Schloss Hugenpoet

We ended up calling this place the Creepy Castle. We arrived at 8 p.m. after a long flight, found other hotels fully booked, and had no choice but to stay. Our room phones didn't work, so we had to make our way down four flights of dangerous stairs to reach reception. The tiny elevator was broken, and I kept wondering how anyone unable to use stairs would manage. We were put in the Ustinov Suite on the fourth floor, though we hadn't known that when booking. It wasn't ready: no pillows, the duvet tossed sideways and rumpled, and a bare, cold room with a musty smell. The place felt neglected and dirty, with poor staffing and management. The food at the Bistro was barely tolerable. The cook had long, greasy black hair hanging in his face, wore dirty clothes, looked unwashed, and handled our Schnitzel with bare hands. It put us off eating. Cocktails were the only thing that helped us get through a long, unsettling night. The photos on Instagram and the Hotel Website are misleading, and the five-star rating is unwarranted. This felt like a one-star hotel. I suspect there may be many legal violations here. I wouldn't recommend it.

We booked a villa for three nights expecting a high-end stay, but it was spacious and clearly dated, with dust on many surfaces. The slippers even had another hotel's logo, which came across as careless. At dinner, our caviar arrived warm and was only served on ice after we asked. The potato-radish salad was just potatoes with two slices of radish. Breakfast was limited to toast at first, with no white bread; after several requests, they brought some. Service was inattentive throughout. We barely saw staff and got no help with our luggage. Check-in was disorganized too. They tried to take us to the wrong room instead of the villa we'd booked, and there was no real apology. We left thoroughly disappointed. It's hard to understand how this hotel is listed among Germany's 101 best hotels. It doesn't meet five-star standards, and we can't recommend it.

I really enjoyed the fine dining and would recommend it. The old stone and brick castle has been renovated beautifully, giving the hotel a proper five-star feel. In the evenings, the fireplaces are lit and make things cozy, though the smell could bother you if you're sensitive to it.

The rooms I've seen range from small to medium-sized, but they're comfortable. Their designs and color schemes vary a lot, which I generally like, though I'm a bit of a princess and some rooms aren't for me. An in-house sauna would make the place perfect; there's currently a partnership with a nearby gym. The venue dates back to the 1600s and has a great atmosphere for unwinding after a long day. I also got excellent service, a good breakfast, and flavorful food. The team accommodated my vegan, gluten-free diet.