Phil & Max Hotel & Apartments Messe

There was so much to explore beyond the room: a cinema, rooftop hangout, sauna, and game room. I spent about 30 minutes checking out all the extras. The self-service kiosk is impressive too, with plenty of snacks and other things you might need. It's a great spot for trade fair visitors. The room was nice, with a beautiful bathroom and a fully stocked kitchen.

The rooftop has a sauna and a pool, though you can't swim in it. The water is still nice. Inside, there are good facilities too, including a cinema and gaming area with pool, poker, and ping pong. The rooms get very hot even when it's only 23C outside, and there's no air conditioning. The EV charging stations didn't work during our stay. We also got a one-person room set up for two, with only one person's pillows and sheets and a single chair. We tried texting and calling about it but got no reply. It's a self-service hotel, which is fine until something goes wrong. Then it's impossible to reach anyone for help. You can only open the room with one mobile phone through an app, which wasn't very convenient. There seemed to be good intentions behind the place, but every choice felt like the easy way out.

The location is ideal for a trade show, but my room wasn't clean, especially the toilet, and check-in was a nightmare. There was no staff around. You have to download an app, and when it glitches you're stuck. I lost half an hour of a night I was supposed to be sleeping, installing and uninstalling a noisy app. I still can't find out whether breakfast is available. There's no information I can find, and of course there's no staff to ask.

The tram and bus stop is just a three-minute walk away, and it's a convenient base for the Messe. Downtown takes about 30 minutes by tram. I'd recommend getting a day ticket online through the GVH (USTRA App). Check-in is a little tricky, but they explain it well by email beforehand. During my four-night stay, they were improving the Kiosk.