Hotel Kristály and Esterházy Restaurant

The best part of the hotel is certainly the spa, which has a nice pool and a large jacuzzi along with several sauna rooms. Also the rental bicycles are great for going around the lake and exploring Tata. The standard room was clean and comfortable with all of the basic amenities. The proximity of the hotel to Tata and the lake was nice.

At first glance the historical architecture and beautiful central courtyard of the Kristaly hotel paint the impression of a premier accommodation in Tata. Unfortunately one quickly discovers the full potential here is not at all realized, as the hotel lacks any vibrant feeling and is actually quite sterile. While the courtyard is perfectly set up for an evening of relaxing with a glass of wine while listening to some live music, the only background noise is a tired old elevator-music playlist on repeat with the occasional interruption of acoustic feedback from a poor sound system. There is no bar whatsoever, although the staff suggested it was only temporarily closed it seems the basement "wine bar" is really just a rental space for group parties. All of the staff are polite but generally aloof and disinterested. The restaurant seems like it has the potential to make decadent meals but instead it only serves mediocre buffet dinners Friday-Sunday. Given how busy Tata seems with visitors from Budapest and the surrounding area, I was expecting a lively weekend atmosphere at the Kristaly but sadly the hotel was basically half-empty on a Saturday evening despite being fully booked.