Hotel Tanne

For a stopover on our drive from Krakow to Luxembourg, we spent one night at Hotel Tanne Ilmenau. We got in around 23:45, well past the 22:00 check-in time, but I’d called ahead and the staff arranged for someone to wait for us. I really appreciated how kind and flexible they were. Our room was spacious and clean, and the bathroom was large and well kept. The building is older and the interiors aren’t modern. There’s no air conditioning, though the summer night was manageable. Breakfast didn’t offer much variety, and the machine coffee wasn’t great. Still, there aren’t many hotels in the area, and from what I’d researched, this offered decent comfort for the price. A good option for a short stop while passing through.

The hotel’s near forests and some great routes for Nordic walking, running, and cycling. Breakfast was a big plus, delicious and with plenty of choice for both meat eaters and vegetarians. It really changed my impression of the place. The building is old, and you can see that in the interiors, but it’s clean, pleasant, and has its own atmosphere. Even the keys are old-fashioned metal ones with a big, heavy tag, so you’ll need a separate bag for a walk ;-) I missed having a kettle in the room, especially since newer hotels usually provide tea and coffee sachets, and the WiFi was very poor. Still, I’d definitely stay here again when I’m in the area.

There’s parking in the underground garage, an elevator, and everything was accessible with a stroller. The staff speak several languages and the service was good. I had a very good burger at the restaurant too. If you’re in Illmenau, I’d recommend dropping by.

The rooms were poorly lit, and everything in them felt pretty worn. It’s an old establishment, which may suit people who like that kind of charm, but it didn’t suit me. Breakfast was okay. The woman at the front desk couldn’t speak English, but she helped as much as she could. I couldn’t quite tell if she was glad to help, though. I still haven’t figured out how I ended up spending a week in Ilmenau. This might be the best hotel in town, but I’m not sure.