Aparthotel Gartenstadt

We had a five-month-old baby with us and felt the place was completely unsafe. It felt like a ghetto, and we can’t believe the positive reviews are true. I wouldn’t give it even one star. The room was extremely noisy. We could hear water running loudly from other rooms, the fridge was far too loud, and the walls seemed paper thin. The shower leaked, and the curtains let in all the light. On the first morning, we saw a paid woman worker leaving the hotel, and there were strange people in the parking area who seemed to be other “guests.” We had to leave a night early because of serious safety concerns. We contacted the hotel, but still haven’t had a reply about how awful the place was or our question about a refund for the last night we couldn’t stay.

I booked months ahead and specifically chose the air-conditioned room. But when we arrived, there was only a small, extremely loud table fan. I called the number they gave us right away and was told, “The Air Conditioning is obvious when you walk in.” That was no help at all. We were in room 17, and the week was miserable: temperatures were in the 90s, and I have asthma and no air. The day before we left, room 16 was open and clearly had a portable Air Conditioning unit. My receipts clearly list an Air Conditioning room as a feature, and for over 800 euros, I expected that. When I called customer service again the day before we left, they said AC wasn’t guaranteed and the price was the same without it. They didn’t seem interested in hearing the complaint or helping. I wouldn’t recommend staying here in summer heat, or if you expect customer service.

For the price, the quality is good. The room was small but clean, the bathroom was nice, and the kitchen had what you’d need. The coffee maker can make a mess, so check that the pot is sitting properly. One odd thing in the bathroom: the water went cold about every three minutes. Turning it off and waiting a minute brought warm water back for another three minutes. I couldn’t tell if it was a technical problem or a way to make people save water by turning it off while soaping or shampooing. We stayed two nights. The first was fine, but at midnight on the second night someone banged on the front door for half an hour. It was scary not knowing whether it was a guest or someone from the street. With no staff at a reception desk, safety can be a concern.

The kitchen was well equipped, the bathroom clean, and the bed good. The aparthotel is in a peaceful, safe residential neighborhood, with free parking in front. At night there’s no one at reception, but you get a password to open the main door and reach your room. When I checked out in the morning, there was just one staff member, and her English was basic to intermediate. That could make things difficult if you have a problem during your stay, though she did her best to give me the information I needed.