Grand Hotel Karel V

This hotel is amazing! Location is quiet but still so close to everything. Atmosphere in the hotel area is fantastic and the whole complex is full of history. Spa is small but very good and you have everything. Even the sauna is pretty good (I am a Finn). At least our room was spacious and the staff was very polite and efficent.

This hotel is in a fabulous location and backs right up to old town Utrecht. The staff don't seem overly friendly and in fact, I think we only received a smile 3 times in the week that we were there. The rooms are big, and the welcome note was appreciated, even if addressed to my husband who wasn't traveling with me and had nothing to do with this reservation! Breakfast is fantastic with a huge selection to satisfy every dietary requirement and while expensive, felt like a reasonable price for everything that was available. The grounds are beautiful and seeking shade one afternoon we tried to sit at a table under umbrellas outside the dining area. We were quickly moved away from that area by a very brusque member of staff and told to try in the garden area. The staff in the garden/bistro area subsequently told us we couldn't sit there if we weren't going to order anything. I think if the staff had felt more friendly, then I would have felt more inclined to give a higher rating. However, this doesn't detract from the fact that the hotel is very clean and well maintained, the rooms feel spacious and well-appointed although the bathrooms feel a little dated. There is a very small pool area and gym but we never got the chance to utilize either space. Proximity to the beautiful city of Utrecht really can't be beaten, and it did feel special to stay somewhere with such history and I left a little bit of my heart in Utrecht. Overall, I'd recommend this hotel and would absolutely return to stay at this fabulous location.