Meriton Grand Conference & Spa Hotel review in Swedish newspaper Dagen Industry
Estonian-style pleasure for body and mind
October,3 2010
Staying at a spa in the Baltic States is affordable and a pleasure for the body and mind. At least it applies to the new Meriton Grand Conference & Spa Hotel in the heart of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.
It was built by Estonian businessman Alexander Kofkin, who has established a new hotel chain in recent years. DI Weekend spent a long weekend at the hotel and filled it with strengthening treatments, training at the gym, visits to the sauna and swimming in the large pool complex, which also offers water massage and has extremely comfortable recliners by the pool.
Most prices are considerably smaller than in Sweden, but the quality of the treatments, buildings and food is certainly on the same level as in Sweden.
Fox example, one hour of classic oil massage will cost you 340 Swedish kroons and a 50-minute deep facial treatment will set you back 340 Swedish kroons. DI Weekend went for a more exciting option – a modelling treatment with bamboo sticks. The treatment includes a flower and aromatic spice mask, which is applied to your skin before your body is wrapped in cling film and you are left to enjoy life for 30 minutes.
We were also pleasantly surprised by the extremely modern and beautiful gym. It has brand new greyish black spinning bikes, similar running tracks and barbells with yellow and green weights, and silver dumbbells that form a great contrast to the purple carpet.
You can see the swimming pools on the floor below when you sit and sweat on the spinning bike, so you may be tempted to stop exercising and throw yourself into a hot Jacuzzi instead.
There are many ways you can relax your tired muscles in the aqua- and sauna center. There are numerous water jets in the walls and ceiling, which spray water all over your body. Swimming pools also have water jets – you just have to swim over to them and turn them on, unless the water pressure knocks you over.
Meriton’s location in the city centre is good for those who wish to combine spa treatments and exercise with getting to know the old and well-preserved capital of the Baltic States.
The hotel has large glass walls. Most rooms offer magnificent views, as the exterior walks are often made of glass from floor to ceiling. You can see the walls of the Old Town and the high and steep Toompea, where you will find the Dome Church and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral if your windows open towards the city centre. Unfortunately, the room given to DI Weekend faced the car park.
The rooms whose white walls are combined with string green, red or blue are simple, but pleasant. Many rooms have wall-to-wall soft carpets or laminated floors, and a rather large desk for work. We slept long and deep in the comfortable beds of the hotel.
Café Mademoiselle, one of the best confectioneries in Tallinn, is located on the ground floor of the hotel and lures guests with its marzipan cake, Belgian cheesecake and creamy strawberry cake. The café's menu also includes asparagus pie and quiche Lorraine, and their coffee is excellent.
The restaurant selection also includes an Asian, a Spanish Tapas bar and a bistro. We liked the Asian stir-fry and grill restaurant. The round lamps, Buddha statutes, pictures of Japanese emperors and pink cherry blossoms create a pleasant mood. The food is certainly as good as in most Swedish spa hotels. The chefs are happy to stir-fry the vegetables we picked and grill the fish or meat we put on our plates. All ingredients are fresh and the food is served quickly.
There are many good wines on the wine list. We loved the French Les Jamelles Sauvignon Blanc we picked to accompany our grilled salmon.
Service is professional and helpful both at reception and the restaurant. Knowledge of the wine on the menu does not seem to be on the highest level – it is difficult to get the staff to improvise and move away from the so-called ready-made recommendations.