Harfenwirt Hotel

Worst hotel experience we have ever had – we would never go back. Not because the hotel was so terrible, but Herbert was so rude and unfriendly. The whole place lacked a warm atmosphere. Herbert was pennypinching in the extreme and made guests feel like an absolute imposition. Herbert was extremely unhelpful. When we arrived we had to queue for ages behind other coachloads to be checked in and when we finally were given our keys, discovered that the two rooms we had booked – one for ourselves and one for our children were in two different parts of the hotel, one old and one new. I finally tracked Herbert down and asked if our children could be moved and he said that was impossible and walked off. I reported that our radiator wasn’t working and he said he would deal with it, but never came back to us about it.

The breakfasts were extremely disappointing. The sister hotel (Sonnschein) guests reported that they had cooked breakfasts every day, but we were simply given rolls with jam and cheese every day. The Sonnschein also had a lovely atmosphere and guests went into the bar and really enjoyed themselves. No one wanted to stay in the Harfenwirt bar – it was an uncomfortable and unwelcome atmosphere. On one evening, under the pretence that it was more comfortable for us, he moved all the guests out to some unused bar area, so he could have a party for his brother.

The drinks were incredibly expensive 4 Euros (currently equivalent of £4) for a soft drink. The new pool was supposed to be ready and it wasn’t and apparently you had to pay for the sauna and whirlpool anyway. The kitchen had piles of building equipment in the corner.

The room had no pictures on the walls and felt really bare and impersonal (as did all the rest of the new part of the hotel), there was nothing at in the minibar fridge and it wasn’t even on. I believe you had to pay for it to be switched on. It became a running joke that Herbert was charging for everything and would soon be charging for radiators to be switched on. He even turned the lights off one morning in the dining hall while we were eating!

Neidereau itself was beautiful and had excellent ski-ing. We would definitely contemplate going back to the area, but never to that awful hotel.

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Hotel assessments should be written in the appropriate section of Tripadvisor where they can easily be found and read. I am sorry to hear that you have had an awful time there. Some people should not work in the service industry.........

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You get what you pay for.Your hotel is noted for cheap food and service by immigrant Eastern European multi-tasked (cheap to employ) staff.Also the location is not convenient being a good walk along a busy unlit road to the village centre. And yet he is expanding.Just shows how low prices attract customers.And Sonnschein which his wife manages is 4* (not a poor 3*) and much higher prices.

Always interested to hear comments like these on TA but I urge you to tell your tour operator (Inghams? They use Harfenwirt a lot as do Thomson/Crystal) that you were dissatisfied.Just be glad you didn%26#39;t stay at Hotel Vicky in Niederau-another never to be repeated experience.I think Hotels Sonnschein and Austria are the places to be.I agree Niederau is a great village but the transfer times from Salzburg are a killer.From Innsbruck less so.

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If you look back at previous threads on this forum there are a lot of other people said the say as you on previous years. we stayed there 10 years ago nice to see he has not changed, His wife Jill however at the Sonnschein is different we have stayed there twice as the other contributer says you get what you pay for

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Do they cater for vegetarians at the evening meal?

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saffi, what a terrible experience for you and how this must have spoiled your holiday. What a pity you did not read the reviews of the hotel on this website it would certainly put me off, some are truly awful.

If you do decide to go back to this wonderful place please please go to the hotel austria where I have stayed twice. Lovely family own and run it, cosy bar great food and 5 yards from the slopes...better luck next time and do research on this site..i have not yet been disappointed in my choices based on reviews.

jan

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