I visited Orel Hotel for a second time in the last year (always during the New Year celebrations). I spent in the hotel two nights around the New Year this hollidays.

The location is excellent, spot on in the centre, parking is also available. Rooms are OK, double rooms have a separete couch and a table, twins look smaller. Wireless internet is available, and it works. (at least on second floor). Its an OK value for money if you want to be in the centre, and you get also a free entrance in the spa (though, you have to take bus or the car to reach it). Its also quiet, just don't expect any views.

However, what leaves a bad taste is the service. First of all, our internet reservation was missing, but we still got a room (it just took a few minutes more and some strange stares from the receptionist). But that wasn't the problem. What bothered me was the breakfast arrangement and no flexibility in arranging the breakfast (not even on New Years day). Breakfast is usually from 7 to 10am, and of course, people usually spend New Year out longer than usual. And they get up usually a bit later. Problem was that with fully booked hotel their breakfast room is too small for such an occasions. What bothered me was not the lack of tables (we had to wait) or the food, but the fact that both days we were there at 10am they started promptly taking away the food and clearing the tables. The two waitresses did their best to clean the tables and to restock the food supplies on the tables, but... There were some guests (an italian couple) who were making huge amounts of sandwiches to take away, and immediately as waitresses brought fresh bread, cheese and ham the guy basically took away whole plate and took it to his table (and all the rest of the guest were just standing baffled and had to wait another 5-10 minutes to get new supplies). This is a problem of management, and somebody should be there and strict to that kind of ignorant guest (i did have a huge problem with that as when they finished the breakfast and put their sandwiches into the bags - sorry, 5 not so small sandwiches each?!?! - they left big amounts of unused food on the tables, while the rest of us didn't even get fresh suppllies as it was approaching 10am).

So, my advice. I would recommend the hotel with reservation. Rooms are decent, value OK, breafast is not bad (when and if you eventually get it), just the management has to do better job in organizing services and be strict to some guest. Sorry, but the apology that breakfast room is made only for 60 guest, not 180 who were apparently staying there is a bad excuse. They were aware of this fact, and they didn't do any additional efforts to have more staff there or to be more flexible about breakfast time.

Just a note... my review basically holds for a peak days, especially around New Year. Last year, when we stayed here at a similar date, there were no problems as the hotel was emptier.

I didn't really like this hotel. The room was small and hot. The window didn't open properly; and frankly, it is ugly - furniture, colours etc. Mind you, I didn't find much to like in Maribor, except for an excellent pizza (in a pizzaria just off the strip of tourist restaurants by the river - a joint run by a Slovenian who used to work on oil-rigs in the North Sea and who has a couple of small Canadian flags stuck to the window of his restaurant's door.

Lets get the negatives out of the way first; there aren't many. Cheeky notice telling you that if you want the air-con remote it costs 9 euros. Necessary? Maybe. One internet computer in lobby charged at 1 euro for 30min. Constantly in use.

The positives: a brilliant room, quiet inside and otuside. Modern, clean, spacious and impressive. Considering the value, this is even better. I have paid nearly double for worse hotels before. If I'm satying in Maribor again, it WILL be here...enough said. Go to the Orel...it'll be a pleasure and you couldnt be in a better location. It is probably one of my favourite htoels in the last few years.

Carefully redecorated city hotel right in the culttural and shopping district of the #2 town of Slovenija. Room with light furniture, comfortable bed and many bathroom amenities. Bonus for hotel guests: free entrance to casino and Maribor Terme Fontana (bus #8 for Fontana starts one block from the hotel , costs 0,45 € and takes 10 min.). Large area for outdoor and indoor relaxation. owned by the same company, which manages the hotel.

Dont miss free hot buffet breakfast before departure, it even offers a wafer-making machine for self service which produces delicious desserts with fruits, maple sirup etc.