The Frankfurt Hotel

Being across from the main train station made getting around easy, and the old town was close enough for the Christmas Markets. Breakfast was good too. But our stay was a huge letdown after how much we’d liked this hotel a few years ago and recommended it to fellow travelers online. The room wasn’t ready when we arrived, and when we asked to leave our bags in another room while returning the rental car, the desk staff said that was the only room. We left our luggage on the bed while cleaning was still underway and hoped the body odor smell wouldn’t linger. When we came back, the room needed a serious deep clean. There were questionable stains on the carpet and chair, mildew in the shower grout, and a drain that wouldn’t clear. The towels were stained, worn thin, and so rough they left our skin red. Later, only four or five TV channels worked; the provider had blocked the rest. The front desk staff were curt and unhelpful throughout.

We booked this for the convenience of an early train, but after one night of noise we left for a hotel by the airport. I’ve stayed near train stations before and never heard anything like this. The hotel advertises soundproof rooms, yet I could hear trains, heavy traffic, people talking at normal volume, toilets flushing, and water running in other rooms. Earplugs didn’t help. We left our luggage around 10 in the morning to go sightseeing and asked to check in early, then collect the key later. They said no. I also asked whether the room we’d booked would be held if we came back after 6, and was assured it was confirmed. We returned after sightseeing and dinner and officially checked in at 7:30, when apparently only one room was left. We got a first-floor room facing the main road and station. The only alternative, the desk told me, was a room upstairs with the same view and orientation. I suspect we were given whatever was left because we returned late, but I can’t be certain. The room was basic, with lots of carpet stains and thin, rough towels. The mattress looked fairly new, though it was hard. This isn’t a four-star hotel, or even comparable to most three-star chains. The walls seemed cheap, and the noise made the soundproofing claim hard to believe. I wouldn’t have booked it if I hadn’t seen that claim on Booking.

We got in at 8 a.m. after a long flight, so being allowed to check in early and get some much-needed sleep was a real help. The bathroom was clean, and the hotel is right across from the Main Train Station, which is very convenient. The carpets on the floors and the curtains could use a deep clean. For the price, it’s a good fit for a one-night stay.

The breakfast is fairly standard, with eggs, pastries, spreads, cheese, and cold cuts such as bologna. There’s a limited selection, and most of the meat is pork. The hotel has no halal certificate, and the dishes don’t say what kind of meat they contain. It’s right in the city center, opposite the main train station, with both the center and Frankfurt’s financial district within walking distance. The rooms are clean and functional, and service is decent.