Ibis Budget Hamburg Altona

Prices are good, and the staff, though slow, were friendly and helpful. The rooms were clean but looked dated and cheaply made. With the busy road nearby and windows that didn’t seal properly, it was fairly loud. Public transport access is terrible.

The biggest problem was the deposit taken at check-in, which the hotel never refunded. When I contacted them, they said they would “inform the manager,” but nothing happened. I only got my money back after long discussions and help from Booking. It was a very unpleasant and stressful process. The staff were friendly, the room clean, the price acceptable, and public transport nearby. But sound insulation was very poor: you could hear every door opening or closing and people walking in the corridor. The sink is in the room, and the shower has a semi-transparent door. They provided just one “8-in-1” gel, with no shampoo, toothpaste, or anything else.

There’s hardly anywhere to go for bars or restaurants nearby, and the area around the hotel is generally very dark. It didn’t feel like a welcoming or friendly neighborhood. The train is at least a kilometer away on foot, or 5-20mins by bus. The view was grim, onto another companys parking lot and a building with a gym. The bathroom is split into three parts: sink in the bedroom, separate shower and toilet. It’s a glass cubus, and there’s very poor noise insulation, so don’t rent this if privacy matters to you. Service was okay, though they forgot to clean our room once even though we’d left at 10/11 in the morning.

The included breakfast had everything I needed, and staff kept replenishing it. Everyone was friendly and very helpful. I stayed for a week on business, and the hotel worked well for that. You get a code to enter your room, and checkout happens automatically on departure day. I’d stay here again next time I’m in Hamburg.