Strandhotel Fischland — Hotel in Darß/Fischland

I took my wife and two daughters, aged 2 and 6, to the Strandhotel Fischland for the German holiday weekend of "Himmelfahrt." Although the hotel must have been close to completely booked, it didn't seem overly crowded in the restaurant or beach. I suppose the staff speaks English, but if you expect to communicate with other guests, it's best to speak at least a little German, as the hotel caters overwhelmingly to a domestic clientele.||||Rooms: We had a duplex with two bedrooms and a living room (with an small, integrated kitchen of sorts). Very spacious and clean. One of the German reviews here from 2010 complains of mold, but there was no trace of anything like that in our room. No wi-fi in the room, unfortunately, but I think there may have been in the lobby. (I used my cell as a "hotspot" and made do with that.) The walls were thin, so noise in the adjacent rooms was a bit of a problem during daytime naps for the kids, but I didn't notice it in the evenings, frankly. Maybe we just conked out at night from the ocean air...||||Food: The breakfast and dinner buffets were good, although the dinner buffets were overpriced and had limited offerings for vegans. And if you're a vegetarian, you'd best be one who eats fish. I think the a la carte offerings were superior to the buffet -- if you don't want to spend too much, the pasta and Flammkuchen on the a la carte menu are reasonably priced and filling, though not particularly memorable; the more expensive (much more expensive!) monkfish entree was superb. ||||Facilities: The large pool was very well-heated when we were there, and we used it a lot. (The Baltic was too cold for my tastes, and the stretch of Baltic waters by the hotel had a two-to-three meter-thick stretch of algae extending all along the beach. Made me long for Bermuda...) They have a closet full of "swim noodles" by the pool, but for some reason they keep them mostly locked up. Whenever the door was unlocked and we took some out, a staff member would come around, collect them, and lock them up again. It was a bit bizarre, really -- why are they there if the guests can't use them? Anyway, next to the large pool, there's also a small, circular, shallow pool for toddlers. There are also tennis courts -- outdoor and indoor -- and a sauna. The grounds of the hotel are verdant and well-gardened.||||Kids: The caretaker for kids seemed a bit overtaxed that weekend. The playroom near the dining room is small, but good enough -- our only regret was that they wouldn't take care of our two-and-a-half-year old during the meals: The 3-year-old minimum was strictly enforced. Instead, we took toys from the kiddie room into the dining room and let our younger one play with them on the floor. No one objected. The place was full of kids and the atmosphere among staff and guests was tolerant of that sort of thing. There's a nice playground near the beach, and, unlike many hotels where I've stayed, the playground is actually shaded pretty well, so you're kids won't melt. There was a brief little mini-disco outside in the mornings, not in the evenings, which our kids enjoyed, but not as much as some of the more elaborate evening mini-discos we've experienced elsewhere. We didn't use the kids' club, so I can't comment on it. ||||The beach: Aside from the aforementioned problems with algae and water temperature, the beach is wide and long and the quality of the sand is fine. It's quite beautiful, actually. Pity about the algae in the water, but there's nothing the hotel can do about that, and I imagine the problem is not confined to this establishment.||||Other notes: Take insect spray, as the mosquitoes are voracious after about 6 pm. During the day, they're not an issue. The hotel is set back from the road (which isn't very busy anyway), so it's a very peaceful environment. On our weekend, the hotel experimented with a multi-tent buffet stretched out over a wide swathe of beach -- a tremendous logistical effort on their part; the weather cooperated, and it was really a fantastic, idyllic scene. Not sure if they'll make it a habit, but it would be good for the guests if they did! ||||We would definitely return to this hotel and recommend it to (financially...

Despite facing the same staffing issues most establishments face, the service is still top par. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. Our waiter Denis each evening treated us like family.||The beach is great, and again, the staff who sort out your seating and serve snacks and drinks are pleasant. Sunsets are unbeatable! Prices reasonable. ||I find for the price level the food and accommodation are great value and it is a welcome environment to relax. ||However, I was really surprised at a few things given it recently jumped from 4 to 5 stars and remodelled. ||One, the morning breakfast was significantly lower quality than before. It was still satisfying however, but not a jump from 4 to 5 stars. ||Second, while the hotel cannot exactly control it, we experienced a few other guests who were really entitled and rude. One example was leaving their pre teen children unattended at the pool, and worse, at the bar in the evening. We like that we can visit this hotel with family and friends with kids. We enjoyed mingling with other guests (who were responsible parents and minded their kids) at the bar, and they felt the same way. Family inclusive doesn't mean it is the staff and other guests job to watch your kids, particular in the bar in the evening. One night the bar was occupied by a bunch of kids who were monopolising the bartenders time , as they sat on all the bar stools. An adult should not have to wait 10 mins to order a drink at a bar in the evening, because a group of unattended 8 to 10 year olds have been dropped off in the bar unattended. Certainly not a 5 star hotel. There is an adults version next door so we might explore that, but we enjoy the family relaxed vibe at...

Wir kommen nun schon seit fast zwanzig Jahren ins Fischland, mal Hotelzimmer, inzwischen sehr schön renoviert, auch die Häuschen im Hotelpark, oder diesmal Haus Sonne - dort könnte mal der weiße Teppichboden im Schlafzimmer und auf den Treppenstufen ausgetauscht bzw. Laminat o.Ä. gemacht werden, Geländer vom Balkon gestrichen, sonst dort alles bestens. Wir feierten diesmal meinen runden Geburtstag im Blockhaus, waren 17 Personen. Es war fantastisch, alles perfekt organisiert und das Buffet ein Wahnsinn, mehr drauf als ich geordert hatte, super lecker und liebevoll dekoriert mit Unmengen Obst und Sonnenblumen und und und......Das Personal im Service, egal ob Restaurant oder Bar oder inzwischen auch Empfang immer perfekt( deutliche Verbesserung beim Empfang, was sehr wichtig ist ) und erfreulicherweise dieselben Menschen seit längerer Zeit, das mögen wir, es ist wie ein zweites Zuhause. Ich habe schon gesagt, den nächsten runden feiern wir wieder dort, besser gehts nicht. Dann ist auch eine Oldtimerbusfahrt von dort organisiert worden, der Fahrer hat viel erzählt und dann auch noch, weil wir genug Zeit hatten, eine Rundfahrt durch alle Dierhagenortsteile gemacht mit Erklärungen. Und die Krönung die Zeesbootsfahrt, hatten 2 Boote, tolle Skipper. Mittags gabs einen Empfang in den Räumen der ehemaligen Ostseelounge, ganz wunderbar und so köstlich die süßen Kuchen [ danke dem sehr netten Patissier Herr Komander dafür ] und herzhaft belegten Brote..... Ja, das Wohnen dort ist preislich sehr intensiv, es amortisiert sich etwas durchs nutzen des Sportbereichs und den Saunen, schöner wäre es, wenn bei diesen Kosten die Nutzung der Tennisplätze inklusiv wäre. Und früher gab es mehr angeleiteten Sport , nicht nur immer Aquagymnastik und Yoga. Außerdem, kurz nach 8 Uhr, nee, ich bin im Urlaub, sowas mal zwischen 10 und 11 wäre toll !! Auch sollte es häufiger Büffet geben, nicht nur bei Themenabenden und da wünsche ich mir, dass man diese besser und längerfristiger ankündigt sodass man die Chance hat, spontan dafür hochzufahren ( kommen aus Dresden ). Und wenn man so ein tolles Buffet wie unseres ausrichtet ist es kontraproduktiv und eine enorme Erschwernis für die Küche, dann gleichzeitig noch einen Mottoabend zu gestalten, sehr schlecht koordiniert. Die anderen Gäste hätten sich sicher auch sehr über u n s e r Essen als Büffet gefreut und wir uns über einen spanischen Abend zu einem anderen Termin. ( Bei Instagram angekündigt, hat aber nicht jeder !! ) Und beim Ankommen fanden wir es früher sehr angenehm, mit einem Glas Sekt oder Sanddornsaft begrüßt zu werden! Mehr Sterne, weniger Leistung. Aber trotzdem, zusammenfassend ist es UNSER Sehnsuchtsort an der Ostsee und wir werden immer wiederkommen, die Lage ist einfach einzigartig ist, es ist sehr familiär und persönlich , hatte fast die tolle Strandbude vergessen, ohne diese würde auch etwas wichtiges fehlen . Danke also für diesen tollen Aufenthalt und besonders Herrn Lennartz, der mit seinem Team meinen Geburtstag unvergesslich ...