Bernsteinschloss Wendorf

The castle room was lovely, and the setting around the hotel is beautiful. Breakfast was good, apart from day-old bread on our first morning. The bed was a bit small, and the room hadn't been cleaned during our stay. The place looks grand, but it doesn't feel like a five-star hotel, and reception was often unattended when we wanted to ask something. The restaurant next door was absolutely awful, so please don't go there.

The highlight was the staff at the restaurant and castle. They were friendly, easy to approach, efficient, and spoke perfect English. I also loved seeing and hearing birds nearby in the morning. They gathered on the wooden scaffold-like structures near the chalet roofs, especially in the sunny spots. The chalets look cool and modern, with fancy patio doors and electric fireplaces. The idea of a nature retreat around a castle is good, but the chalet design lets it down. There was an unpleasant smell from the shower room when we arrived, apparently because of poor drainage. It improved once we used the shower and the stagnant water drained away.

It was so quiet, and I'd definitely stay again. We had a beautiful apartment with two rooms, a kitchen, and a gorgeous bathroom overlooking the garden.

The setting is lovely, with a large park, little lakes, and grazing animals, and our room was incredible. The place itself, though, felt badly disorganized and seriously understaffed. When we arrived late to check in, we'd been told to collect the key at the restaurant, but the only waiter there was overwhelmed and didn't know about it. We eventually found someone at the castle who could check us in, only to learn the room hadn't been cleaned. We agreed she'd clean it while we ate, but after a long wait to be seated and get menus, we were told the kitchen was closing and couldn't take our order. The pool was closed too, despite being advertised on the website. We liked the place and could see the staff constantly struggling to keep up, but the overall experience wasn't great.