Leaving Friday. Will arrive FRA early Saturday morning. Planned to go directly (by train) to Stuttgart. But now just read about Marc Chagall windows in St Stephans Church in Mainz and would love to see those. So thinking maybe we should just go directly to Mainz, overnight there, and then go to Stuttgart the next day. Also, since my husband gets really, really tired after a long flight (some health issues there), and since Mainz would take less time to get to, this might be a good idea.

Any hotel suggestions?

I think the cathedral in Mainz is wonderful. I liked it much better than the one on Cologne. It is quite dark, but also very old and has this massive feeling about it. Truly worth a visit. My husband likes the Guttenburg museum, so that might be a good place to visit. The area near the cathedral is also a lovely shopping area, lots of half-timbered buildings with unique stores inside.

Sorry I do not have any hotel recommendations as I never go there overnight! I do think staying there overnight before heading off on a train trip is a good idea.

Thanks for your response, Mainhattengirl. I checked tripadvisor and am googling some hotels in Mainz now.

Mainz is good for a quick overnight stop, I would recommend taking the 27 minute ride on the S bahn from the airport train station (Regional station) to Mainz so you don't have to drive after the long flight. You should pick up the car in Mainz to drive to Stuttgart.

I usually stayed at the Hyatt which is my favorite because it is the best hotel in Mainz. It is about a 5 minute walk to the Roemisches Theater station (one stop before the Hauptbahnhof). I have also stayed at the Mainz Hilton once which was good for getting on the Rhine river boat. The Mainz City Hilton is closer to the Hauptbahnhof. Mainz is small enough that you can easily walk to the Cathedral from any of the hotels I mentioned above.

I would also recommend the Heiliggeist restaurant which is a great informal restaurat built inside an old church cleverly converted into a modern design restaurant (less expensive).

I meant to add the restaurant website:
http://www.heiliggeist-mainz.de/

To me the best formal restaurant in Mainz is the Bellpepper inside the Hyatt hotel. I appreciate the superb service, food quality and presentation.

I also like the Chagall windows in Mainz - we discovered some more in Metz, in France, in the cathedral there!

You will not be disappointed. They sell some lovely books and cards there, too.


St Stephen's Church
Kleine Weissgasse 12
D-55116 Mainz
Germany


Hours
February 1 to November 30

Open 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 Closed Closed
Closed 12:00 12:00 12:00 12:00 12:00
Open 14:00 14:00 14:00 14:00 14:00
Closed 17:00 17:00 17:00 17:00 17:00

December 1 to January 31

Open 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 Closed Closed
Closed 12:00 12:00 12:00 12:00 12:00
Open 14:00 14:00 14:00 14:00 14:00
Closed 16:30 16:30 16:30 16:30 16:30


Cost
FREE

I just made a reservation at the Hyatt. Thanks, everyone.