Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karpacz

The gym, wellness area and kids' club were pretty good, though there were no animation programs. The hotel looks nice, but some advertised services are described in a misleading or inaccurate way, which leaves a bad impression. Full board here means breakfast and dinner, not all meals. Breakfast was standard but tasty. Dinner was a filling buffet, nothing special, with meat that was dry and overcooked. I think it's a shame the services are presented this way.

The room was left oddly after housekeeping: one pillow in the middle of the bed and the other three scattered around. It looked as if someone had used it 😁. The sink was still dirty, with makeup marks from the night before. I won't attach a photo of that. There's also nowhere comfortable to sit with a drink, tea or coffee, read, or get some work done. The bar space is cold from the windows and its position by the entrance and reception, where the door keeps opening. There are three armchairs by the spa entrance, but when I tried to read there, the motion-sensor lights went off after two minutes if nobody walked past, leaving me in the dark. We're staying here now, and I really wouldn't recommend it if you're expecting a high-quality vacation. We booked a superior room but were first given one with a sloped roof and a ceiling window. We asked to move and eventually got another room. Then we found the sink wouldn't drain at all and water just sat there. A technician fixed it. The air conditioning has a temperature limit, so the rooms stay cool even with the heating at its highest setting. Breakfast buffet is acceptable, but you have to sign up ahead for a particular time. There are three queues, each taking about one to one and a half hours, and you're assigned a window. If you want to sleep in and show up nearer 10 a.m., expect some of the selection to be gone. Lunch and dinner are in the à la carte restaurant. The menu is short, and the food is no better than 3 out of 5. Dinner dishes weren't tasty. For an aperitif we got one shot of vodka, stale bread and butter. Prices don't match the taste or quality, and there's also a 7% service charge. The burger we ordered on day one had a fried potato pancake inside and a very bland patty. Maybe they just forgot to season the meat with salt and pepper, but it cost 89 PLN and ranks among the worst burgers I've had. Even a cold cheeseburger from McDonald's tastes better. The bar has very few drinks, and trainees staff it. The indoor pool is packed with children wearing caps and using inflatable rings, while parents play games like throwing a ball across the whole pool. It feels like a children's pool in Turkey, not a premium spa hotel. In the spa there's a water cooler that only gives cold water, and the hot water tap doesn't work. Perfect conditions to get sick in winter. There's a small heated pool outside, but the water isn't comfortable for a long swim. The jacuzzi is tiny and could be much hotter. After about five minutes it feels cold, so you have to get out. With four people in it, you might as well call yourselves relatives. I don't understand why a property this big has such small swimming areas. Why not add more jacuzzis, or two smaller ones, or make a separate children's pool? The sauna area is 16+ only, yet children keep splashing in the pool. I really don't get the hotel's concept or target audience. If the spa zone is 16+, why are kids constantly in the pool? We went to Gusto at another hotel today and were pleasantly surprised by both the prices and the food quality. We'll eat lunch and dinner there or at other restaurants for the rest of our stay.

Zuzia's face treatment at the SPA was a highlight of our stay. The indoor pools for adults and children, plus the outdoor pool and jacuzzi, were great after a long day. A good spot for families with little kids starting out with skiing.

Breakfast was delicious, with plenty of choices, and we loved the spa. The hotel is beautifully designed, feels luxurious, and the service was excellent. We've stayed at similar places in Poland, but this one is easily the best. Two things to know: the pet fee is 100 PLN per night, and unlike other pet-friendly hotels we've stayed in, there was no little extra for our dog, like a toy, treat or branded travel bowl. Also, the shower pressure was so weak I couldn't wash my hair properly.