Berg & Spa Hotel Gabelbach

We had booked 5 days in a superior double room because the photos on the hotel's homepage and the reviews on TripAdvisor were promising. So we arrived with great expectations, but unfortunately left with mixed feelings. First the good: The staff is very friendly, the breakfast left nothing to be desired, the sauna area is enormous, the beds are comfortable and everything is very clean. We were dissatisfied: It was only when we checked in that we realized that our room was not in the historic building shown everywhere (there are only suites here), but in the outdated annex from the post-reunification period. The superior double room (under the roof, you have to like sloping ceilings) is very simple and annoyingly impractical: the sleeping area is very small due to the subsequent installation of a shower in the bathroom, and the reading lamps on the bed are mounted in such a way that you hit your head on them , the seating area was uncomfortable, there was no fridge and there was only minimal storage space in the bathroom, which was obviously designed by craftsmen and was cold when we arrived. In the “vital area” of the sauna we missed a bowl of fruit. We were really annoyed about the full body massage. It took place in an oversized, carelessly furnished and, above all, cold room, where we had to lie on our stomachs for 55 minutes despite being asked. After having dinner twice, we avoided the restaurant, which was evocatively named "Hirtenwiese" but was nevertheless furnished in an anonymous, uniform style, preferring to enjoy the local cuisine in Ilmenau, Gotha and Arnstadt. At breakfast we were surprised that dairy dishes, cheese and juices were served so cold that you basically couldn't taste anything. Maybe these are all just small things, but overall they are not appropriate for a hotel with this standard and price. What left us really disappointed was that the owners had no knack for design (see above). It fits that the entrance stairs are currently being rebuilt in the style of an allotment garden with cheap concrete blocks (porphyry is typical for the area), the meadow in front of the hotel is filled with countless stalls and the new parking lot is completely without trees or other plants (while the only wall decoration is in the room is a poster that encourages the guest to act ecologically). A pity!

For a short break without a long journey, we looked for and found the Berg & Spa Hotel Gabelbach. Anyone looking to slow down and get in touch with nature has come to the right place. It is somewhat hidden in the forest not far from Ilmenau and is perfect if you are looking for a few days of peace and relaxation. It is a good starting point for hikes, for example to the Goethehäuschen and Kickelhahn. The entire furnishings in the hotel are modern and appear very new. The rooms are spacious and the bathroom is very nicely designed. Some rooms have balconies. The beds are very comfortable. The reception was very friendly, which can be said for the staff throughout the hotel. We felt very comfortable. The breakfast leaves nothing to be desired. Large selection, including lots of healthy things. We felt particularly comfortable in the winter garden. The food in the restaurant was great! The hotel has a very nice wellness area with a swimming pool, sauna area and fitness room. There are many hiking trails in the area and the town of Ilmenau is not far away. The only point of criticism: We had appointments for a hot stone massage. When we showed up for the appointment, we were literally talked into a herbal stamp massage, which was not even remotely comparable to the hot stone in terms of price-performance ratio.