ipartment Braunschweig @HOME by Best Western

The Wi-Fi barely worked, housekeeping was inconsistent, and used towels were often left sitting around instead of being replaced properly. The way the staff dealt with concerns was extremely unprofessional, one of the worst parts of my stay. They also blamed me for damage without proper evidence: the stain they said came from my pot was clearly a different size from the pot I used. I explained that I’d boiled eggs just once and then cooled the pot with cold water, but they still tried to make me responsible. I hadn’t been warned about the issue beforehand either. I travel for business often, and I won’t stay here on future trips.

The communal lounge downstairs has a coffee machine I couldn’t get to work, plus a big fridge with some free drinks, though you can only access it while staff are there, weekdays until 5 pm. The washers and dryers are handy, but I found them a bit expensive. The building has two entrances: the Berliner Strasse door sometimes doesn’t accept the code, while the Otto-Himmel-Weg door is always unlocked, which made me feel a little unsafe at night. I stayed for three months, and the Wi-Fi in my room was terrible the whole time, often dropping out briefly and usually running slowly. That’s especially frustrating when many residents are foreigners with limited or expensive mobile data. The single-person room was adequate, with a nice, modern decor and seemingly good quality, but it was basically a bedroom, small corridor, and bathroom, and sometimes felt claustrophobic. The accommodation costs more, so I expected better. Cleaning came every two weeks, sometimes a bit later, and mostly meant new sheets and towels plus a quick floor scrub. The kitchen corridor has no smoke extractor. There’s a clear notice saying you’ll be charged firefighter fees if cooking sets off the detector, so they recommend opening a window. That’s awkward in cold or rainy weather, and cooking smells lingered in the room for a couple of days. I had one bad experience with the staff. The website mostly shows double rooms with several pillows and cushions, but my bed had just one thin pillow. When I asked for another pillow or cushion, they said they needed them for the double rooms and suggested I buy my own. I did, but couldn’t take it with me when I left because it didn’t fit in my luggage.

It’s easy to get help at any time, and the tram stop right outside takes you into the centre. The place is modern and clean and works well for work trips. On my most recent stay, though, the apartment didn’t look as clean as it had on earlier visits, so that seems like something they need to get back on top of. I’d definitely recommend staying here.

The room had a spacious desk that worked really well for me as a student, and downstairs there’s a lounge area and a study/work space that stays open 24/7. The kitchen setup is useful too, with a dishwasher, a decent-sized fridge and freezer, bowls, plates, cutlery, pots, and a pan. The freezer is a little small, but that seems common in Germany. The rooms are warm and nice, and the office staff in the lobby are so friendly, speak English, and answer any concerns. My one complaint is that I wish cleaning happened weekly instead of every two weeks. Thanks for having me, ipartments.🙃❤️