This Nordic-themed hotel might be part of the Europa-Park family, but Hotel Krønasår stands in its own right, as one of the most engaging and mesmerising hotel stays you will ever experience. The legendary theme park owns six hotels in Rust, each with its specific theme. The rating might be four-star superior, but if you visit the Krønasår Boutique Suites, you will find rooms that rival the best of any hotel in Europe.
Hotel
You will appreciate why Krønasår is called the museum hotel as soon as you step through the front door. You are immediately greeted by the commanding skeleton of a fictional sea serpent. The background music delivers on the magical, Harry Potteresque vibes. Your eyes will be working overtime on the visual feast that is served up in front of you – every nook and cranny is themed to deliver on the Nordic adventure theme. The vividly, colourful façades are reminiscent of the houses from Bergen in Norway.
Hotel guests are given earlier VIP entry into the theme parks. If you catch the right timings, you might be able to spot the water fountain show, Watendance, which takes place in the waterway between the hotel and Rulantica. The location is perfect for discovering the connected water world of Rulantica and for dining at their futuristic Eatrealin. Although, they have regular shuttle buses that can take you directly to Europa-Park, the front desk can also arrange direct transfers to and from the local train station.
Room
Hotel rooms are mostly family-orientated and can cater for six people with a maritime explorer theme heavily influencing the design of most of the rooms. The bunk beds are in the shape of a treasure chest, there are colourways of faux antique books, mystical maps are hung up on the walls and cabinets are filled with ornate artefacts. Even the light fixtures are braided with maritime rope.
If you are celebrating a special occasion, you should look at booking the latest addition to the Europa-Park group, Krønasår boutique suites. The four futuristic suites that are themed in a similar style to their slick dining venue, Eatrenalin, and are widely regarded as the best rooms in all of the Europa-Park hotels.
The eye-catching feature of the premium penthouse suites is the rotatable bed; you can be in the bedroom or the bathroom at a press of a button. They have either a private sauna or a steam bath, three flat-screen TVs and an all-inclusive minibar.
Food and drink
With six hotels, you won’t be surprised to find there’s an embarrassment of riches when it comes to dining options. The buffet at Bubba Svens has an impressive offering of Scandinavian and international dishes, whilst the décor, with a giant Viking ship suspended from the ceiling, adds to the wow factor. On the other end of the spectrum, if you are looking for fine dining, they have Ammolite – the only two Michelin-starred restaurant in a theme park worldwide.
However, the must-visit dining establishment is Eatrenalin. The immersive, multi-sensory, jaw-dropping experience sets the benchmark extremely high for what the future of dining should be like. Restaurants that offer a multimedia experience with the use of digital walls are not new, however, with their floating chair technology and the sheer scale of the experience, that is ground-breaking.
The floating chair technology is patented and you can expect a worldwide launch in the coming years. It glides from room to room in a seamless movement. It tilts back when there are stunning visual displays on the ceiling and can mimic the pressure when you are in a space rocket. Compartments can magically open up to reveal hidden delicacies, and you never collide with other passengers.
The theming of the rooms is equally top-notch. You have soothing underwater scenery and music as you dine on king crab meat served with strawberries and Buddha’s Hand (a high-end citrus fruit). The clever design doesn’t always rely on a digital wall, so at one point you are transported to an exotically decked-out sushi bar. The hamachi and chawanmushi served would not have looked out of place at a fine-dining restaurant in Tokyo.
Spa and wellness
The great thing about staying at Hotel Krønasår is you can use the facilities at the other Europa-Park hotels. The five pool and sauna area combined totals 3,400 square metres, although, you arguably have the best facilities at this hotel. There is a heated infinity pool with inside access at 160 square metres, which overlooks the scenic waterway. In keeping with the Nordic theme, there’s a bio sauna ‘Sanarium’, a Finnish sauna, and a cosy fireplace lounge that serves up the ultimate hygge atmosphere.
There are three wellness areas for spa treatments at the sister hotels where they serve up some divine sounding options such as grape seed oil massage, which can help to release any tension in the muscles.
To do
In a trip that will offer countless highlights, one area you can’t miss is the theme park itself. There are 17 European-themed areas along with three fantasy-themed areas – no budget has been spared in terms of theming. In ‘France’, you will see a true-to-life replica of Moulin Rouge, while in ‘Italy’ you will see a gondola ride. They’ve helpfully put most of the rides geared towards younger children in the Ireland section where they’ve used almost 4,000 plants to turn that area into a lush, green Emerald Isle.
If you are looking for thrills and spills, there are 14 rollercoasters, which is the most of any theme park in Europe. It comes with incredible pedigree as the owners, the Mack family, have been manufacturing amusement rides for decades. There are over 100 attractions and shows, which explains why most guests prefer to stay at a Europa-Park hotel, as it takes more than a few hours to enjoy the park fully.
Factbox
Hotel Krønasår offers rooms from €80 per night.
Address: Roland-Mack-Ring 3, 77977 Rust, Germany
Phone: +49 7822 8600
Email: hotel@europapark.de
Website: europapark.de
Photography courtesy of Hotel Krønasår.
