Hotel Europa

The room was so hot that I didn’t sleep at all. At breakfast I found out the hotel was almost empty, with just two tables set, so I wondered why I couldn’t have been given a room on the first floor. The young receptionist was sweet and friendly, and breakfast itself was good, as was the waitress. The meal was served in a lovely but empty, desolate hall. A male staff member watched a show or movie on his phone with the volume up, which was annoying and antisocial. I got the impression the hotel puts in little effort and doesn’t care much about guests. When I asked for tourist information, the center across the hotel was closed and they just said everything was in my room. Apparently the only thing to do is take a boat ride. The soap was tiny, and there was no small shampoo.

The room was nicely furnished and renovated, with a comfortable temperature, and the hotel is well placed near the city center. The reception staff didn’t speak English, and dinner service could run until 8 PM. The wooden floors are very noisy when people walk along the corridors.

The food was tasty Eastern European cuisine, the Pilsner Urquell was very good, prices were pleasant, and the English-speaking staff were friendly. It’s a quiet, cosy renovated hotel downtown in Liptovsky Mikulas, and a great base for relaxing near the mountains. You can get to the Low Tatras for skiing or hiking, Jasna is easy to reach, and Besenova and Aquacity Poprad are close too. I’d recommend it for a lovely stay.

The hotel itself is great, and so is the administration. But little things count: the breakfast juice was about 80% water, and dinner didn’t come with tea, coffee, or even water. The chefs could use some help planning the menu, maybe from Gordon Ramsey.