A first review in English I think - not surprising since the hotel only gets a couple of English guests per week - most of the spa information is in Italian and German, the hotel is German owned but the staff mostly speak good English. The hotel is of a very quirky design which may not be to all tastes, but it is very comfortable and modern. The breakfasts are excellent, the restaurant is ver popular and serves good food but lacks atmosphere, unlike the bar which is heaving with locals at the weekend. The hotel has its own spa which is small but lovely - again all the information about treatments and how to book is in Italian or German. Being a guest at the hotel entitles you to use the Merano Spa for a charge of 3 euros per day - the guest information says that you have private access to the spa before it opens to the public - but this is not strictly true - you can only swim since none of the saunas or steam rooms are open and the doors to the outside pools are locked until 9 am. The Merano Spa is very busy for most of the day - my tip would be to go either soon after 9 am or late in the evening, and if you go into the separate sauna and steam area (which is lovely) be prepared for nudity - your own as well as others - clothes are not permitted. We did have a lovely time at the Steigenberger and would definitely return - try swimming in the outdoor pools under a starry sky and looking up at the snow capped mountains - takes a lot of beating.
- Steigenberger Hotel Merano
