Sunday Garmisch Partenkirchen Hotel

The location gave us easy access to nearby attractions and lovely surroundings, and the hotel was clean, comfortable, and well maintained. The breakfast was fresh and very good, with a well organized selection that worked for both adults and children. Most of all, the staff were outstanding: friendly, professional, and always ready to help with a smile. We felt very welcome, and our stay at Mercure Garmisch exceeded expectations. We’d happily return.

Breakfast the next morning was amazing, with a cozy restaurant and a great spread. The service was excellent, and there was also a programme for the day laid out on the table. For the full details of our five month Round the World (RTW) trip, visit 2bearbear today! We’d planned to take a bus from GaPa train station to Mercure Garmisch Partenkirchen, but Google Maps had the timing wrong and we missed it. Instead, we walked about 20 minutes to Mercure Gapa. It was a pleasant stroll in the 15 degree afternoon weather. Csilla (Chee-La) checked us in smoothly and upgraded us to a Junior Suite, with welcome wine and fruit, lots of space, and a bath tub. The separate living area had a partial mountain view, and the bedroom had a HUGE TV. We paid the local tourism tax at check-in, 3 euros per person per night, or 12 euros for two people for two nights. That came with the Gapa Guest Card, which allows travel on local buses 1 to 5 in the Zugspitz Area. The pool is open from 7am to 10pm, the sauna opens at 3pm and requires everyone, men and women, to be completely naked, and there’s also a gym. Breakfast runs from 6:30am to 10am. With Accor Gold, we got welcome drinks at the bar, with a choice of Paulaner Dunkel, Weissbier, wine, beer, or soft drinks.

The view is great, and this could be a decent last-minute place to stay, but the hotel is quite run-down and too expensive for its condition and service. The front desk lady was plainly rude and provided awful service. It wasn’t a language problem. The bar staff, on the other hand, were super friendly, and the kitchen staff served delicious schnitzel and great beer. Breakfast was very good too. With friendlier front desk service and better housekeeping, the hotel could easily become a gem.

The location was great, but the basics weren’t handled well and there was no useful follow-up. The sauna only opens from 15:00, which is very strange. The so called fitness centre was worn and under equipped for the price. Several calls to reception went unanswered. Housekeeping was disappointing as well. They took away a bedsheet we were using instead of a double blanket, which the hotel doesn’t have, and left a dirty glass in the bathroom and dirty utensils. We requested small, thin pillows, but they never arrived. I raised these issues and a few others during the stay and by email. No one contacted me even once, and most things were still unresolved. Staff were very polite in person, but the overall comfort, maintenance, and responsiveness didn’t match Mercure standards. The rate felt like poor value.