elaya hotel kleve, Trademark Collection by Wyndham

The hotel was quieter than I expected, and the accommodation was clean and modern. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. Breakfast had lots to choose from, including fresh baked goods and many vegetarian options. I really enjoyed my stay and would happily recommend the place.

It’s a pity, because this used to be a nice hotel when it was The Rilano Hotel, with more charm and luxury. The sauna is broken, and the gym has no meaningful weights or way to work out. The stepper and bicycle were broken too. I also don’t get the idea of calling shampoo and body gel “toiletpaper.” There’s a water cooker in the room, but no cups or tea bags.

The location is the strongest point: Elaya Kleve is in the city center, close to restaurants and the shopping street, with a view of the channel, a nice terrace, and a restaurant. The parking garage is expensive, but a nearby lot costs 6€ per week. We’ve stayed here a few times, but next time we’ll try another hotel to see what we get for the money. It’s all okay-ish, with plenty of room to do better. The building looks like it could be lovely, but it’s worn and poorly maintained. The restaurant has potential too. Staff were mostly friendly, but service wasn’t great: we had to order drinks at the bar and carry them to our table ourselves. The tap beer was fresh and tasty. Breakfast was tasty and fresh, so I can’t complain about the food itself, and there were various options. Still, it didn’t feel worth the price. Many items, including scrambled egg and baked beans, were only partly covered with plastic wrap; the coffee machines were dirty and the soy milk was empty. Staff didn’t proactively check or restock things. Tables weren’t cleared between guests, and when dishes were collected, they were put on a cart with such a loud clatter that it spoiled breakfast. We had one superior double and one standard double. The superior was okay apart from a broken soap bottle and a towel left on the floor that wasn’t replaced. The standard room was odd: its bathroom, including the toilet, wasn’t separate from the bedroom, with a large open gap where a window should be, so privacy was awkward. They didn’t refill the coffee, and a large plastic piece stayed on the floor even though I deliberately left it there. Cleaning was not very thorough, mostly just the surfaces.

It felt like a nightmare. The rooms were filthy, but what bothered me most was the atmosphere. At night, strange people gathered in the lobby, and the place felt more like a shady hourly motel than a proper hotel. There was loud noise, yelling, and cigarette smells in the hallways, while the staff seemed too scared to do anything. I didn’t feel safe leaving my belongings in the room. Definitely not worth the money.