AALERNHÜS hotel & spa

The breakfast was a real highlight, with plenty of choice, fresh buns, freshly squeezed orange juice, and omelettes made right in front of you. From the hotel, it’s about a 20-minute walk to town, then a wooden walkway takes you to the long beach and Arche Noah. You can walk roughly 3 km along the beach and return by the dam wall for a pleasant 8 km stroll, or run the same route before breakfast. The staff were unfailingly polite and attentive, from the gardeners and reception team to housekeeping and the bartender. The building was tastefully decorated and comfortably furnished after its high-standard refurbishment in 2012. Rooms are spacious, with a minibar, safe, and lots of wardrobe and drawer space. The indoor pool is a good size, and the two saunas and steam room are modern and clean. This hotel has earned its five stars.

I had a great time at the spa, and the room was spacious with a comfortable bed. The balcony overlooking the pool and forest was excellent. But people are allowed to smoke on the balconies, and the smoke came into our room. It was really annoying at night. Breakfast needs work. Most of it felt unhealthy and there were hardly any good plant-based choices. At a spa hotel, I’d hope for healthier food than these old-fashioned options. Hopefully that improves soon.

Dinner is the main reason this got four stars. There’s meat, fish, and vegan food to choose from, service is quick, and the waiters are friendly. Breakfast was good too, and the waiting staff worked hard to make it welcoming. The room itself was OK, but didn’t feel like a five-star room. Some things had clearly been restored, while the old-style shelves made for a strange mix. Getting checked in took ages. One person was working reception, and he served another guest ahead of us even though we’d been waiting longer. There was no help with luggage. The welcome desk seems poorly staffed at busy times, even though there can be several people there when nobody’s waiting. Staff also discussed guest information where others could overhear, which felt rude. WiFi in the rooms is very slow. Our room faced the pool and spa, which wasn’t as bad as it might sound, but there’s no real air conditioning. The temperature display does nothing. Opening the windows to cool the heated room brought in about 32 mosquitoes on the first night. Then we noticed tiny dots and stains on the white walls and ceiling, probably from the same problem before us. A balcony door mosquito net would help. The gym feels like an asylum, with basement rooms, tiny high windows, old machines, and white walls. There are no electric car chargers either. The hotel claims to be five-star, but the service and amenities feel more like boxes ticked for a German DeHoGa star rating than a five-star guest experience. Even a local supermarket can open another checkout when the line grows. The whole place felt odd for a hotel claiming five stars.

The spa was a favourite, and the food was delicious. The place is super comfy, and the staff made us feel warmly welcomed, at home, and thoroughly spoiled. We can only recommend staying here.