Grand Hotel Heiligendamm

The hotel is grand and superb, with a great location and a relaxed staff. Service was good and everyone was attentive. We booked half board, and the menu changed each day while the food quality stayed top notch. It's very kid-friendly, with a kids club, children's menu, and special check-in for kids. There are large, well-maintained indoor and outdoor pools. We'll definitely return.

The room was pleasant, though it felt a little dated, and we did enjoy our stay. Still, the place didn't feel like a five-star hotel to me. We weren't really told everything we needed to know when we arrived, and there was no water station in the spa. The indoor spa was loud with babies and children splashing and screaming, and they took over the jacuzzi, so adults couldn't relax there. The main steam room wasn't working either. Food was another problem. Restaurant prices were way too high, especially for a longer stay like seven nights. It's probably manageable for one or two nights, but eating there longer could break the bank. The NY club sandwich at the bar was just average, though the burger was good. It was still €34.

The people at Grand Hotel Heiligendamm are what made our four days so memorable. By checkout, we felt we'd known Ulrike, Alex, and Ricardo for years. They took our coats, showed us to our table at breakfast, and always found a moment for a bit of personal conversation. The young man at reception also listened as we shared our highlights, making notes of the staff who'd made the stay special. That thoughtful, professional service matched the help we got even before arriving. Frau Römer replied promptly to our emails and requests, and arranged a junior suite with a sea view as a possible upgrade. At check-in, Dogus welcomed us, showed us four other rooms and suites, and explained the hotel's history and services. While we waited for our lovely suite, a charming young woman from Indonesia served us refreshing hot tea. She could speak Japanese and Chinese, as well as excellent German and English. We ate twice at the Kurhaus and once at Bar Nelson. The food and drinks were excellent, and the friendly, capable service stayed that way from beginning to end. The beautiful furnishings and live piano music added to the atmosphere. After dinner on our second night, Ilona spent about fifteen minutes sharing amusing stories about the property and suggesting things we could read to learn more about the place. We also met one of the directors, Juan, who spoke warmly about both the challenges and the joys of working there. Breakfast in the magnificent Kurhaus was another highlight. A lovely woman from Sri Lanka made egg dishes, pancakes, waffles, and porridge fresh for us. We don't usually go in for wellness, saunas, or pools, so we can only say that the facilities looked luxurious from the outside. The historic buildings of the famous "white city at the seaside" are beautifully restored and carefully maintained. The location is well known, including for the G8 summit held there years ago, and we loved our comfortable room overlooking the Baltic Sea. We left feeling lucky and grateful for such a grand visit. Maybe management was fortunate in choosing its staff, maybe the staff are fortunate in their managers. Probably both.

The friendly staff, beach view, lovely grounds, and the facial massage we were recommended were all very good. But we came as a family hoping for a few relaxing days away and left disappointed. At this room price, too many things went wrong. For lunch and dinner, we were repeatedly told everything was fully booked, even though the restaurants looked fine and had empty tables. We'd tried to reserve ahead, but were told they were full. With little else nearby for a staycation, we ended up eating at the bar for several days, and its menu didn't offer much variety. Breakfast was frustrating too. We agreed to pay extra for some items, but they never arrived. We tried ordering again with another server because the first one had disappeared, only for a third server to tell us no order had been placed. The egg Benedict with truffle was listed as two eggs. We got two the first day and just one the next, with the price cut in half, even though we'd ordered the same thing. The midnight snack menu listed when it started but not when it stopped. It turned out to end an hour after it began. The spa prices printed in the room were out of date too. We were willing to pay the other prices, but inaccurate information doesn't feel acceptable for a stay this expensive. The hotel itself is old and shows it. There are old stains on the floor hidden by furniture, and even some of the trays were rusty. The good parts really were good. We just had high hopes and badly needed a break, and the stay didn't deliver.