Bio- Und Gesundheitshotel Gutshaus Stellshagen

After two years of postponements due to the pandemic, my best friend and I finally got to go on trip that I had given her for her 50th. We chose the Hotel Gutshaus Stellshagen since she is a "serious" vegetarian and we had heard good things about the place and its excellent cuisine. Its location is lovely and the grounds around the main house are lush, relaxing and excellent for detoxing the soul. The proximity to Bothmer Castle was another selling point. But our experience with the hotel itself was kind of a mixed bag: Upon arriving, I was approached about wearing a mask and "encouraged" to take it off so often that I felt kind of pressured to giving in--I understand that people might feel "accused" of not providing a safe environment when masks are worn though not required, but I would like to reserve my right to continue wearing a mask if it makes me feel better. Otherwise, the check in was fine. Our room was similar to the images I had seen before, but it had a really strange stuffy/ musty smell that we attributed to the oil being used on the wooden floor (some sort of organic cleaner?), and the shower was so small that I am glad we were both thin, a larger person would not get into that tiny stall. Be aware that the rooms do not have WiFi--I should have expected that in a hotel devoted to relaxation and mindfulness, but it still kind of surprised me. The dining area is spacious and in a lovely part of the old manor; the furniture looks a bit out of place, like the stuff you'd find in upscale youth hostels. The dinner--buffet-style and praised enthusiastically here and elsewhere--was a total disappointment, though. The hot dishes were nothing special (we had expected some very innovative or unusual combinations and creations), and what really irked me was that, upon inspecting the list of ingredients, I noticed that there was not a single dish I could eat as I have a severe garlic allergy. I approached one of the people there, and instead of at least expressing some sort of regret on my behalf, I was harshly told that I should have filled out a form upon check in that would have notified the kitchen of my problem. When I said that I was not presented with any such form, the guy shrugged his shoulders and just said "well, there is nothing to be done" and went his way. I did have lots of cold veggies, but when I pay 30 bucks for a dinner, I at least expect some sort of sympathy and an effort to accommodate me. The 18 hours in this place cost me a whopping 256 Euros for two, that was definitely not worth the money (though it was priceless to spend such wonderful hours with my otherwise very busy friend).