elaya hotel goeppingen, Trademark Collection by Wyndham

It’s 2 o’clock in the morning and I’m writing this after a 10-hour drive. We picked the hotel because of the positive reviews, but none of our little family can sleep, not even my 3-year-old son, who usually sleeps through anything. The room was unbelievably cold when we arrived. The air conditioning was set to 16 degrees, the lowest setting, and running at full power. It seemed to have been left on all day in an empty room. We could feel the bed’s metal springs against our backs. I’ve spent the last hour trying everything to warm up, but nothing worked. We came to rest and be looked after, and instead it feels like the North Pole. I wish the hotel manager would spend one night in these conditions.

The only real downside during my three weeks here was having no laundry service in the building. The front desk staff were so friendly and helpful, though, and the free coffee at any hour was great. Free water would be nice too, lol! Dominic gave me useful tips on getting around town and finding laundry services and shops. The dark-haired lady brought me a menu from the partner restaurant and was always ready to help.

At checkout the next morning, Tünde was brilliant. She apologized for the previous evening and offered me drinks and breakfast. Thanks to her, I’ll come back to Elaya hotel someday. The night before, though, I was unhappy with the service. I’d paid for a double room for two, but was traveling alone and got a room beside the elevator. I went downstairs to ask for a different room, waited a long time, then was told I could move only if I paid extra for breakfast. That felt like a rip-off. I really don’t like being treated that way, and the service was very bad. I wouldn’t recommend it.

The free Wi-Fi and coffee were nice, especially since breakfast wasn’t required to get the coffee. The room was clean, with a clean, modern-looking bathroom that was a decent size. The receptionist was polite and helpful. There was only a back-yard view, but that didn’t bother me much. The room was spacious enough for one person, though it could be tight for two. It was still much better than Motel One, for example. The wall had a few scratches, nothing major. The beds are too light and slide around easily when you get in or out, and the pillows could be better. It was okay overall, but a bit expensive for a small town.