JUFA Hotel Hamburg HafenCity

We were happy with the room, which had the usual things like a teakettle, small refrigerator, and a safe in the closet. The lobby was spacious and welcoming, and the hotel sits in a great spot by the river, with a bus stop, subway station, parking, shops, and cafés nearby. We felt fine walking around after dark. The trains visible from our room were another story. We could hear every one passing before dawn, so our nights weren’t as quiet as I’d hoped. I wouldn’t complain about children making noise at a family hotel, but the railway bothered us. I also didn’t think the breakfast buffet was worth the price, and I’m glad we skipped dinner. Our sightseeing stay in Hamburg was okay, but I wouldn’t come back.

The kids loved the small indoor play area, even at 10 and 12, and I liked the hotel’s theme of islands around the world. We were on the 5th floor with a nice view over the river canal/harbour. The hotel is family friendly, and staff at reception and in the restaurant were very friendly. The area is fairly quiet, but the U-Bahn stop has an exit right at the hotel entrance, so the city centre is just a few minutes away. Dinner was all-you-can-eat only (February 2026), but we liked it enough to go twice during our four nights. We skipped breakfast because it seemed too expensive, and there are plenty of cafés nearby.

The room, indoor playground, and breakfast were all very nice. Those are the only reasons this isn’t a one-star review. We stayed as a family with two children under five, using the hotel as a stop on a longer drive. We chose half board because we expected to arrive around dinner time and didn’t want to hunt for food the kids could eat. Instead, when we arrived at 6:45 pm, the hotel had no parking spaces left. We were told there are only 80 spaces for 220 rooms. The staff suggested another lot a 10-minute walk away that cost twice as much. The restaurant was just as frustrating. It has around ten tables and was booked up until 9:00 pm, much too late for small children. We had to rush to a supermarket for dinner. When we complained, staff said it was our fault for not reserving a table. We thought half board meant dinner would be available without a separate reservation. After a lengthy discussion, they agreed to take the dinner charge off our bill. After this experience, we certainly won’t be back.

The hotel is clean, the rooms are comfortable and cleaned every day, and the food is good. There are lots of shops nearby, and the U-Bahn is right at the door. The downside is that there are only two elevators, so around breakfast or dinner you can be waiting a long time. That’s especially difficult for wheelchair users. Cash payment isn’t accepted, unfortunately.