Essen City Suites

The location was fantastic, and for the price the amenities were more than enough. We stayed one night at Essen City Suites and found the room very spacious. Everything was clean and functional, though a hairdryer would have been a nice extra. Breakfast was perfectly fine, and we lacked nothing. We’d definitely book again for a stay of a day or two.

We’ve stayed here four times while coming to town for a trade fair held every two years, so we’ve seen how the hotel has changed over eight years. It keeps getting worse. Even booking has become complicated. We don’t have a credit card, so payment had to be made on site or by bank transfer. Staff spoke broken German, which caused problems, and I spent several days calling to find out if our payment and booking confirmation had arrived. They also said seven emails hadn’t been saved. Our room was ready at 11:00 AM, so we took our suitcases up. There were no trash bags, and the curtains, lampshades, carpet, sofa cushions, and patio door were dirty. The bedroom TV had no signal, the shower cubicle was broken, and the kitchen lacked equipment. That’s just too much. The staff’s response was, “The hotel is being sold, after all!”

The mold in the shower is unacceptable and needs fixing. If it were taken care of, this would deserve more stars. Otherwise, it’s a good deal for a longer stay. The suites are above the Holiday Inn Express and reached by a separate outside elevator, so there’s no through traffic and it’s very quiet. The room is huge, with a balcony, kitchenette, two separate beds, a large work area, and a living space with sofa and TV. The kitchen has a fridge, freezer, stove, microwave, sink, extractor hood, and dishes. The bathroom has a large shower and separate toilet, though there’s a patch of black mold in the shower. There’s underground parking and free Wi-Fi. Breakfast is included and prepared at the hotel, with reception there handling service. A shared washing machine, dryer, and dishwasher are available as well.

We first stayed three years ago, and it was generally very good. The apartment was large, by a beautiful park, with a glass front, balcony, and city view. It was very quiet thanks to the private entrance and elevator, and the staff were very friendly then. Breakfast at the hotel next door was basic but adequate. There were problems, too: the bathroom fan was broken and no maintenance staff were around, kitchenette utensils were locked away unless requested, and some furnishings were clearly worn. The reason for one star is what happened when I politely called to ask about a suite for the coming weekend. The receptionist’s German was very broken and hard to understand. I asked if I had reached the right person to book a City Suite, and they said yes. When I asked if anything was available, they replied in a rude, drill-sergeant tone, “No. We’re fully booked. We’re fully booked from tomorrow onwards.” I said that was a shame. They said “Thank you” and hung up. It’s outrageous to have someone handling calls in such a bad mood. That was definitely our last stay.