Caraleon

We had a nice stay and would like to come back. The restaurant served great food, and the service was friendly. Our superior room had a separate living and sleeping room, plenty of space, and a balcony with a sea view. The beds were large and comfortable, and the bathroom towels were soft. The only drawback was the tiny sink.

The lakeside location is great, and we enjoyed the breakfast, the Michelin Guide restaurant, and the bar/cafe by the water. The rooms have been renovated recently, so they feel quite new. Our suite on the 1st floor, though, barely matched its description as light-filled with a lake view. It was short on natural light, and most of the lake was blocked from sight. The bedroom was cramped, with hardly any room for luggage. It was hot, but opening the windows wasn’t practical without insect netting. A party went on late one night, making it impossible to relax or sleep. On Sunday morning, the smoke alarms unexpectedly switched into some kind of test mode for about 30 minutes. The spa was under construction.

We went for my husband’s birthday dinner and had a great meal. The plates looked exquisite, the ingredients were fine, and everything tasted amazing. The restaurant feels comfortable but still elegant, and the staff were super friendly and helpful. When they heard we had cake waiting at home, they thoughtfully brought us some chocolate for free at the end. I can only recommend it. Tips: Book ahead, about 1 week in advance during high season. There’s a parking area close to the restaurant, around 100m away, so bring some coins for the parking ticket.

The food is fantastic, and the property itself is beautiful, modern, and clean. But for the prices here, some service staff seem very young, even like school students, and some don’t speak German or English. The lakeside bar/lounge is closed on summer weekends, when the main tourist traffic is around, so you can’t get a drink or coffee while lying by the lake. If the restaurant is shut, there’s no drink available. That surprised me because at check-in I was told the bar was open every day from 3 PM. I called reception to ask, but nobody answered, and reception staff were absent during the official opening hours.