What People are saying

Definitely not a four star hotel

janssens10on 01/08/2017 16:21

We stayed two nights at hotel "Michel and friends @ Lüneburger Heide".
The hotel has some parking spaces on the hotel’s premises and a larger parking across the street. Being a hotel with (according to their website) 122 rooms, however, it is quickly full. We arrived at 2.45pm so there was enough space.
The hotel's outside view is not particularly attractive. It is raised in a kind of typical German impersonal tenement house style. The reception area is clean and functional but not really tastefully decorated. Our room was not ready yet when we arrived, but a toilet visit later everything was alright. Apparently, check-in can only take place from 15:00 (or a few minutes earlier).
Check-in was smooth and without a hitch. We received a voucher for a cocktail and for a game of mini golf on a terrain a few hundred meters further.
The room itself was small, especially because the hotel pretends to be a 4 star hotel. She was very soberly decorated: a built-in wardrobe, a double bed, a desk/seat combination, a chair, a mini-bar, a small flat screen tv and a reproduction on the wall. The room floor was covered with a fitted carpet, which I personally find very unhygienic and difficult to clean. In addition, it is a nightmare for allergy patients. There was no air conditioning in the room. It was oppressively hot and the top- and side-hinged window offered no relief. We had a view of the roof of the restaurant and of the other wing of the hotel. Bed linen, floor and furniture however were clean.
The bathroom was even more tasteless and sober than the rest of the room. It consisted of plastic plates that seemed to come out the cabin of a not so luxurious ship, a toilet, a shower, a single washbasin, a mirror, a hair dryer (wow, what a luxury) and a cheap tap. Here also, everything is neat.
We could also twice "enjoy their seasonal dishes in one of their two cosy restaurants". Also that was not a high-flyer. I do not know what they understand by cosy, but I would rather call it impersonal, cheap and bad taste. In the restaurant again was that same terrible carpet. Here it seems to me that it is even more difficult to clean. The food is best catalogued under canteen food. Fit for human consumption but not more than that. The buffet consisted of just one (after 15 minutes exhausted) starter (day 1: Tomato-Mozarella - day 2: Vitello-Tonnato (they prepared it with pork instead of veal and the tonello sauce was offered in a small soup bowl - needless to say almost immediately empty but hardly replenished), 1 type of soup (day 1: onion soup, day 2: carrot soup), 2 main courses (day 1: roast or fish - day 2: roast or liver), 2 kinds of vegetables (day 1: mixed vegetables or mixed vegetables (I saw no difference) - day 2: broccoli or mixed vegetables), a salad bar with some kinds of lettuce and for dessert three kinds of pudding No, the quality and presentation did not even exceeded the average school canteen.
But, after this somewhat disappointing experience, we might enjoy a fresh beer or a delicious cocktail in their cosy bar. You just thought so! The decor was once again conceived by the same designer who did the rest of the hotel's interior. However, that was not the worst. The bar was almost never open: not at 15 o'clock when we arrived but also not at 18 o'clock when we returned from a walk or a trip. Fortunately there was light inside after dinner. But we only became disappointed once more: no barkeeper. After waiting for five minutes, a servant from the restaurant drew a few pints of beer for four other customers. Without looking at us, she tried to flee away afterwards. Fortunately, I could stop her. Because my wife doesn't like cocktails, I asked her if the coupon I received at check-in could also be exchanged for a coke. "No!". This time she was nearly too fast for me but I could intercept her in her escape. Just two cocktails then, anything else would probably be far too difficult. Ten minutes later another waiter came with our drinks. Ten minutes for two cocktails! That must be unforgettable! However, alas, trice alas, the famous cocktail appeared to consist of a mixture of orange and pumpkin juice in a champagne glass.
But we still had the swimming pool and the wellness facilities at our disposal. But, a weekend, a fully booked hotel, many families with children. I do not have to say that in a swimming pool the size of an average bathtub it was busier than on Times Square in New York on New Year's Eve.
After a walk in the vicinity of the hotel we became even more down-hearted. In Hodenhagen there’s really nothing doing around. How appropriate: a completely uninteresting and mediocre hotel in the boondocks.
Breakfast was fortunately not such a big disappointment. Although also here ther were only two types of buns, some jam and honey, a lot of charcuterie, one type of hard cheese, a few small portions of soft cheese, fruit and muesli, coffee and tea, two kinds of fruit juice from a dispenser (no fresh fruit juice), a pile of bacon, a bowl with scrambled egg, dried sausages and a pancake machine (especially popular with the small fry that ran around).
No, I cannot recommend Michel & Friends Lüneburger Heide and it is certainly not worth four stars. As a stopover hotel it is to be considered. Staying longer than 1 night, I will never do it again nor will I ever have dinner here and a fresh beer I will get elsewhere.
Oh yes, the mini golf was nice :-)

Perfect

Rasha Son 15/08/2016 20:07

We had a great time in this hotel. The people there are very friendly and always answer you with with a smile. My son was hiding somewhere and everybody in the hotel was looking for him. The location is also great,Heide park,Serengeti park (you can get tickets from the reception) and one day we spent it in the hotel (swimming pool and playing with the rabbits)
Will definetly repeat it
Thank you

No Problem

J0hnC918on 29/10/2015 21:13

Good Hotel with friendly service. Made a pleasant and convenient venue for a business function.

Carvery was excellent on both nights.

Good value for money.

One small problem was my no smoking room smelled of smoke or something?

It's ok, but not a 4*.

OksanaUA_NLon 11/08/2015 20:52

The hotel is situated in the quite area, where you can cycling and enjoying the nature. You can also rent a kayk in the nearby village. Two supermarkets is in 10 minutes walking.
Now about the hotel: it should have for sure a renovation.It's not looking as a 4 stars.Old furniture, small and not so clean swimming pool. It was quite hot during our trip.In the room there is no air-conditioning,so it was impossible to sleep and to be in the room during the day time.
Helpful staff ,especially Ralf at the reception. He gave a useful recommendation what should you see and where to go and always help as you needed .Ralf, thank you once more :)

Excellent hotel

Paula Mon 28/07/2015 08:44

Fantastic facilities for the price, staff are very attentive and friendly, especially Steven our waiter on numerous evenings. Would recommended the hotel and the resturant, which served great food from the buffet breakfast to dining in the resturant in the evening. The hotel also has a great variety of toys and play equipment for children.