Thermál Hotel Szivek Berekfürdő

Had a perfect stay. I'll be back!

The pools are great.

We spent our honeymoon here and barely enjoyed it. We wanted to leave on the first night, but even after we complained, they wouldn't return our deposit. I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone. The room was never cleaned and had no refrigerator. They said one cost 500 HUF per night, but there wasn't one available. The Wi-Fi didn't work, the air conditioner cover was broken, some lights didn't work, and the shower stall was small and dirty. The jacuzzi water was almost cold. The bowling alley was hot and musty, and the dishes weren't washed properly either. Our cups and glasses were dirty. At dinner on the first night, there was only a side dish. When we brought it up, the chef said he couldn't help it if people who came to dinner at 6 had "snipped" the meat from the side dish. We asked for bread and were told they'd bring some if any was left. Flies were everywhere in the restaurant and yard. The service has fallen dramatically from what it was in 2008/10, when this was a strong 5-star place. Now it's rated 3 stars, and the service feels like zero. The staff were generally nice, but the manager and chef don't understand professional humility. The washing up was poor, and 90% of the guests seemed dissatisfied. Several said they'd never come back. We had excellent service when Mr. Ferenc Szívek was here. It's sad that's only a memory now. Since the change of ownership, this place has gone badly downhill. I can only say, avoid it.

For lunch, we ended up going to Park Restaurant, about 100 meters from the hotel. The food was delicious, good value, and the portions weren't small for the price. We ate there on the final evening instead of having dinner at the hotel. For daytime outings, the beach beside Park Restaurant and Demjén Cave Bath, about an hour and a half away by car, were both good options. The kitchen was the main letdown. At dinner, the watermelon was the only thing I could count on being good; the other dishes were hit or miss. Breakfast was acceptable, with bread and scrambled eggs always available, sometimes with vegetables, and buns now and then. The buns tasted like they'd soaked up oil rather than being dipped in egg. There was no regular coffee, just a hot drink that looked like bear coffee. Allergens weren't listed, and dish names were usually missing, which was a problem for someone in our group with gluten sensitivity. At meals, two people prepared the food, one worked the bar and another refilled dishes. After a table had been used, the waiter cleared the cutlery but didn't bring fresh sets, so we had to get them ourselves from the juice machine. We booked two guesthouse rooms and asked for them to be next to each other, as the website said this could be requested. They ended up far apart. The site also listed air conditioning and an elevator. There was no elevator, which wasn't a big deal in a two-floor building, but when we asked about the air conditioning, one receptionist said they were waiting for a part. The next day another receptionist laughed and said it had never existed. The private apartments were alongside the hotel rooms, and in the mornings there was regular yard work, like hedge trimming and lawn mowing. At checkout, the receptionist couldn't see in the system that we'd paid half the price when booking, so we had to find the payment confirmation. Once we showed it, that was sorted. The staff were mostly very nice, and aside from the kitchen, pretty much everything else was fine. The food quality could be a few degrees better.