Althoff Schlosshotel Lerbach

Great.

The garden restaurant at Schlosshotel Lerbach had a lovely atmosphere today, right up until our Bergische waffles arrived. They looked tempting, but my first bite tasted as if mine had been reheated in a microwave. My wife’s waffle was good. Comparing them, we agreed that one was delicious and the other awful. We told the server, who checked with the kitchen and came back saying it couldn’t be right because both were made from the same batter. We ate just the good waffle and sent the other back. The kitchen offered no apology or compensation. We felt badly treated, almost as if we were being treated like children. Our complaint was brushed off as impossible instead of taken seriously. It’s a shame that a place with such a reputation couldn’t serve consistent food or respond properly to its guests.

The Coq au Vin restaurant has earned its reputation, in my view. The hotel itself is fantastic, with a lovely atmosphere and a nice blend of historic and modern details. Some rooms could use better ventilation for conferences, since they get stuffy quickly.

It’s wonderfully peaceful in the castle park, and the rooms have comfortable king-size beds. The walls feature fantastic original works by Markus Bollen. Add spacious rooms, a great menu, and very friendly service, and it makes for a lovely stay.