EJ9 Mainz Downtown

There’s no lift, so be prepared to carry your bags. The automatic check-in was straightforward. The room wasn’t new, but it was clean, with a fridge, microwave, and cutlery for making simple meals. There was just one pillow, and it was very soft. The bathroom was basic, but towels and bath towels were provided, as was a hair dryer with plenty of airflow. You also have to sort your rubbish.

The self-check-in was easy enough, with the access details sent by email. I was there for one business night, and the terminal put me on the fifth floor. I couldn’t find a lift, so I hauled my suitcase up the stairs. The room was disappointing for the price. I found a dead insect as soon as I arrived, the tap had greenish limescale on it, and the old wooden bed creaked whenever I moved. A built-in wall clock kept ticking but showed the wrong time. The toilet brush was filthy, some tiles were cracked, and the decor felt very dated.

You get an okay price for what you pay, but the boarding house is badly outdated. There’s no elevator, which makes it unsuitable for wheelchair users and people with strollers. Noise is a major issue: even with the windows shut, you can hear people on the street, in the stairwell, and talking in the next room. I wouldn’t recommend staying here.

The bed and shower were fine, and I appreciated having a little kitchen with a microwave, kettle, cutlery, and dishes. For Mainz, the overnight stay is quite inexpensive. If you know what to expect, it’s acceptable. There were ants in the bathroom, and the toilet flush button was broken and sitting beside the toilet. The standard ej9 Wi-Fi wouldn’t work. I entered and submitted the guest access code, but it just reloaded the login page, so I switched to ej9-open. That network was completely open, which isn’t recommended for security. The website lists a radio with an alarm function, but both were broken. Addendum: They got in touch after my feedback and said they would follow up.