We stayed at the Villa Wesset in the Estonian town of Pärnu for three nights.
The villa, built in 1928, belonged to Elias Jenkel who founded a chocolate and candy factory called Progress. He named the villa after his son Wesset. After the company began fading into obscurity it was converted into a 36-room hotel in 2007.
Room 206 was on the first floor, and in the absence of a lift and anyone to help with bags, we were on our own. The relatively large room had two single beds pushed together and because it was positioned in a small alcove, there was only one bedside table, and the electrical socket was obscured by the bed. We realised if it had been made up as a twin room, it would have been easier to get in and out of bed, the bedside table would have been in the centre and shared, and the socket would have been accessible.
The small wardrobe had a safe at the bottom which meant getting down on hands and knees. There was a small desk, two chairs, chest of drawers and TV. We didn’t need or use the air conditioning in September. The mini bar was fully stocked, and whilst tea and coffee making facilities were not provided in the room, they were available from a well-stocked self-service area in the lobby, although they were chargeable.
The relatively small bathroom had a shower cubicle with powerful hot water, but there was little space for our toiletries, but complimentary soap and shower gel were provided in large containers. The hairdryer and mirror combination were good and there were sufficient towel hooks.
The hotel’s best feature was its location: about half way down on Supeluse tänav, a street linking the town with the beach, which is pedestrianised in the summer months. A large menu board outside was designed to attract non-residents into the restaurant and decked terrace. Whilst it was said to have a good reputation for a seasonally changing menu focusing on local produce, it looked a little expensive, and as the cheapest bottle of wine was over €40, we ate in town.
Breakfast was available from 8am to 11am on weekends and 7am to 10am on weekdays. There was a splendid array with various juices and flavoured yoghurts, cereals including muesli, fresh fruit followed by cold meats and cheese, smoked salmon and herrings, lots of made salads, salad components and pickles. Hot dishes included porridge, bacon, scrambled egg, tomatoes, potatoes and mushrooms. Best of all, fizz was available, even during the week.
However, the worst feature was the hotel’s inflexibility. After a long and exhausting day out, we returned at 5pm, looking forward to a cold beer on the sunny terrace.
Unfortunately, the surly long-haired youth behind the bar had other thoughts. We were told they were short staffed and unable to service the terrace, and even though we offered to order at the bar and take our drinks out, this was not allowed, as it could attract others wanting to be served. Despite the receptionist intervening, he wouldn’t budge and we headed into town where we found a small kiosk with pavement seating and friendly, delightful girls who were happy to serve.
