See Schlosshotel Am Kellersee

The lakes and Eutin are lovely, and the hotel is in a fantastic spot. But our four rooms were all in terrible shape. One had mold in the shower and stains all over the carpet; the fuses tripped as soon as we entered and wouldn't stay on. The TV had no CI module, and the Wi-Fi didn't work. Service was a disaster, and I wouldn't recommend staying here, especially if you have respiratory health issues. The rooms were a six out of five, in the worst way. They need to renovate. We were refused compensation, and 98 euros for this was outrageous. I would be grateful if that decision were reconsidered.

The lakefront setting is idyllic, and the staff were kind enough to bring coffee and toast to the room. But the accommodation doesn't resemble a castle, and the 8.2 Booking.com rating is hard to understand. At €134 a night, it isn't worth the price and badly needs renovation. There were broken sockets, awkwardly fitted blinds, reading lamps in unsafe spots, unattractive furnishings, and a musty smell. You have to enjoy the charm of past decades to appreciate it. For breakfast, Mien Backstuuv at Lindenallee 13, 23714 Malente is very good.

Kellersee is lovely, and breakfast was presented nicely, but the hotel and its whole concept need a complete rethink and renovation. The room was dated, full of spiders, and had no TV. Noise from above sounded as if someone was moving things around, and on Sunday at 7 a.m. piano music played loudly for an hour and woke us up. The staff couldn't tell us the day's schedule or explain breakfast times or how to get into the hotel after 10 p.m.

The owners say the hotel is due to be renovated over the winter, which seems fitting since the stately building is getting a little old. We found the service friendly and pleasant, and the location is exceptional. Highly recommended.