DJH City-Hostel Köln-Riehl

The dorms have their own bathrooms, and the rooms were clean. Breakfast was good, with choices for vegans, vegetarians, and non-vegetarians. The beds felt a bit narrow, and they provided only the bare minimum, not even handwash. There was free WiFi in the lobby for one hour, then an hourly charge, but none in the rooms. The location is 4 km from the city centre.

The price and nearby tram stop would bring me back, and my private room with my company was nice. Breakfast had a wide range of choices, including vegan options, which I loved even though I'm not vegan. The beds were fine and the shower okay, but remember this is a hostel, so they don't provide towels. The big problem was the lack of WiFi. In 2025, that was horrible.

Köln is beautiful, with its mix of cultures, deep history, lovely birds and striking natural scenery. It feels alive and harmonious, which made the careless attitudes I encountered all the more jarring. The hotel said it was fully booked and offered a single room for an extra €150 per person per night. I declined. When I raised a concern about my messy room, the front desk wouldn't send anyone to look at it. I had also asked for housekeeping, but was told they couldn't do that. Someone used my case, and I still don't know how they opened it without the keys. The corridors were full of children running and shouting. Maybe that's what they mean by family-friendly, but to me it felt more like a playground than somewhere to rest. It's almost poetic how a few careless attitudes can turn a graceful atmosphere into noise. I would revise my feedback after the poor response below. I don't know if they will change it, so I'm adding this picture and text. This was their earlier reply: “Hello Daniel, Thank you for your feedback. At the time of your stay, we were fully booked and offered you the option to move to a single room for an additional charge, which you chose not to take. We strive to maintain all rooms to a good standard, and we hope that despite this, you were able to enjoy your stay with us. Kind regards Deniz “

Being close to the station made it easy to travel back and forth to the city centre. We booked a clean, decent room for four with an ensuite bathroom. Breakfast was included and okay. The bed sheets and duvet covers had a slightly unpleasant smell, like damp laundry. It was good value for the price.