Bunter Bock Die Harz-Urlaubs-Alm

The staff were the best part of our stay. They were friendly, took good care of us, and seemed to be doing their best to make things comfortable. The bed was also what I’d expect from a four-star hotel. The rooms, though, are another matter. At least room 204 didn’t feel worth the price, and the design, furnishings and appliances were a bit of a jumble. The food quality felt closer to two stars than four. The Houses might deserve the four-star rating, but I wouldn’t say the same about the rooms. The hotel itself feels more like an extended reception area for the Houses, with expensive bedrooms and a rushed mix of features that could be luxurious but are poorly maintained. The concept has potential, and the state of things seems more like a management and investor problem than a failure by the people working on site. The listing mentioned a sauna, but it turns out that’s only available in some of the Houses, not the hotel. If you don’t need a kitchen, aren’t too concerned about food, and just want a large room with a good bed for exploring the countryside, it could work. At around €100 a night or more, the bed and staff are the main reasons I’d book. I’d come back for the private alm houses and a chat with the staff :)

There are trekking routes just around the corner, and dogs are welcome. The houses are nice, the setting is great, and the staff are friendly.

We were four people staying in one of the holiday homes and had a wonderful time. The big terrace and the beautiful lake next door made it easy to relax. Inside, the house was modern and well equipped, with everything we needed in the kitchen, plus a small sauna. We also enjoyed the restaurant in the main building, where the food was good and fairly priced. We'd love to return!

The service was genuinely excellent and friendly, and we felt looked after the whole time. Breakfast was on the small side, but lovingly prepared and quite enough for us. The room didn’t fully meet our expectations: there wasn't much wardrobe space or many compartments, the bed was made of two singles with a noticeable gap, and I missed having a full-length mirror. Even so, we had a lovely stay at the Harzer Urlaubs-Alm hotel and really liked its warm, welcoming feel.