Meri Seaside Hotel & SPA

The spa is new and breakfast was good, with decent value for money. The bathrooms feel old, though, and the tiny shower cubicles are uncomfortable. The floors aren’t heated either. The main nuisance was that there were no slippers in the room, so we had to walk to the spa in shoes and a bathrobe.

I really appreciated the helpful staff at Meri Hotel. I was visiting Saaremaa, Estonia, on a day trip and needed to check in about two hours early for an urgent meeting. The receptionist arranged it right away, and I was in my room within 15 minutes. It had everything I needed for a comfortable stay. I was too busy to use the sauna, pool, or other facilities, but enjoyed a drink in the garden overlooking the Tori Abajas. The open-buffet breakfast the next morning was another highlight. I can definitely recommend the hotel to visitors to the island.

We had a poor, sleepless night in Kuresaare. After a day above +30 C, we had to leave the window open to get some air, and a nighttime concert at the castle sounded as if it were inside the rooms facing it. The rooms have no air conditioning. We should have checked the description, but it honestly hadn’t occurred to us that hotels might not have AC these days. The room cleanliness and breakfast were satisfactory, though not great. We don’t recommend staying here in summer.

The spa was the one redeeming feature: it looked nice and had a bar serving drinks and snacks. The location was good, with plenty of parking. But I’d suggest friends look at nearby alternatives. The bathroom was old and uncomfortable, with a tiny shower that splashed water everywhere and a sink almost child-sized. The hairdryer was outside the room, and there were very few towels. The spa provided none, so after showering you had to dry off with a chlorine-smelling towel. There were no slippers either. The room had been renovated, but poorly. No outlets by the bed meant charging a phone across the room, and there was no kettle, fridge, or iron. The glasses were dirty, with dried drink residue. Breakfast had very little choice. Before arrival, I filled out a form asking about special occasions and gave details, but there was no surprise or extra on arrival. They shouldn’t ask if it only raises expectations. Payment was also really unclear, and at this point I’m just waiting for money to randomly disappear from my account.