We rode up to our 22nd floor room, hardly noticing the ear popping speed at which we travelled thanks to the plane trip we’d made in the recent past. Round the corner we found our number, swiped in, and stepped through into our lovely large room, home for the next 4 nights. As well as all the usual stuff you’d get in any half decent hotel (something to sleep on, wash in, write on and with etc) there were some lovely swish additions: piped TV / radio in the bathroom; free (German) magazines; posh little toiletries; mirrors all over, lots and lots of storage, German style double glazing (where you have two windows, both openable, about 10 cms apart) – great for storing food and drink over night to keep it cold; a minibar that is both automatic and electronic (the reason said food and drink cannot be kept in it). The furnishings were on the tasteful side of icky – not quite as bad as the lovely American motels I wrote about a few months back, but oddly not quite as nice as Birmingham’s Jury’s Inn. My favourite bit, though, had to be the snazzy American style walk-in wardrobe, which I proceeded to go into, and come out of, several times during our stay. The TV had a good choice of channels, including English news and pay per films, and since we tuck to the German, we were able to find out what was on thanks to the complimentary TV guide in our room.

On the hotel’s 2nd floor is their ‘leisure centre’ which includes a medium sized pool surrounded by excessively large lounger terraces, a sauna and a tiny gym (the type that’s so small even mirrors on all the walls don’t help). With the exception of the sauna, these facilities are free to hotel guests, but we were so unimpressed with the service that we only went the one time. On arriving you are met by the receptionist who interrogates you as to the type of shoes you’re wearing. Being well-prepared guests full of German knowledge we went in specific indoor use trainers, not out street shoes, since these aren’t generally allowed in gyms over there. However the receptionist did not seem to believe us that we’d never worn them outside, and also needed to ask if we had bathing-shoes with us, since even clean, indoor trainers were not allowed by the pool area. We didn’t, so were issued with a couple of pairs of well worn old Birkenstock knock offs, complete with stained, sweaty foot prints from previous wearers. We did the whole negotiation in German, but even that didn’t help as the woman came off as very abrupt and up her self, not something you’d really tend to expect in a 4* hotel.

The hotel is a short stroll from the city centre, and a stone’s throw away from an international train station (Damtor) which is the nearest place for basic shopping – fresh rolls, ice cream, fruit, chocolate, books, cards and, well, train tickets. About 50m further on there is a multiplex cinema (www.cinemaxx.de for checking film times up to a week in advance). Another 100m and you’ll have passed the opera, the communication museum and numerous other places, and be on your way to the centre of the city, home to the proper shops, the other museums, galleries and churches, and at this time of year, the various Christmas markets. So, although it’s in a quieter area of town, you’re only ever a 20 min walk or a €1.05 underground / tram ride away from anywhere you might want to be.