger car needs careful maneuvering. The balcony door had no handle and could be opened easily, which felt like a safety risk. The wooden deck was old and partly damaged, and could have caused an accident. There’s no warm, direct connection from the room to the wellness area, so you have to walk through the building in a bathrobe or change in the dressing rooms. Thirty minutes before closing, the wellness staff started getting ready in an unfriendly way. They literally yelled and even swore at guests who hadn’t picked up their things on time. It happened to us and to another young couple too. I found that disrespectful and unprofessional. The pool was fine, though the water was pretty cold. The Jacuzzi didn’t look particularly clean, and the steam room had no small shower, which made it less comfortable.