IntercityHotel Hildesheim

The room looked great when we first arrived, with a modern bathroom, step-in shower and plenty of outlets, including some with USB ports. There was also a TV, refrigerator, safe and electric kettle. The frosted glass bathroom partition had a curtain for privacy. Inside, the hotel felt modern, clean and stylish. The staff understood right away that we’d been redirected after the so-called overbooking error at the Novotel, as described in my previous review, and check-in was quick. We were sent about 0.5 km to the Intercity Hotel after the overbooking. From outside, its cold-looking façade blends in with the surrounding buildings, a sharp contrast with the Novotel’s park-like setting. It’s near the train station, with the usual questionable crowd at certain hours and a well-advertised nightclub visible on the far side. Parking was hard to figure out, and there were only 14 spaces behind closed doors. The room’s looks didn’t translate into practical comfort. We couldn’t adjust the temperature because the only button that worked was “on.” At night, the bathroom light came through the frosted wall and lit up the whole room, disturbing our sleep. I couldn’t see an outlet in the bathroom for an electric shaver or hair dryer. The shower controls weren’t clearly labelled, so we got alternating blasts of hot and cold water while figuring them out. Water also stayed on parts of the floor because the tiles didn’t slope well enough to drain it, and the exhaust fan, apparently inside the shower, didn’t work properly. There were a few other annoyances: the bedside lamp switch was awkwardly tucked along the side of the headboard, some lamp fittings were loose, and there was no coffee setup despite the well-used kettle. I also spotted a few dust bunnies and soap residue in the shower grout. Given the last-minute transfer, it would have been nice if breakfast had been included as a goodwill gesture. Instead, we felt we were just expected to be grateful for a nearby alternative. Luckily, it was only one night, and we enjoyed excellent food and company elsewhere in town. If I’m back in the area, I’ll drive a few extra miles to the next larger city.