St. Olav Hotel

The location is the one real advantage: everything is close by. We were swayed by the four-star rating and low price, but I deeply regret choosing this hotel and strongly don’t recommend it. We arrived on New Year’s Day and were told check-in was at 4:00 PM, even though Booking clearly said 2:00 PM. They only said, “New Year’s Day is different.” We hadn’t been told about the change beforehand, and reception gave no proper explanation or apology. We waited in a freezing lobby, asking every half hour if a room was ready, while the receptionist seemed annoyed and uninterested. The hotel and our room were extremely cold. Even during the New Year period, with freezing weather outside, we couldn’t get warm indoors. Sleep was another big problem. The walls were extremely thin, and we could hear everything, including someone practicing DuoLingo several rooms away 😆. Squeaky floors made it worse, with wake-ups from early birds and people coming back late at night. A strip club and karaoke club next door played very loud music until 5:00 AM on Saturday, so we didn’t get proper sleep before our trip. The food in the dining area was average at best. There were different salads each day, but the meals weren’t tasty, and we often left hungry.

It feels luxurious and is very well placed in Tallinn’s old town. Getting around inside is a bit of a maze, so expect to lose your way. There’s no lift either, so keep that in mind if you pick a room on an upper floor.

The hotel is very nice and well located, which makes this especially unfortunate. I’d told them ahead of time that I was vegan and specifically asked for breakfast alternatives. There was oat milk on the first day, but none after that. I’m not picky about this, but I’ve included a photo of the “vegan” options. The bathroom ventilation was broken and the room smelled of the drain. To be fair, the cleaning staff did a great job and everything was very clean.

The rooms were decent and the location was good, but the service was extremely disappointing. We’d asked in advance whether we could use a microwave and were told yes. At reception, even after we showed proof of that confirmation, the staff were rude, unhelpful, and made no effort to help. They often ignored greetings too. We didn’t get an apology for the unacceptable microwave situation. They also put guests with heavy luggage on the top floor, which felt inconsiderate. Hotels should have courteous, professional reception staff who can communicate in English. This was a very disappointing stay.