Arcotel Camino

The room was comfortable and clean, and check-in went smoothly. I also found the gym tidy and reasonably well equipped. The wellness area let things down, though, with several facilities out of order. In the bathroom there was only a hairdryer and basic shampoo and body wash, and when I asked for simple extras, they weren't available. The receptionist was rude and dismissive. This didn't feel like the standard I'd expect at a four-star hotel.

If you plan to eat out all the time, this hotel is fine. We cooked for ourselves, though, and the “Smart” apartment kitchen was a letdown. There was a small two-burner stove, but no microwave or toaster. The mini-bar fridge had no temperature control and wasn't safe for keeping food overnight. Its little freezer compartment was taped shut with a note saying it was broken. The cabinet under the sink came off when I opened it, and one cabinet was missing its toe-kick. There were no garbage bags, though the dishwasher tablets and dish soap were appreciated. The dishes and silverware were adequate, but the kitchen tools were sparse and in poor shape: one very dull butcher knife, a bread knife, ladle, peeler, and can opener. No spatula, colander, cutting board, dish towel, dish rack, or hot pads, and the skillet was in bad condition. We knew beforehand there was no washing machine. The beds and bathroom were fine, and the hotel is close to the station and downtown. For a pleasant stay focused on restaurants, it works. For a usable kitchen, I'd look elsewhere.

The location is good, but the stay was disappointing and the staff didn't make us feel welcome. Our room wasn't ready at the 4 pm check-in time, so we waited an hour. Nobody let us know when it was ready, and then we spent another ten minutes in the busy check-in line. The room was fairly clean, but dated, and rubbish from previous guests was still outside the front. Our Junior suite had two single beds pushed together, with separate sheets, which felt odd. It came across more like a three-star hotel.

We'd had a pleasant enough stay and were planning to come back soon. Then they charged my card a no-show fee for a date I hadn't booked, while I wasn't even in Germany. They won't refund it. It's a shame, because I would have returned and would have left a positive review.