Kenese Bay Garden Resort & Conference

The wellness area, with its pools, saunas and spa, made it easy to unwind, and the resort also had plenty to offer families and couples. We loved the varied food and found the staff both friendly and professional. Rooms were modern, clean and comfortable. Right by Lake Balaton, the private beach and beautiful views add to the relaxing feel. It’s the sort of place where a weekend leaves you thinking about coming back.

We used to be devoted guests here. We’d stayed more than five times, celebrated birthdays and anniversaries, and recommended the hotel to friends. We also visited other hotels in the chain. We won’t be coming back now, and it’s sad to see a place we loved lose our loyalty over what felt like petty hidden fees. We won’t go bankrupt over €77, but the chain has lost guests who brought it years of business. Good luck with this approach. Our train meant we needed the room for just one extra hour, until 1:00 PM. The evening before, we asked reception how much late check-out would cost. One receptionist couldn’t explain the terms clearly, and another said they didn’t know the exact price. Nobody mentioned €77. If that’s a fixed charge, why couldn’t they tell us? The hotel was quick to charge us €77 for that hour, nearly €1.30 a minute, but our key cards stopped working at noon on the dot. We spent our “golden hour” going back and forth to reception to get into the room and collect our bags. Impressive service for that price. I thought it must have been a misunderstanding, so I sent management a detailed, polite email asking them to clarify the charge. They never replied. Maybe answering a guest’s email is another paid service they forgot to mention.

We only arrived recently, and already I’m thinking this was a poor choice. The room we eventually reached had a view of Lake Balaton. This is what greeted us there: But getting there was a struggle. The reception desk was empty when we entered, and a few minutes later a young man came over from the wellness area. I said good afternoon and asked if this was where we checked in. He replied, “How can I help you?” without greeting us. I said we wanted to check in, as I’d just explained, and asked whether guests weren’t usually greeted here. He didn’t answer. We weren’t told anything about parking or where to find the elevator. Later, when I asked about parking, he failed to mention that the gate needed a room key. I couldn’t get into the lot and had to walk back to reception for one.

The room was a good size and clean, and breakfast had a good selection. Dinner was a letdown: drinks weren’t included, and I had to ask for a jug of water. Somehow they brought it lukewarm in winter. The buffet wasn’t replenished during the last 30 minutes, so you’d better hurry or the options get pretty limited. The parking setup needs sorting out. Charging hotel guests extra for private parking is a ridiculous idea in a place that isn’t downtown or somewhere people arrive by public transport. If parking costs extra, include it in the room price before advertising it. For nearly 50.000huf a night, especially in winter or the off season, this wasn’t impressive. Maybe it’s different in summer with the beach nearby, but the service was below par.