Dr. Holms Hotel

The hotel has a charming old world feel, and I liked the furniture. Our room was clean and warm enough, and the food was good, though it often arrived too cold. There were several things that needed more attention: no sink plug, not enough sockets, a broken fridge socket they knew about and had worked around, and a ceiling tile hanging loose. I had to ask for an extra blanket because I can't sleep with the heating on when the room feels stuffy. The fixed evening meal had only one course and no vegetarian option, and there weren't enough vegetables. The front desk wasn't told what the meal choice was and didn't try to find out. One evening we went to the bar for dinner but could only get two courses instead of three. The bar was freezing, as even the waiter said, and my fish and chips came cold. Bus timetable information was poor. The boot room lock was broken, and there's no heat for the boots. I also wonder why the pool can't be used throughout the day.

The hotel is charming, with a lovely atmosphere and excellent staff, which makes this hard to say, but cleanliness was a serious problem. Our room was supposedly cleaned every three or four days, though that mostly meant fresh sheets and emptying the bins. When we arrived, there was used chewing tobacco on the floor and a pacifier under the couch. There was also months' worth of dust under our bed. We complained, but nothing changed. There were no towels in the spa or pool area either.

There was no water or kettle in the room. The restaurant was fully booked for an event, so I was sent to the sports bar for dinner and ended up with cup noodles. They should have reserved part of the restaurant for hotel guests. My bathroom toiletries weren't replenished, and when my sibling called to help, the housekeeper insisted I leave the bathroom so she could come in and refill them instead of giving me a spare. The building looks historic and the room felt outdated, like its past as a sanatorium. The grounds felt a little eerie at night. It's also across from the Geilo station, on the side opposite the city centre. The one bright spot was breakfast, which was amazing, the best.

I really liked the first-floor restaurant. They serve a different four-course set menu each day, dessert included, so you don't have to choose from a menu. The food was delicious. When we said we don't drink alcohol or eat pork, the staff adjusted a few dishes without hesitation and were very respectful of what we asked for.