When technology just won’t cooperate.

Running a 4½-star hotel means giving your all every single day to live up to your own high standards. Service, atmosphere, cuisine, feel-good factor – everything has to be just right. And most of the time, it is.
 

But sometimes, things simply go differently than planned. Like when a circulation pump suddenly decides to retire – no warning, no blinking light, nothing. And then? What was once a relaxing swimming pool becomes a still basin that may look nice – but is, by law, no longer allowed to operate.
 

Because without a working circulation system, water quality can’t be guaranteed. And without guaranteed water quality, it means: pool closed.
 

What follows isn’t a fairy tale – it’s tradesperson reality: the replacement part arrives defective, delivery times are absurd, Technician 1 can’t fix it, Technician 2 is booked until next week, Technician 3 doesn’t call back. And in the middle of all that? Our two in-house technicians, doing everything in their power – calling, organizing, improvising – and still having to admit at some point: it’s going to take time.
 

Of course, we responded: guests were offered discounts, and we helped organize visits to the nearby Moor Spa – full service included.
 

Still, not only questions were asked at reception – there were also insults.
And that hurts.
 

Because what many don’t see: no one finds it funny to shut down such a central part of the hotel. It’s not an easy decision – but a legally required one. Without functioning circulation, good water quality simply isn’t possible. Period.
 

No one wakes up thinking, “Let’s really annoy the guests today.”
What happened never happened on purpose. On the contrary: everything was being done under immense pressure to fix it as quickly as possible. Sometimes, that works overnight. Sometimes, unfortunately, it doesn’t.
 

And yes – we wish it had been different, too.
 

But sometimes in life, you don’t get everything you want.
What you do get, though, is a whole lot of honest effort.
And that’s something not to be overlooked.
 

So next time you’re somewhere and something isn’t working – maybe spare a thought for our two technicians, wrench in hand, sweat on their brows, wrestling with the system.
And for all the team members doing their best behind the scenes.
 

The good news at the end: our swimming pool is now back in operation – the pump is running, the water is sparkling, and everything is ready for the next round of relaxation.

Warm regards,
Natascha Grotjohann