REVERB by Hard Rock Hamburg

The great bed and pillows, and the building's unusual architecture, were the high points. The rest was pretty anticlimactic. The reception team often ignored customers while chatting among themselves for long stretches. Rooms are only cleaned every other day, and even on those days they weren't done early. Our room 331 wasn't visited until around 4:30 pm. We arrived a couple of hours early and asked to leave our bags, but were told we could check in early for an extra €30. That made for a really poor first interaction. And room 331 had a poor view, with plants and shrubs blocking most of it.

The hotel does a really interesting job of making something built against a dark background, wartime, intriguing while preserving its history. Its location is great, with plenty of ways to get out and explore. The unusual rooms are different in a cool way, and the service is fine. The restaurant is okay, but the hotel bar is terrible, and that's why this isn't a five-star review. See my separate review. Still, it's good value for money all things considered, and we'll definitely come back.

The view from the rooms is spectacular, and the location is perfect for a night out. Staying here is certainly a unique way to experience Hamburg. But the property feels as if construction ran out of time or money. It all seems started but unfinished, with modern design that needs one final touch. For a Hard Rock Cafe theme, I expected a stronger musical presence. Instead, there are just a few pictures on otherwise bare walls. The raised seating by the windows is nice, but there are no chairs or table to sit and enjoy the view. Getting water means going to a dispenser on the third floor, and getting in or out is a mission because you have to walk from one side of the bunker to the other. As other guests have noted, there isn't a closet, though that's becoming common in modern hotels. Take it or leave it.

The hotel is in a spectacular spot atop the old air-raid shelter between Karoviertel and St. Pauli. The entrance is on the left when coming from Feldstraße, but it looks like a delivery entrance through the parking lot, and the lighting could be better at night. If you use Google Maps to find your way, you'll end up behind the bunker. The elevator takes you to level '00', and from there you cross the old bunker roof to reach reception. The rooms are simply and modernly furnished. For this price, though, I expected a closet or at least drawers for underwear. The motion-sensor lights beneath the bed aren't for everyone. A pair of slippers in front of the bed kept setting them off, and I would have preferred a switch to turn them off. I skipped breakfast because it was unreasonably expensive. There are plenty of places to eat in the neighbouring Karoviertel and at 'Rindermarkthalle St. Pauli', a two-minute walk away. On departure, they bill the local culture and tourism charge, which applies to private trips and isn't included in bookings through the various portals. Great location, hotel is okay.