What a cool idea for a hotel. Set in an old water tower, you have never seen a place like this…read morebefore. Even walking around the main floor it's kind of hard to navigate because there are a bunch of pillars/walls that make it hard to see across the room, but it kind of adds to the charm. The staff was really great at check-in. We got there early and our room wasn't quite ready, but that wasn't an issue, we were able to park the car and leave our luggage until later. The room itself was pretty nice. Two spacious rooms really, the bedroom and a living room. It's a shame they didn't take a little of the space from those rooms and make the bathrooms a bit larger...it was definitely tight, but not unusable. Unfortunately we were on the second floor and had a view of a couple of neighboring roofs, but as long as you're not looking out the windows there's enough inside to keep your interest. We didn't get to try any of the other amenities that were offered but overall we really enjoyed our time here. The parking garage was a bit spendy at 19 Euros per day, but I've seen worse. I don't know if I'd stay here again, but at least for a one-time experience I'd say we had a great time.

Set in a former water tower built in the 19th century, Hotel Im Wasserturm is a unique hotel with a…read moregreat location away from the crowd. A healthy ten minute walk to the main square and cathedral. There are about a dozen rooms/suites per floor. Our first impression was that the room layout and furnishings are a bit off and odd. The room is in a shape of a half circle. Remember, the hotel tower is completely round. The room-suite included a separate sitting room with a small desk, sofa, chairs, and flat-screen TV. The bathroom is large enough without feeling cramped. The toilet is in a separate space with its own wash basin. There is also a bidet near the shower. A little unfamiliar for North American tourist. A towel warmer in the bathroom is useful during the cold winter months. In the evening, housekeeping comes by to check if there is anything you need before you retire for the night. The most comfortable feature about the suite is the sleeping area. There is a large king bed with comfy mattress pad and warm individual comforters. Perfect for the cold December winter weather. Plenty of closet space and drawers. The gym is small with free weights, treadmill, and elliptical step trainer. A bonus in the 24 hour gym- The complimentary bottled water and assorted drinks in the cooler. For 20 Euros per person, we enjoyed the buffet breakfast one morning in their nicely decorated dining room. The cold cuts, salmon, pastries, cheeses, and hot egg dish were all yummy- but a bit pricey. The service personnel is efficient, but is a bit distant (German-style). No complaints here though. The staff is professional. The day of our departure, we accidentally left one of our cell phones in the room. I phoned the hotel from the central train station. Michael at the front desk searched and found our phone in our room. He even offered to send someone to the train station to reunited us with our phone loaded with important info and contacts. Thank you so much Michael..You deserve five stars ***** for your excellent customer service and friendly attitude during the check-out process. On our return to Cologne, we are staying here!

Great hotel. Excellent price, good breakfast buffet. I reserved online and didn't even have to pay…read moretill I left. Rooms are clean and modern bed was great and bathroom was extremely clean Far from everything though good thing. Had rented a car if not it would have been hell as it is located like 25 km from koln

*A stylish hotel with great breakfast, but not ideal for business travel*…read more The Hopper St. Josef in Cologne's lively Southern district prides itself on a modern approach. It is located in a historical building that used to be a daycare center. The building has been transformed into a "Designhotel" with ambient lighting and modern interiors throughout. The most spectacular aspect about the hotel is arguably the breakfast room, a former chapel with high ceilings and stained glass. Having stayed in the hopper for about 20 days in the spring and early summer of 2013, I can confirm that a plentiful hot breakfast buffet and chapel's calm atmosphere are a good way to start the day. Another very positive aspect is the friendliness of hotel staff. However, there are some drawbacks that business travelers especially may want to consider. Some rooms are very small, and there is no real workspace. Instead of desks and standard chairs, the Hopper went for fold-out desks and uncomfortable design chairs. Working is very inconvenient in this setup - and becomes nearly impossible thanks to the "innovative" approach to light. Each of the five rooms I have stayed in did not come with a bright lamp - the main light was more of a subdued background light. Great for winding down, not so much for working. Desk lamps are also not included in the rooms; neither is air conditioning. Plus, owing to the structure of the building, you may need to take a few stairs to your room as you step out of the elevator. Keep this in mind when you travel with heavy bags. If you like cardio exercise, it's best to skip the small basement gym with two pieces of equipment and head straight to the Rhine boardwalk 2 minutes away. My final verdict is that the Hopper is a charming hotel best suited for creative-minded leisure travelers.

The rooms were modern and pretty and offered whatever you need. Beyond the rooms, the staff is…read moreamazing. Everyone at the front desk is very helpful but Jonas and Lisa are the best! They go above and beyond to make sure they help you with whatever you need. We enjoyed our stay at this hotel, thanks to these two!

While I quite like the location of this hotel, I'll probably try out another part of the city next…read moretime. The street is very noisy and during a very hot summer week it did mean to a certain extent choosing the lesser of two evils, heat or noise. As I was round the back I had my window open. My friends were more disturbed than me. (Not often I get to say that). The bed was ok, I slept ok and they even let me have a Bitburger from the mini bar for free! (not sure what prompted this generosity :) )

Overall: Dated but great location…read more The Mercure is a 15-20 minute walk west from the central train station. A couple of blocks south is a large shopping district with cafes and restaurants. The Jameson Distillery Pub is a great lunch or dinner choice, only a block from the hotel (they also offer an Irish breakfast). The location is the best part of the hotel, and do not make the mistake of just walking to the Cathedral area. Take your time to explore the area around the hotel. Check-in went smooth and the staff were efficient. Secure luggage storage was provided upon check-out. Breakfast seemed rather expensive given the number of other options in the area. The room was clean and average size, but dated. The AC worked well, and even facing the street the street noise was low enough to leave the window open at night. The towels were a disappointment for a four star hotel, they were clearly worn out and have seen better days. The internet worked fine and the speed was reasonable. One thing to note is that, compared to many other areas of Europe, many restaurants only took cash.

Impeccable Staff!…read more Koln was a (3) day stop over from Rijswijk, Netherlands & Den Haag Centraal. It was also close the Paris , France so yeah I'm having fun after my business trip, but I'm getting tired still having a blast. My 1st time in Germany , so I booked Koln-Maritim Hotel Ohhh, my gosh it's such a beautiful hotel It's Huge too! Lots of restaurants to choose to eat if you don't go out. You won't starve here, and add on the breakfast if you're a breakfast person. History: It wasn't built too long ago in 1989 but renovated in 2014. The panoramic views are spectacular! I was taking photos like a little kid from different angles to show my friends & family. I think I have enough w/out me in them. It's also, popular based on the amount of people checking in. A very good thing. I'd refer anyone I know coming this way to stay here. Cons: A red rope at reception to keep some order in line bc it got scattered & people just jumped the line bc there was no order & I don't like to dictate but I was waiting for a long time bc of (6) guys checking in as a group holding up the line for 30 mins. Ohh, yeah they need water decanter refilled more often & new clean cups bc I was thirty but didn't know which cups were clean or dirty & Jwater wasn't there. So, I got over heated waiting online. However, I recommend this Hotel Bellissimo!

This was the other hotel I stayed at when I was traveling back-and-forth from here to Michigan for…read moresix months. Most of my colleagues and team members also stayed here. They liked that they had a spa and pool here. I was first taken aback by other guests walking around in the spa area, rather scantily clad. Much different than being back in the states. This hotel was closer to the old city, Altstadt, but a little further away from the cathedral. I wasn't fond of the directional and one ways to get to this hotel. It wasn't always easiest to get to, if you don't know your way around. There is however a close S-bahn station pretty much in front of the hotel. Still there's a lot of food options in the vicinity and some great gelato places as well. The best time to be here was always during Christmas. I always had the Christmas market set up and there's a really nice one always at the altstadt as well as at the Dom, which is close by. It is also not far from the shopping center or main street for shopping, Hohe strasse.

The hotel was nice and they had a great breakfast. The reason why I rated so low was the noise…read morelevel from the street. There is no air conditioning but we can open the windows. We didn't end up opening the windows due to the house. We didn't get any sleep. There is a restaurant next door and could hear everyone conversations until 3am. If the noise could be controlled, it would have been a nice stay. Staff was very friendly. Elevator is deceiving. We got off on 1 but you still have to go up or down stairs to get to your room?

Hotel Dorint was great, even if the housekeeping kept throwing out my baked goods! The check-in…read moreprocess was friendly and quick. The room service was delicious and arrived hot in no time at all. The room I had was spacious and had a nice view of Cologne. There is a bar downstairs that made great drinks. The breakfast buffet had everything you could want to eat, including a chef on site to make different varieties of egg dishes. The hotel itself was quiet and clean. The shower was great. The bed was comfortable. The location was wonderful. You are just a short walk away from the Cologne Cathedral! My only complaint, really, is that housekeeping ignored my request to have them not clean my room twice, and each time they threw away my pastries I had purchased to eat when I woke up in the wee hours of the morning! I was on US time zone, so I would wake up at 4AM starving! I loved exploring Germany from this starting point!

This hotel, located in central Cologne, is one of my favorites in this city. It is roomy and…read morecomfortable, from the spacious rooms to the generous bar area, in which a rich variety of cocktails are served. The service is kind and hospitable, and your stay comes with a plentyful amount of perks. For instance the fitness, pool and spa section, to which I would like to pay an extra compliment: A ticket for the fitness/wellness section will cost you 10 Euros, which are added to your bill at checkout. Towels come with the entrance as well as a key for a locker. You will need to be aware, that bathing suits are prohibited in the spa area. You want sauna, steam bath and other wellness stuff - don't be afraid to go buck naked among other men and women. However, as opposed to the Danish way (big shower rooms, in which people all to often are seen showering wearing their swimsuits), the Germans have screened showering compartments, which ensures that everyone who is to enter the pool have no excuse to not be clean. In these compartments, you can wash yourself all over and not be impaired by chastity and shyness. I like this sentiment, as bathing suits all to often carry residues of chlorine along with body bacteria, which are released with the heat in a sauna or in the warm waters of a jacuzzi. However, for the pool, you will need your bathing suit. The wellness section itself is wonderful, featuring relaxation chairs, bio sauna and steam bath a perfect place for relaxing after a day climbing the Kölner Dom. Highly recommendable, and definitely this hotels biggest trump card!

The room was massive and beautiful. Needs a carpet refresh though…read more The hotel is gorgeous and EVERY person I've met here has been extraordinarily helpful and nice. And everyone speaks English which has helped me. And, you can't beat the location...the Excelsior is right in the heart of it all.

We spent several nights at the hotel as part of our Christmas Market vacation in Germany. The…read morehotel service was wonderful and the staff was absolutely lovely from the Front Desk to Housekeeping. Our room was very comfortable and quiet. In addition, the location couldn't have been more perfect, across the plaza from the main train station and right next to the Cathedral.