ipartment Cologne Mülheim

The check-in instructions made arrival smooth, and the staff member was accommodating. For the price, the S room felt cozy for two and had a lot of what we needed. The bed was comfortable, and I liked the soft pillows. The bathroom looked stylish with its green walls, and came with a dryer, shampoo and shower gel, hand wash, towels, and extra toilet paper. The kitchen supplies were as described: knives, pans, utensils, plates, bowls, a water glass, a small coffee mug, a basin, a kitchen towel, and cleaning supplies for the sink.

It was quiet and clean, with a decent amount of space, good WiFi, attractive interior design, and good quality kitchen equipment. I might stay again for a few days, but not in hot weather. The place looked nothing like the Google or Expedia photos and was much darker. There was no AC, and the air felt really hot and stuffy even though it wasn't that hot yet this summer. There was no microwave either. Parking was limited, though I found a spot on the street. Beforehand, I was told that my visiting friend could park in the lot for 2€/hr. When I emailed on the day to ask about it, they said guest parking wasn't offered. The office was never occupied, even during office hours, and email was the only way to communicate. They didn't pick up the phone, and replies took several hours.

The rooms are fairly large, which I suppose is expected given the reasonably high charges, and the staff, including the cleaners, were nice. I stayed for a little over 2/3 months, though, and had a lot of problems. On my second night my card stopped opening the room. The 24-hour help line kept hanging up on me before I could say much, even though my German is basic, around A2. I had to get a local person to call so I could get in. Apparently the cards had stopped working and new ones were issued, but they were left inside my locked room. We weren't notified by email or otherwise until the following days. I started out in a room that smelled so strongly of cigarettes that I woke up coughing at night. I was able to change rooms, but the replacement had a very loud fridge they said they wouldn't fix or replace, so I turned it off whenever I was home. Its sink leaked and, despite me reporting it, was never repaired. The washing machine payment machines were often out of order as well. I also asked for a full invoice during my stay. They replied to other things in my email but ignored that request. A month after I left the country, I got a new invoice for days they'd missed 3/4 months earlier, with a threat to report me to a collection agency if I didn't pay. I think payments should have been settled while I was there, or at least before I left the property. Now I'll also have to pay an international transaction fee on top of the invoice.

I was happy living here for two years. Julian, the building manager, does a good job with the resources he has and is there when you need him. The place is accessible, with the Rhine a five-minute walk away and the centre of Cologne 15-20 minutes by metro. Downstairs there's a coffee bar, rentable parking spaces, and two washing machines and two dryers for a small price. The apartments feel modern with an industrial finish: concrete walls, floors, and ceilings. They have what you need for everyday life, including a fridge with freezer, coffee machine, stove, toaster, water cooker, and knife block. I did miss having a microwave. I'd recommend the cleaning service, which changes the sheets and towels every 1/2 weeks depending on the formula you choose, and cleans the apartment.