Hotel Gran BelVeder & Ostsee Therme Resort & Spa

The staff made this stay especially enjoyable. They were professional, accommodating and knew their business, and I really appreciated all the perks and kind treatment. There's a parking fee, but you can leave your car in the garage after checkout. You can also use the spa before checking in and again after checking out. The first minibar refill is free, and there's complimentary water in the room and at checkout, plus fruit and chocolate both times. Breakfast was fantastic, with everything you could want and more, one of the best hotel breakfasts I've had. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, including the bed, and the balcony was lovely. Bathrooms are modern, with very good water pressure. The hotel deserves its 5-star rating in every respect. It's about 1km from the city, an easy walk to shops, restaurants and bars, and the Ostsee-Therme is attached, with a range of wellness activities. I really enjoyed my stay and look forward to coming back soon! I forgot to take pictures of the room and everything else, so here's one from the balcony.

The location was the only good part. The place is severely overpriced and doesn't deserve 5 stars. The rooms were old and smelly, and the service was unfriendly. Worst of all, we ordered a very expensive cheese platter with three moldy pieces, clearly leftovers from the breakfast buffet. So many things were wrong that I felt I had to warn people about the poor quality, even though I never usually write reviews.

The food was good and the service was nice, but the hotel itself feels like it’s past its best. The rooms need updating, and I don’t see how this place earns a five-star rating. There’s carpet throughout, the TVs are small, there’s no in-room coffee machine, and the WiFi was unreliable. Also, those lovely pool photos show the public pool next door, not a hotel pool. It may be worth checking availability at Bayside Hotel down the road.

The staff really made this stay, from check-in to the restaurant team and the barman. It’s in a superb spot, the food is great, and it’s connected to the spa. A wonderful hotel, and one of Scharbeutz’s best kept secrets.