Hotel Helikon Keszthely

Helikon Étterem in Keszthely, located in the Helikon Hotel, offers a delightful dining experience. The food is flavorful, with generous portions and reasonable prices. The service is polite and classic, reflecting a traditional approach that adds to the charm. The ambiance is enhanced by good background bar music from the radio and a well-curated wine selection, making it an excellent choice for a pleasant meal. Rooms are also fine.

Disappointing - not recommended for a 4 star experience Location and wellness facilities were good. However, the food, service and decors left much to be desired. Food consisted of a buffet style, with breakfast and dinner part of our package. Food quality was below average, similar to that found in a school canteen. Glasses at breakfast were dirty and the fruit looked tired and nearing its expiry date. Desserts at dinner were not defrosted completely. We were left hungry, and the communication from staff was inadequate. Sat down at a table and were told that the space was reserved for a work group, which was not made known to us by staff checking us in. We were informed there was a sign to say that this was reserved for a group, but as you can see from the photo, the sign was ambiguous No slippers provided in the room or available in the spa. Only at the spa did they say we had to go back to the main reception to pick some up. Not communicated to us at check in, and we were sternly asked at the reception if we really needed them. Room had cleanliness issues, and my partner was bitten overnight, causing her leg to bruise and balloon from swelling (we’ll spare readers the photos). Finally, the room was very hot despite decreasing the temperature, requiring us to sleep with the balcony door open. On the plus side, the wellness facilities were fine. And the views of lake balaton from the outdoor jacuzzi were a highlight. Staff at the spa specifically were friendly and helpful. Close proximity to the Keszthely train station. Finally, hotel was kind enough to let us leave our bags in storage, but unlike other hotels, there was no lock. Anyone could come in and out. Additionally, the bike rack was too small and was full despite being off-season and raining outside. It was also not properly protected from the elements and our bikes got wet. Hotel’s decor left to be desired and looked cheap. Towels provided at the spa were small, thin and had to be used for 2 days In summary, more in line with a 2.5/3 star hotel rather than a 4 star one

Unfortunately, our stay ended on a very disappointing note. Upon check-out, I reported several serious issues to the receptionist, but was met with a cold and dismissive attitude. The built-in phone chargers by the bed showed that they were charging, but in the morning both phones were completely dead with 0% battery. As a result, we missed breakfast, which was included in our stay. I also pointed out that we found a pair of children’s shorts in the room — presumably left behind by previous guests — which raises concerns about the thoroughness of the room cleaning. The receptionist responded with nothing more than a curt “Thank you for the information, goodbye”, without any apology or genuine concern. We left feeling disappointed and unwelcome. This kind of customer service is unacceptable for a hotel of this standard.