Mövenpick Hotel Hamburg

The location and breakfast are great, and the bar is fine. But on two visits a month apart, some items I wanted were out of stock. The restaurant menu is limited, and the food doesn't compare with what's readily available in the local district. The fitness center was the biggest letdown. There are very few machines, one was completely out of order, and the others weren't well maintained. It was much too hot in there, and the water fountain didn't work. I stayed nine nights and it still hadn't been repaired by the time I left. They offered bottled water instead, but on four of my eight visits to the room, the bottles were empty.

I was in Hamburg for a six-day business trip and had paid for the whole reservation in advance. On arrival, the air conditioning wasn't working and the room was very hot. I was told the whole building had the problem and it would be fixed, but it stayed that way for the entire visit. A broken window handle couldn't be repaired, so they moved me to another room. At checkout, they showed me a bill for $3000 EUR. I explained I'd already paid and asked them to check their records. Later I found the hotel had charged me the additional $3000. I called many times and emailed several times, including the prepaid receipt. Nobody ever called back, and the duplicate charge wasn't canceled. That was completely unacceptable. I would never risk staying at this hotel again.

I loved how they used the old water tower, especially the design and decorations. The staff were friendly, the breakfasts tasty, and the wellness center was well kept. The sauna area was great. A special thanks to Ole! There were a couple of annoyances. Hot water can take a long time to reach rooms on higher floors. And the sound insulation is poor: one night I was watching TV at a moderate volume and heard my neighbor knock on the wall. I turned it off right away, and the knocking stopped. I felt bad for them. Still, I'd absolutely recommend staying at Mövenpick, and I'll come back.

My room was spacious and had a fantastic view of the Hamburg skyline. The hotel is set in an old water tower, with the original walls still there. I'd heard good things about the bar and gym, but couldn't use either. The location was just okay, about a 30-minute walk to the city center.