Sofijos Rezidencija

The restaurant and outdoor area were charming, relaxing places to spend time, and the food was great. The staff were friendly and helpful too. The hotel has a medieval feel, with huge beds, lots of draped fabric, dark old wood, and period details throughout. It’s smaller than the photos make it look, and the big courtyard shown in one photo now has a building on it, which made the hotel oddly hard to find.

The pool is tiny, really only comfortable for two, but it’s cozy. There aren’t many spa treatments, though if you’re coming to stay in Birstonas, I’d recommend this place. The hotel itself is very cozy, the staff are polite and helpful, and the restaurant food is delicious. There’s also a nice outdoor seating area.

The setting is peaceful and relaxing, but the food was a letdown. My Thailandic chicken was a little overcooked, though I could live with that. My family weren’t happy with their meals: the side salads were bitter, as if they’d been left to grow too long, and the quarter chicken was barely seasoned and not marinated. It was so bad that shop-bought chicken can be better. The “mint sauce” tasted like plain yogurt with no mint at all. We spent 50 euros, and it didn’t feel worth it.

Breakfast brought to our room was a lovely surprise, and having a private spa to ourselves for an hour was a rare treat. It has a sauna, infrared sauna, and a small pool with cold water. The service was great, and we appreciated the privacy. This is a small, quiet hotel with just 12 rooms, so the receptionist handles everything. Our check-in service was excellent. The room was a little too small, and putting in an extra sofa instead of a desk, table, or proper seating area seemed like a strange choice. The interior is quirky, a bit kitschy in places, so it may be a love-it-or-hate-it style. Some of the hotel areas are worn, and there’s no 24-hour reception. You also get physical keys rather than key cards. It’s fairly central in Birštonas, where everything is within walking distance. A cozy little hotel in a Lithuanian resort, with some nice surprises alongside the usual small-hotel drawbacks.