ibis Nuernberg Altstadt

The hotel is very central, near the main train station, and the price was relatively low, so we picked it for our three-night family visit. The place was generally clean and tidy, but run down in spots, noisy, and the staff were unfriendly. The receptionist barely spoke, didn't wish us a pleasant stay or offer help, and made it feel like we were a bother just for being there. The lift to our sixth-floor room looked shabby, its door seemed faulty enough that we nearly took the stairs, and the floor directory didn't match the buttons. The room was reasonable and clean, though the mattress was uncomfortable despite having a topper, and there was a gap in the ceiling above the shower. Outside the window, an air conditioning unit or fan hummed constantly, from mildly annoying to distracting, 24/7. Staff never asked if we were comfortable, and we didn't feel confident they'd address these problems. I'd go somewhere else if I could.

After speaking with the manager and Expedia, Ibis agreed to refund the full amount so I could follow Mr. Elsayed's advice and find a five star hotel. Looks like Ibis has its own bottom line. At 21:00 on Dec 2nd 2025, I spoke to receptionist Mo Elsayed in English because there was only a trash bin in the bathroom and none in the bedroom. He said he didn't understand “trash bin,” so I showed him the bin by reception. He suddenly got annoyed and said this was a two star hotel, and if I wanted more I should go to the five star hotel next door. Very rude. Yes, great idea, but please refund my remaining two days so I can take Mr. Elsayed's advice. If you look at replies to one star reviews, Elsayed is one of them, titled guest experience leader. He really gave me an “experience.” Ibis knows the management and gave the right title to the right person. Keep up the good job, Ibis!

The breakfast was good and the location was great, but the rooms were very plain. Most of the front desk staff were consistently surly, though one woman improved after some encouragement. The guy in the kitchen was a nice bloke.

The shower wouldn't drain, so each time we used it the bathroom and hallway flooded. Staff made no effort to fix it. They reluctantly gave us towels to mop up ourselves, and by the end of our two nights there was a pile of soaking, smelly towels on the bathroom floor. It wasn't the birthday getaway I'd hoped for. The air conditioner blew out such a strong smell of old cigarette smoke and mould that we could taste it. When we asked for it to be turned off, we were told it was controlled centrally and nothing could be done. Whatever was in the unit had both of us coughing all night, and I needed my inhaler. I would have left if another room had been available in the city, but the football was on and everything was booked. Apart from one person, staff treated basic requests like retrieving our bags as if we were an inconvenience. We paid over 100 euros a night for a worse experience than a youth hostel, and I wouldn't stay at an ibis again.