Lakeside Hotel Plitvice

We really enjoyed staying here, especially the beautiful wooden cabins and the little petting zoo area, which works well for children of different ages. The hotel sits up a hill, so it feels like a secluded resort, and its location by one of the Plitvice Park entrances is very convenient and within walking distance. The staff were wonderful, breakfast was good, and the dinner restaurant was tasty and enjoyable. When we extended our stay, they upgraded us to a villa for the second night, which was amazing. The room was comfortable and standard, though sounds from other guests' footsteps and the creaking wood carry through the cabins. There's a spa area too, but since we visited in October, we're not sure it was operating.

The staff were unbelievably cheerful and welcoming, and the rooms were very comfortable. Breakfast and dinner were both good, and being right by gate 3 into the national park was brilliantly convenient. You don't need a park ticket to get to the hotel, but you do need to book ahead for the day or days you want to enter the main area with the waterfalls. Honestly, I expected less from a rural hotel and had a much better stay than I thought I would. A few things could be improved: the wine selection, dinner prices, which felt a bit high for what we got, and the outdoor areas, which were a little homemade and rickety in places.

The staff were very friendly, the hotel was clean, and the breakfast was very good. Dinner at the restaurant was okay. We liked the playground pit among the houses, which was handy with kids. We had a very pleasant two-night stay while visiting the area. Some facilities, such as the kids' room, animal area, and mini golf, felt a bit dated and could use cleaning and renovation. The main drawback for the price was that room service didn't come until 15.30, when we couldn't use it because our baby was asleep.

The location was good, about a 20-minute walk to Plitvice Lakes National Park, but I wouldn't stay at this hotel again. The staff were pleasant and friendly, though they seemed out of their depth. Our room wasn't quiet either, with footsteps from above and a dog in the neighboring room. The shower ran out of water at the worst moment. Reception said other people had used it all, and the room phone wasn't connected, despite the reception number being in the guide. When I asked for a bath or shower mat, they seemed unfamiliar with the idea and gave us two small and two large towels instead. The shower doors didn't meet, so water ran onto the floor, whose supports had rotted and made it feel like standing on a boat. The fixed shower head was high on the wall and moved around with the water pressure. The mattress had blood stains, though the sheets were clean but see-through. The natural wood plank floor looked nice but was impossible to clean, and slippers weren't supplied. The restaurant was very expensive for average food. It took an hour to get a menu and another hour for the food, though we weren't in a rush. Breakfast had a good range, but the staff seemed overworked. We had to fetch our own cutlery and set the table, and food trays took a long time to return after being taken away for refills.