Hotel Monte Christo

We were pleasantly surprised after deciding to book despite the mixed online reviews. It was the only hotel we could find with a room in Cologne city centre. The room turned out much larger than I’d expected, and the bed was comfortable. It was 32ºC during the day and 25ºC at night, but the room stayed cool enough for sleeping without AC. We only spent maybe 10 hours there altogether, so things like the TV size didn’t matter to us. Check-in and check-out were smooth and pleasant, and the man at reception was kind and very helpful. The location is excellent.

Right in the city centre and close to the station, so the location is great. The room is big and the toilet was clean. It’s really not as bad as people say.

Being right in the heart of Cologne meant it was easy to walk to places from the hotel. Check-in was fast, and the staff were friendly. It’s a budget place, with a quite small room, no AC, and a bathroom that feels much too cramped, especially the tiny shower where there’s barely room to move your hands. There’s no elevator, though we were lucky to have a first-floor room.

During Pride I paid 2 Euro to use the bathroom, rather than the 5€ posted on the door. The toilets were awful, with no tissue, wee everywhere, and water on the floor. I understand charging people to use a bathroom, but the price shouldn’t be ridiculous, and the facilities need to be usable. It’s a human right.