Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden in Dresden

This comment has been updated below.

There are many things to say about this hotel, but the main point is simple: it is a disgrace that a property with this level of service is allowed to use the Kempinski name.

My stay was supposed to be three nights, but it felt more like a prison sentence. I had booked a Grand Palais room. On the first night, I was given room 330, where the radiator was completely broken and would not stop heating. The air conditioner also did not work. I called the reception twice during the night. The first time, someone came, confirmed the issue, and simply offered me another room “just for sleeping,” even though it was 2:00 AM and I was traveling with a 2-year-old child — clearly not a realistic solution.

Instead, the staff told me to “sleep with the windows open.” Outside it was 1°C, while inside the room the temperature was 29.1°C. We had just taken a shower, so the heat and humidity made it impossible to sleep. We kept waking up, opening the windows, then closing them again.

At around 3:30 AM, I called reception again. They told me the technician would only come at 8:00 AM, so nothing could be done until then. They also said they were not sure if any other rooms were available and brought us a fan, as if that would help. My child woke up at 4:30 AM because the room was unbearably hot and dry. We sat awake until 6:30 AM, unable to sleep or rest.

In the morning, they informed us that the technician could not fix the radiator and could only “disconnect it,” meaning we would not be able to use the heating at all. They told us to leave the hotel and “go around the city” while they moved our luggage. Later, we were given room 401, which is significantly smaller than the room category I had booked — at least 40% smaller.

My child desperately needed to sleep, so we had no choice but to stay in that room. I immediately went to the reception and asked to speak to the general manager. I explained that staying in a hostel would have been more comfortable than this experience. I clearly stated that I did not want to pay for the first night and that I expected a price adjustment for the remaining nights because the room they provided was smaller than the category I had paid for. The staff member seemed to “understand” and told me they would handle it.

But when I checked out, I saw they had completely ignored everything I said. They charged me exactly the same amount as the original booking.com reservation. When I asked again for the general manager, I was told that rooms 330 and 401 were “the same size,” which is absolutely false — anyone with eyes can see the difference.

Their only “compensation offer” was a massage, which I refused because it was an unbelievably ridiculous attempt to gloss over a serious service failure. They also suggested moving me to yet another room — meaning I would have stayed in three different rooms in three nights because they were incapable of solving anything.

Upon checkout, they also proudly told me about a so-called “generous” 20% discount, as if they were doing something extraordinary. But on a total stay of €1,673, this discount was applied only to the first night — meaning they reduced the bill by just €109!!

As I told them, I will pursue my legal rights regarding this situation. I have traveled to over 50 countries, stayed in countless hotels, and never experienced such a shameful level of service. The staff clearly requires proper training — and, frankly, replacement. This hotel needs urgent oversight from relevant authorities in Germany, because they are charging for a service they simply do not provide.

I absolutely do NOT recommend staying here.

UPDATE: 4 days after check-out, and following my e-mails, I received a direct response from the CEO of this hotel. Initially, they offered an apology. After further correspondence regarding my legal rights and escalation to headquarters, the management fully acknowledged the issue and took responsibility. They agreed to refund my claimed amount. I am updating this review to be fair and transparent.