Grand Hotel Starý Smokovec

This is generally a very nice place. The hotel is good, nevertheless it could be even better. I love the history of the hotel. But I do not think the heritage hotel does not necessarily mean not properly maintained hotel. I saw many damaged details not only inside the room but also inside the hotel generally. But I would like to be positive, too. The hotel offers one of the best bed, pillows and blankets I have had in very luxurious hotels. This was definitelly a good investment of the hotel. I enjoyed hotel services. Ski bus is a perfect added value. I liked breakfasts. There was everything I needed. I just did not like dark plates. But this is just a matter of taste. I liked a tea service available inside the room. You can enjoy comfortable and new pool and wellness centre, including very effective small sea salt fog cabine. Hotel staff is kind, cooperative and accommodating.

There were bed bugs present in my room, got a room exchange, however, till the end of my stay could not stop thinking of that, also extremely afraid of transferring them into my house, an absolute extreme is that no compensation nor apology from hotel management offered Izba bola zamorena plosticami, dostal som inu izbu, do konca pobytu som vsak na to nebol schopny prestat mysliet, extremne sa obavam, aby som si plostice nepreniesol do svojho pribytku, za najvacsi extrem povazujem, ze zo strany hoteloveho manazmentu nebolo ponuknute ospravedlnenie alebo kompenzacia

The Grandhotel is lovely, especially if you enjoy historic hotels in their more-or-less original style. Our room with balcony was very comfortable with a good bed, ample space and nice bathroom. The star of the hotel is the newly opened wellness centre, with a beautiful pool, jacuzzi style hottub and saunas. There's no gym, but then there are the ski slopes and places to hike. The ski slope with ground cable car is right behind the hotel. The train station for the Tatras electric train - that takes you to the other settlements - is a short walk away (and highly recommended). Good restaurants abound in Stary Smokovec and there are historic places to see all through town. The Grandhotel is on lovely grounds. We were at the hotel at the half-board rate, meaning we had buffet breakfast and dinner included. This is a good choice -- and excellent deal -- if you don't want to spend time and effort looking for a dinner restaurant. Breakfast was excellent. Dinner consisted of good (not excellent) basics, typically with chicken, fish, beef and pork selections each night, with central European flavours, and less-than-stellar desserts, given what's available in Slovakia and surrounding countries. Restaurant staff were pleasant and polite and most spoke at least some English. This couldn't be said of the front desk staff, who were disinterested and unhelpful, as if we were bothering them. Our door card kept failing (as did our neighbour's) and although staff made attempts to fix it, they showed no concern and just shrugged. Oh well....One person provided incorrect information about taxis - this is surprising, in a 4-star hotel! If you enjoy staying at historic places and don't mind the little aggravations, as well as some dimly-lit areas, and furniture and carpets that are shabby and worn, this is a wonderful hotel in a perfect location. If you like your hotel to be modern and immaculate, with friendly, informed staff ready to please, the Grandhotel Stary Smokovec may not be the place for you.