I cannot but agree with the previous reviews here, although I can't profess myself disappointed, as I didn't have any expectations. Given our travel situation, which was that we decided on Merano on the spur of the moment (because it was en route to Livigno, our final destination), that we arrived late in the evening, during a rainstorm, after having driven 8 hours, and having made the reservation by phone just a couple of hours prior to our arrival, the hotel appeared very cosy and comfortable. Once in the room, however, I started to notice how old and how badly in need of renovation it was, but the fact didn't diminish the positive feeling we got about our one-night stay.

Our only complaint was the terrible condition the bathroom was in: when I flushed the toilet, toilet water sprinkled overboard and all around, which is something I'd never seen before, and the only thing I could do was to mop up the floor after using the toilet. Very unhygenic. The other thing was the unbeliavable shower, which wasn't elevated from the floor as showers normally are -- it was just a section of the tiles on the floor divided from the rest of the bathroom by glass doors, so you can imagine the amount of flooding the two of us created when showering. Luckily, they provided extra towels for the floor, obviously aware how much water could spill from under the glass doors. Strangely enough, the bathroom was otherwise spotlessly clean and very nicely decorated.

The funny thing is, when we checked in, we were first given a room on the first floor, but when we took the elevator to get to the room, one of the staff headed us off on the first floor and said they would rather put us in another room on the fourth floor, which was in much better condition. Having said that, I cannot imagine in what state that other room is if they thought better of putting us there.

Generally, however, we really liked our room. It overlooked the inner courtyard, which guaranteed peace and quiet, and the view from the window was to the beautiful mountains. The bed was large and incredibly comfortable, with a firm mattress and firm pillows, just as we like it. The TV was obsolete, with just four or five Italian programs, but we didn't care about that as it was just an overnight stay.

Breakfast was surprisingly good and ample, with sad filter coffee as the only minus. The staff were all unvaryingly polite and ready to help.

I would also agree with a reviewer who mentioned the lousy parking arrangements. At 10 euros per night, I'd expect to have the car parked across the street in a public garage and accessible at any time, whereas this story with having it parked in a garage in a side street and leaving the keys to the owner/manager so they can re-park it as they see fit is really highly unprofessional. At check-out, we had to wait 15 minutes for the owner to appear with our keys and unlock the garage gate, after which we had to circle the whole block to be able to return to the front of the hotel and pick up our bags. (I wasn't going to carry two heavy suitcases to the garage.)

At 100 euros per night in a double room, 10 euros for parking and designated 3 stars, the least the management could do is modernise, as in the current situation the establishment doesn't deserve those 3 stars. Our short stay, however, was pleasant enough.

At first glance, this hotel looks really nice, and with a three star hotel, you kind of expect that they will have the usual things that make your stay pleasurable. In the year, I spend around 260 days travelling, so you get an idea of various hotels, and never has a three star hotel disappointed me as much as Europa Splendid.

The rooms are nice, but old and in definite need of renovation. The hotel completely lacks any kind of service. The breakfast buffet is nice, and the staff corteous, but that's where it ends. It does not provide any sort of Internet connection (a requirement in my job, and pretty much all hotels these days provide some sort of Internet access), it does not have a laundry service, their restaurant that they so proudly announce is actually closed down and their parking garage is not even close to the hotel but a few hundred meters away in a really crappy location that you pay 10 EUR a night for.

Sufficient to say, I was not impressed.

The staff is very nice, the ambiance is warm, the service and the food are good. The location is also very central, but rooms, though clean, are in absolute need of renovation. The furniture was old and worn and there were holes in the sheets and blankets. Entering the bathroom was like travelling 40 years back in time: no window, one single deem light over the mirror, almost no toiletries, old tiles and minimal maintenance. I have seen many better 3-star hotels and you see whether you wish to treat yourself to a better option, either quality- or money-wise.