Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko

“Down's and Up's”

I stayed at the Kempinski Grand Arena Bansko for 8 nights. Check-in was friendly and smooth, with a personal greeting from the lady in red. The hotel is certainly showing its age, but it is gradually being renovated. I had a spacious 2-room suite with an additional room, both with a view of the sma… more

I stayed at the Kempinski Grand Arena Bansko for 8 nights. Check-in was friendly and smooth, with a personal greeting from the lady in red. The hotel is certainly showing its age, but it is gradually being renovated. I had a spacious 2-room suite with an additional room, both with a view of the small town. The new furnishings in these two rooms were good. However, even this 3-year-old room was already showing very clear signs of wear. My previously communicated requests were very well implemented. Unfortunately, the cleanliness and maintenance of the room were rather mediocre and not worthy of the standards of a 5-star Kempinski hotel. Torn topper, dust on the headboard of the bed, thick dust on the picture frames in the living room, hair on the topper as well as obvious stains, obvious stains on the bidet, dirty walls in the bathroom, water stains on the mirror, rusty toilet brush container, dirt on the shelf with the glasses, dirt on the shelves, a curtain could not be closed, the sliding door to the walk-in closet was removed, broken skirting boards in the living room, sticky residue on the carpet, dirty windows and cobwebs, a broken telephone, and the light in the second room was very difficult to turn on and off because the switch for the bathroom light was broken (so after the room was cleaned, the fan and light ran until I turned it off again). I could expand this list, but that would be too much. Everything was reported to the hotel immediately, and whatever was wrong was fixed immediately. (Maintenance could only replace the telephone with an old one.) Turndown service wasn't always immediate; sometimes everything was done, sometimes almost nothing. Room cleaning was often poor. Glasses/cups weren't replaced or weren't cleaned properly. The breakfast is extensive and there's something for everyone. However, they could use some new hot dishes, and the quality of some items (sausages, hummus, quacamole, some fruits) was poor. The staff were friendly, but some were extremely pushy. Unfortunately, all the sausages, white beans in tomato sauce, scrambled eggs, and Asian noodles were often cold (the warmer didn't work). The lobby bar service was also inconsistent. I can recommend the cakes, though; they're really excellent. The Come Prima Restaurant is certainly on the more expensive side, but it's worth a visit if you want to try something different from traditional dishes (although there are a few classics here too). The quality is good to very good, with a few minor exceptions. The service was truly excellent and attentive. The food from the room service was one of the worst which I ever get in a hotel. What stopped me from giving it a 3-star rating, however, are the many long-standing employees and some new ones who truly live and breathe service. After 4 years, it's starting to feel like coming home. Unfortunately, the prices for overnight stays are not in line with the basic services you receive (cleanliness/maintenance). Everything is also inconsistent in its execution. I plan to book again, however, to finally get the great overall product I received four years ago.

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“Mediocre experience at a beautiful property”

The hotel is really beautiful, with a cozy chalet feel and lovely furniture throughout. I stayed there twice in one month, each time for a long weekend. On both visits, they acknowledged my loyalty status and upgraded me to a nicer room, which I appreciated. During my first stay there was a welcome… more

The hotel is really beautiful, with a cozy chalet feel and lovely furniture throughout. I stayed there twice in one month, each time for a long weekend. On both visits, they acknowledged my loyalty status and upgraded me to a nicer room, which I appreciated. During my first stay there was a welcome amenity, but surprisingly there wasn’t one the second time. The staff were friendly overall, though they didn’t always feel as experienced as you’d expect from a true five-star luxury hotel. There was also no turndown service which is strange for Kempinski or any luxury hotel chain. On the positive side, the spa is excellent and the hotel has a great atmosphere. Breakfast was also very good, with plenty of variety and high-quality options. I hope the hotel will develop their employees because this beautiful property deserves it.

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