The Ascot Cologne

It’s reasonably clean and comfortable, and the price felt fair for what the hotel offers. The gummy bears left on the bed were a thoughtful little touch.

The hotel was clean, the staff friendly, and the location handy for restaurants, bars, and city attractions. But it felt basic for the price and its four-star rating. The listing made it sound like breakfast was included, but it wasn’t, and there was confusion at check-in about our prepaid reservation. The room had very few amenities: a small shower with one all-in-one soap, no washcloths, one pillow per person, no fridge, and only local TV channels. We paid about $200 a night, then saw that the usual rate is closer to $85. At that price it would have met expectations, but what we paid felt too high for what we got.

After a late flight to cologne, I stayed one night. The room was clean, spacious, and had no issues, and the hotel is close to shops and places to eat. Check-in was alright, though the man at the desk was too casual and didn’t explain much. The booking listed a Sauna, but it’s only open a few days a week. There’s a massive Gym in the basement with lots of good equipment, and I had a good session. The problem is it gets boiling hot in there and has no air conditioning.

We picked this hotel for a short weekend because the price was reasonable and the decor suited my horse obsession. The rooms were a great size, clean, and tidy. Maybe tea and coffee in the room would have been nice, but we weren’t there enough to miss it. The breakfast buffet was well stocked, and staff were very friendly and helpful. We left our bags in storage early, and they even gave us a takeaway coffee from the buffet. There are lots of cafes and bars nearby, and it was an easy walk to the riverfront or a quick trip on the nearby UBahn. Despite being on the main street near a nightclub, our room was remarkably quiet. We’d definitely stay again.