Friends Hotel Düsseldorf Airport

The rooms were clean and lovely, the beds comfortable, and the shower was very nice. A/C worked great, and breakfast had enough variety for everyone to find something. We arrived late after a delayed flight, and someone waited at reception to let us into our rooms. He was very nice, though he didn’t speak English, so we used Google Translate. It’s about a 10-minute taxi or car ride from Düsseldorf airport. Getting to the airport or city by public transport takes a long time because it involves walking and changing buses. Once in the city, though, getting around is fast and easy. The transport costs we paid ended up about equal to the price difference between this hotel and ones at the airport itself. The noise insulation was good, and we really enjoyed our stay.

I slept well thanks to a very comfortable bed, and the room was lovely. The hotel was clean and presentable, though the staff weren’t especially friendly. Breakfast cost an extra €17, which seemed high. Düsseldorf Airport was farther away than I expected and not walkable. I came by train and bus 759 for €3.60, cash only, then walked through a poorly lit industrial estate. Arriving late as a solo female traveller, I didn’t feel safe. So I booked the airport shuttle at check-in for the next morning. They didn’t make the extra charge clear, and €20 felt steep. Pickup was confusing too: no one was at reception, then a man came in from outside carrying a car key and gestured that he was the driver. He had no ID or branded clothing, there was no communication, and the car was unmarked even though a branded hotel car was nearby. I was the only passenger, which concerned me. It was legitimate, thankfully, but not reassuring. The comfortable room and good sleep were positives, but the remote location, safety concerns and unclear shuttle charge would make me think twice about staying again as a woman travelling alone.

I’ve returned to this hotel several times. The rooms are clean and modern, the service is great, and there’s a pleasant bar. The airport shuttle is flexible too. If you need somewhere close to Dusseldorf airport, I’d choose this one.

We chose the sleep, park and fly deal with seven days of parking, and the start of our vacation was a mess. At check-in, the staff member couldn’t speak English and said parking still had to be paid for, even though it was included in our room fee. That nearly meant paying twice. After we paid for the room and went upstairs, we were told the shuttle wasn’t paid for either. When we went back down, the driver explained that the quoted price covered just one trip, while normally you pay for both directions. The hotel itself is great, but customer service really needs work.