Hotel Unique Pearl

The hotel looks nice at first, but my two nights on the top floor were a really unpleasant stay. The room hadn’t been cleaned before I arrived: there were old socks under the extra bed, wrappers in a corner, dust on the surfaces, and nasty mold in the shower. The extra bed was broken, leaving me sleeping at a weird angle, and parts of the door lock and electrical fittings were broken or missing. There was no hot water even after I waited ten minutes. The whole room smelled of sewage, and when people on lower floors flushed, the shower trap seemed to get sucked dry by the vacuum. You could hear it happen. People in neighboring rooms partied until 2am, and the restaurant floor was very sticky and felt unclean. Up close, it gave me the feeling that the staff didn’t care about guests.

We ended up finding another hotel, and I really hope I never have to return to this dump. We had booked by phone, but apparently there was no reservation under our name. The young man at reception was extremely unfriendly, and we waited 15 minutes. At the entrance, a cleaning lady was wiping the windows and front door with a big white bath towel. I wouldn’t want that towel in my room, even after it had been washed. The whole experience was unforgettable, for all the wrong reasons.

The area around the hotel felt a bit “interesting” at first, but the hotel itself was clean and nice, and the staff were kind. Breakfast was included with our booking and tasted great. If I come back to Dortmund, I’ll stay here again.

The beds and pillows were a highlight for me, firm but still comfortable, and the rooms felt cosy. There’s no air conditioning, though you can open the windows. The kettle won’t fit under the bathroom tap, so you have to fill it using a cup or glass. The staff were pleasant and helpful, and the hotel has good facilities. A tram stop is only a two minute walk away, with an easy connection to Central Dortmund and the main rail station.