Hotel MERKUR - Baden-Baden — Hotel in Baden-Baden

UPDATE 20.01.2025 Response to the Response from the Owner.

1. I updated my review 7 years later only because you tried to remove my 1 star review for the second time in January 2025, complaining to Google. Before that you tried to do the same with a law firm.
2. All of my claims are based on evidence. And I presented it to both the law firm and Google. Your claims of my unfriednliess and you offering me an alternative accomodation 7 years ago are not true and not based on evidence. You were not able to remove my proven review and now are making defamation claims about me in the response.
3. I fully understand how you value your business and want to have only the best reviews for it, I really do. You put a lot of work in it. Now please look at the situation from my side. 7 years ago I arrived at your Hotel in the evening, tired, having a room booked and then I've learnt there is no room. Then 3 years after it I found an email from a lawyer in my email which I had to fight. Then in January 2025 I get a claim from Google which I had to fight again. Now that response from you. That all causes unnecessary stress. I understand you and I hope you will understand me.

Thank you!

UPDATE 18.01.2025 Since I posted my truthful 1 star review (see below) 7 years ago instead of offering one single apology, they tried to remove my 1 star review twice(!!!) - in 2021 and 2025. First with a law firm (!), and next complaining to Google claiming defamation (!). Both times I, of course, proved my right with documents - booking confirmation, emails and so on. That's why my review stays. Advice to MERKUR: if you work in hospitality - it's much better to just apologize for your mistakes - not try to "clean-up" your reviews this way. Apologizing would have removed tension and I might have even reconsidered my review, now you deserved a 1-star review 3 times and still have not apologized even once for the stress you caused me with your actions in 2017, 2021 and 2025.

Thank you!

I booked a room here with booking the other day, received the confirmation, and when I arrived at night there was no room for me. No options were offered. Just - we do not have a room, we a...

Considering the price (in July) and location, I was surprised by the size of the superior double room for a 3 star. In general it was a good stay, everything you would expect from a hotel in the 4.5 rating range. Shockingly, a beer from the mini bar was only €2 which I feel is noteworthy. In fact it may be the cheapest mini bar I've ever seen.

Room was good quality, really leaning into the purple not just with the cushions but also the alternative lighting. Speaking of lighting, I can't help but feel there was a minor electrical problem with signs in the hall flickering and one of the power sockets in my room ticking/clicking, but the air con covered that sound. Bathroom was a let down in comparison, but more like a 3 star hotel experience so I can't knock it too much. It's functional, it has some kind of mirror with buttons for lights, time, etc. The toilet is of course nestled as close to the wall and the radiator as possible to bring in the risk of smashing your knee. Functional, just not as good as the main room.

Nespresso machine with maddening generic pods that don't tell you what they are (light blue or red, which is supposed to be caffeinated?). Free water each day. It's on a fairly quiet road but opening the windows invited all sorts of conversation, blocked nicely. I feel like upstairs was tap dancing and the room next to me was in song from time to time, so don't expect a fully soundproof stay unless you're lucky.

Breakfast was included. It was... not great. Typical continental breakfast. The coffee was quite bad, but since i hadn't figured out whether the blue or the red pod had caffeine, I had to rely on it, but I looked actively for breakfast options elsewhere after. There's a decent bakery down the road.

And it's well located. Came in by train, then a bus into town, 3 mins walk from a bus stop with 3/4 services running regularly and there are signs on the road for the hotel. Also since it's central, you're not far from lots of things. As in, 10 minute walk from more than a few very nice restaurants.

Good stay, if I ever went to Baden-Baden again, I'd...

The hotel and room was good and the staff were exceptional.

However, my check-in experience was very poor. I informed the hotel for a late check-in, to find out that THERE IS NO STAFF AT THE HOTEL AFTER 11PM. The member of staff I spoke to was very helpful and friendly and she gave me very detailed instructions to receive my key card and access my room. On arrival, I followed the instructions and got in the hotel, but MY KEY CARD WASN'T ACTIVATED TO ENTER MY ROOM. I tried to call the only number the hotel had, and ofcourse there was no reply. After almost half an hour of stress and despair, my friend that we were travelling together ( different reservation, same arrangements for late check-in, his card was working) he noticed an emergency phone number outside of the entrance door at reception. No emergency number was provided at booking, or was noticeable at reception desk , (the first area I tried to check and search for emergency contact details). He called the number and someone arrived and let me in my room. The tome was 1:30 AM. The following morning, I went to the reception desk and I asked for an apology, only to find out they weren't aware of the issue. Following that, the owner informed the staff to allow me free access to the mini bar, as an apology. As I felt disappointed with the response, the owner came to speak to me, only to tell me I was in the wrong that I didn't see earlier the emergency phone numbers🙃 . I felt more distressed. BE AWARE THAT THERE IS NO STAFF IN THE HOTEL AFTER 11PM, NO-ONE AT RECEPTION AND NO SECURITY STAFF EITHER ( IS THIS ALLOWED IN A HOTEL?). LATE CHECK-IN ARRANGEMENTS FAILED. NO PROPER APOLOGY, INSTEAD, I WAS...