Scam hotel!! Please do not book here if you value your time, money and trip. The reception is only open 2-8 pm. If you arrive after 8 pm (even 8:05pm), you will be denied any accommodations, charged 99-300 euros and asked to leave. There are no exceptions (including delayed trains and no access to a phone to call which was my situation). There is graffiti on the outside, trash on the inside, and a very unprofessional and inconsiderate human being as the property manager. Run away friends. read more

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This hotel was booked for us by Hotel Lafayette (Holstenstr 3 - Hamburg) after some water damage to their rooms - they couldn't accommodate our party of 7 (4 adult, 3 children) in the 3 rooms we'd booked so found us somewhere else to stay - further away but the gesture was appreciated. Breakfast would be included. Upon our arrival at Bei Der Esplanade, the manager ( later declaring himself the owner - a man of Asian origin) seemed standoffish and surly as we completed the check-in forms - became agitated when we declared 7 guests and with raised voice said we must pay an extra E20.00 for the 10 year old to share the room with the parents. Hotel Lafayette never informed us of the extra charge but we were tired and the children getting cranky so we accepted. He then said breakfast was not included to which we replied that it was the last thing the manager at Hotel Lafayette had said - that it would be included. This dude proceeds to fly into the most apoplectic of rages! Tears the check-in forms up into little pieces and throws it into our astonished faces - "You will not stay in my hotel, get out, get out!" - (all in German) frothing at the mouth, spittle flying, scaring the #$%@ out of our kids, shaming my Hamburg native husband as our California guests are being witness to this absurd and mad behaviour. After a much heated argument we decide to leave as the environment no longer feels safe. One floor down we see the entrance of another hotel - Hotel Alameda - also at Colonnaden 45 - we go in and, still shaken, enquire after 3 rooms for the night. A kindly, elderly, reception lady confirms that she has the rooms and starts checking us in - handing out keys. My husband and I are down the hall unloading our bags when we hear a huge rukus coming from the reception area - we rush back and there is the freak, screaming, frothing at the mouth, spittle flying, demanding our American guests get out - that he owns this hotel too, we must get out, get out, f off. He owns the whole building, f off, get out, he screams. We were pretty messed up the rest of the evening - trying to calm the children and trying to understand this idiots behaviour. The Hotel Alster-Hof around the corner had rooms for the night - great hotel - great staff - great breakfast included. The manager/owner of Bei der Esplanadeb is a crazy lunatic and should not be working in the service industry, let alone behind a reception desk dealing with people. I will lodge another complaint with the Tourist Bureau in Hamburg. read more