ibis budget Ludwigsburg

The hotel said its internal transition meant it was running two payment systems at once, but that shouldn’t leave guests carrying the financial risk. While I was travelling abroad, I could have faced an overdraft fee or been unable to access my money, and nobody warned me this might happen. I’d given my current account card only as a booking guarantee, then paid the full bill on arrival with a credit card. Even so, the hotel placed a hold on the current account funds without my permission and told me they could stay locked for up to five days.

The interior looks modern, and you get the expected basics for an affordable price. I did miss having even a small wardrobe for clothes. The elevators are slow, so I ended up taking the stairs.

The location is great, right by the train station, and the rooms were clean. Breakfast was good too, and one staff member was kind and helpful. It’s really only suitable for a stopover, though. The facilities are basic, with no laundry service, kettle, or refrigerator, so I wouldn’t stay longer than a day.

The heating was so loud I had to switch it off at night, and the rooms felt dark and depressingly small. I stayed five nights, with nowhere to put my luggage except on a plastic chair. There was no cabinet, no place to unpack, and not even a glass in the room or a refrigerator. The bedding and window curtain were plastic too. Everything felt like it was done on the cheap. Some of the staff were nice, but the older woman at breakfast was rude every time and made comments about foreigners. This place was a bad joke. I can’t recommend it at all.