July | 2014 | Hotel Reviews

Chain: Design/Inntel hotels
Location: Rotterdam – The Netherlands
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: http://www.mainporthotel.com

I always wanted to visit the Mainport Design hotel in Rotterdam because i heard great things about it. The Mainport hotel did not disappoint (at all!). First of all, the location is great: right at the mainport of Rotterdam. You can’t miss the modern black building when you are closeby. The Mainport hotel offers Valet Parking to their guests, always a bonus! The reception area is bright and gives a good first impression. Check-in went smoothly and the lady behind the desk was very professional and efficient. She handed us our roomkeys and showed us the elevators.

We stayed in a Waterfront Spa room which (surprisingly ;-)) had a fantastic view on the harbour. It was a very large room (approximately 44 m2) and the huge jacuzzi was definitely the highlight of the room with a diameter of 1,70 meter. We then noticed the XL Kingsized bed. 3 people could easily sleep in this bed, without doubt! Other features: a comfy couch, a beautiful desk and an Illy coffee machine. You could even relax in your private Finnish sauna in the bathroom. The large rainshower works perfect and is very useful after the sauna session. The mirror tv is a plus too. This truly is what a spa room should be. The decor is modern, but without being too “cold”. Please note the pinguins on the wall. Would I decorate my home like that, no … but in this hotel it is just perfect!

Besides the great rooms, this hotel has a lot of other facilities such as the spa area. They call it “Spa Heaven” and they did chose the right name. It is located on the 8th floor and offers fantastic panoramic views over the city. There is a fitness center with good equipment, a Finnish sauna and hammam. At “Club H2O”(directly connected with the hotel spa on the 8th floor) there is another (small) fitness room, sauna, hammam and a swimmingpool. The whole place is very clean and has a “relaxing” feeling, but I should mention that the water in the pool is pretty cold though…

At night, we had dinner at “Down under” after enjoying our yummie mojito’s in the cocktailbar “At the rocks”. The quality of the food was good and the prices were fair. Service was good, staff was very friendly and we didn’t had to wait too long before our courses were served.

The next day we had breakfast: a buffet with a large selection of cold and hot items. Sparkling wine is always a plus. The eggs are prepared by the chef just like the way you want them to be prepared. All guests were politely and courteously greeted with a smile.

The Mainport Design hotel deserves its 5 star rating. It has a lot to offer and everything is done with a smile. I would happily return!

Location: Prague – Czech Replublic
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: http://www.augustinehotel.com/

Located in the center of Prague, the Augustine hotel (part of the Leading Hotels of the World) is a luxury 5 star hotel surrounded by the Wallenstein Gardens. On your way to the hotel, it is pretty difficult to find this hidden jewel but as soon as you enter the gate, you can feel this true classy feeling. The bellman will park your car and leads you to the reception area where the professional staff meets you. They gave us a glass of prosecco which is always appreciated.

This hotel contains of 7 buildings including a 13th century monastery and brewery that once was home to the friars of Saint Augustine. I was impressed by how they mixed the original buildings with a modern touch. The hallways throughout the hotel are wide and large and everything is impeccably clean.

Our room, which was a standardroom, was of a 5 star level. It was nicely decorated with a lounge chair, a very comfortable bed and had a large wardrobe. The marble bathroom had a heating floor (so we didn’t need to wear slippers, great!) and had a bathtub with rainshower head. Again, everything was clean and well maintained. Some items reflect the hotel’s monastic history such as a little statue of a monk in the bathroom and books about the history of the hotel on the bedside tables.

We visited the hotel suites as well, so for those looking for even more luxury, do take a look at the pictures below. The suites at the Augustine hotel are spectacular and imense. They are like penthouses within the hotel with seperate bedrooms, dining areas, several bathrooms, meeting rooms and some even have kitchens. Of course, they do come with a price… ☺

Guests of the Augustine can relax at the Spa area. Although not too large, it offers a Finnish sauna, a hammam and a relaxing area. The fitness room is quite large and has very good equipment.

The next day we had breakfast in the “Elegantes Restaurant” and was one of the best breakfasts we have ever had! There is a buffet offering quality products, but I also loved the à la carte items. The service was very professional and friendly as it should be in a hotel of this class.
Besides this restaurant, the Augustine also has 2 bars: one brewery style bar where you can taste their beer (do try it, it is quite yummie!) and the 1889 bar which is situated in the monastery’s hall with views on to one of the formale garden squares.