Hotel Zenit Balaton

The food was alright, but the prices are for people with deep pockets. At those prices, I’d expect them to be able to afford a UV lamp to control the mosquitoes. Avoid the restaurant around dusk if you can: in just over an hour I killed more than 100 mosquitoes, and I’d rather not share the photos.

The view from the balcony was amazing, and I booked Zenit Hotel Resort & Spa specifically for an overnight stop on my drive from Slovakia to Croatia so I could swim daily for physiotherapy. Their site and the booking sites advertised a large pool and spa services, but neither was actually available. No one mentioned that the main pool was drained, not on the website, booking confirmation, phone, or at check-in. The indoor “hot tubs” or “spa pools” were barely lukewarm and only came up to mid-calf, so they were useless for swimming or relaxing. The outdoor “hot tub” was described as heated but was so cold you’d freeze in it. The spa facilities were basically useless, and the air in that area smelled strongly of mold. My room stank of cigarette smoke, and the whole property felt run-down. I told reception that using the pool was the only reason I booked. They said to talk to the manager in the morning and that they’d try to arrange a partial refund. After three layers of management, they refused even a token 10 or 20 euros. No refund, apology, or basic customer care. For more money than similar places nearby, it was a waste of money. The management clearly doesn’t care about guest experience or honesty in advertising. Zenit is a dump, go elsewhere. I’d never stay there again or recommend it, especially if you need proper swimming or spa facilities.

The food was delicious, the view was amazing, and the rooms were super. The staff were professional, and the wellness was fantastic. Great place!

The balcony view was amazing, and the kitchen deserves 5 stars on its own. The food was delicious. We stayed three nights, but the spa area could have been better: there were only three saunas, an infrared sauna, Finnish sauna, and steam room, and the steam room didn’t work well. The staff could also have been nicer and more professional. They call this a 4*Superior hotel, but I have my doubts. We had a good time, but won’t return.