IMbery Hotel & Restaurant Hinterzarten in Hinterzarten

Last weekend we tried out the “gourmet experience” program at the Parkhotel Adler.
We were particularly impressed by:
the beautiful wood-fired sauna
the well-maintained park
the tasteful décor
the good dinner

In terms of price, the offer is certainly comparable to other five-star hotels in Switzerland and Austria.
Unfortunately, the service fell far short of the expected five-star standard:
Reservation: 30 minutes before our arrival we called to make a last-minute reservation, but were merely referred to the online booking system.
Welcome: On arrival there was no welcome drink, even though it was apparently prepared.
Tea time: The quality of the tea time was very disappointing.
Dinner: Another guest had to help us find our table—staff showed no initiative, even after a long wait.
Breakfast: After being told we could sit wherever we liked, we were asked to leave the Crystal Room because it was already set for dinner—even though shortly afterward other guests were allowed to have breakfast there.
Mini-bar: When we asked when the minibar would be restocked, we were referred to housekeeping instead of the staff taking care of it themselves.
Other: I sat alone for 30 minutes in the area behind the lobby and no one asked if I needed anything, even though two other guests next to me were served drinks.

We are accustomed to luxury hotels where the staff looks after the guests and adapts to their needs—not the other way around.
On top of that, the sauna area has unusually short opening hours. When it opened in the morning, the wood-fired sauna wasn’t even ready to use, so we had to skip it before departure.

Given its pricing, the Parkhotel plays in the same league as other 5 star hotels. However, the service quality fell well below our expectations—and, unfortunately, even below what we have recently experienced in some 3- or 4-star hotels, at times bordering on disrespect. We did not notice the hotel management at all—apart from the concert that disturbed our evening rest and was not mentioned by the staff at check-in.

For these reasons, we are very unlikely to return as guests.