Heidi

I'll be travelling to Frankfurt in a few months for an overnight stay before heading south via train. I know I'll be wiped out with jet lag, and so I don't want to travel too far for a hotel. The following morning, I need to get to the Hauptbahnhof. Can you recommend a decent hotel (I'm a young woman travelling alone so safety is a concern), which offers either a shuttle from the airport or is within the airport itself? Also, how far is the main train station from the airport? I'd be willing to travel a short distance in order to be closer to the train station. A hotel with shuttle service from the airport and to the train which offers decent food and a good day's/night's rest is ideal! A price range up to $150 is acceptable. Thank you!

Melissa

I stayed at the Sheraton, which is across the airport (just a quick hop over the walkway) and it was totally comfortable with great service. The staff was great with giving me directions to town, too. You could stay there your first night and milk the staff for all the information you need!

abc

Heidi,<BR><BR>I understand that you are concerned with jet lag. That is certainly a problem for most. I have had great luck with taking over the counter sleep medicines and catching 4 or 5 hours of sleep on a trans Atlantic flight. Call the Airline in advance and get a seat by the emrgency door. If you get a comfortable enough seat, you can very easily catch enough sleep so you can avoid paying 150 Euros just to overcome jet lag. (It is even easier if you are flying business or first class.)<BR><BR>Why not consider getting out of the airport and travel an hour or so by any train. Unless you are planning to stay in Frankfurt for a few days, just get on the first train you find at the Airport train station and go. You'll find the smaller the town the smaller the hotel bill and the beer and food will be cheaper and tastier.<BR><BR>There is the train station at the airport. You can easily travel from Frankfurt to the Rhine if you want. Or, you can catch a train to Heidelberg. Or, you can simply catch a train and wing it by going anywhere a train can take you. You will be surprised how many Zimmer Frei's can be found in walking distance from any train station. <BR><BR>Find a room somewhere, get yourself a good meal and sleep enough to overcome the jet lag and then move on to your travel plans. (Be careful about the time of day. You'll find that alot of restaurants are closed in Germany between 12 Noon and 3:00)<BR><BR>Have a great trip. I'll be heading over again before the end of March. The airfares are simply too attractive to not jump on a quick trip to Germany.<BR><BR>I won't be doing the reservation thing. I never did until my last trip. I will never do reservations again, it is alot more fun just winging it.<BR><BR>Take care<BR>

Gerry K

Ditto the Sheraton. Couldn't be more convenient. (Stayed there last month)<BR><BR>Gerry K

lucky

If you are looking for something at airport with connection to trains...you ain't gonna do better than staying at the Sheraton at the Airport. Since it has been remodeled is is not only convenient, but also is one of the better hotels period. I stay there a lot and have been well pleased. You should see if you can get up graded or get cleared to use the Lounge on the 7th floor. It is quite nice<BR>or.........you can catch a cab and be closer to the Hauptbahnhof. I think there is the Le Meridien Park Hotel which I have stayed at that is a few blocks from there..and I am sure there are others. Not sure $150 is going to do it at either of these places. HOwever, you may get close given the times you want to travel. Good Luck

Mark

I agree with the suggestion to get out of the trainstation and head somewhere between Frankfurt and whatever part of Southern germany you are going to.<BR><BR>There are plenty of trains that will take you to Munich from Frankfurt. I am not sure what the opportunity is to go from the airport, but why not just go. Even if you make a mistake it isn't a big deal. Are you travelling with a rail pass. Rail passes are ideal for anyone that intends to make a mistake. Who cares if you screw up. Just get off the train, stay where ever you are and get back on in the morning<BR><BR>You say you are travelling alone and that you are a young woman. Is this your first time in Germany. Do you speak any of the language. If you have some language skills and you aren't a first timer then by all means get out of Frankfurt.<BR><BR>It is expensive and a pretty lousy place just to be to overcome jet lag. You can just as easily overcome your jet lag somewhere in a small town hotel after enjoying a fantastic meal with as few tourists as possible.<BR><BR>Have a great time

Heidi

Thanks for your suggestions, all. Mark, I do speak German pretty well, although I hesitate to call myself fluent. It's not my first time in Germany, but it is my first time travelling alone. I was in Germany 2 years ago and I was overwhelmed when we landed - that airport was so huge and we walked for what seemed like miles! I thought it would be easiest to just find the nearest hotel and sleep - but I'm beginning to think it'll be nicer to get out of Frankfurt ASAP. Any recommendations on a smaller place to stay, south of Frankfurt, maybe an hour by train?

Mark

Excellent!<BR><BR>Heidi, I am glad to hear that you may consider getting out of Frankfurt. <BR><BR>Heidi, where are you ultimately heading. You said Southern Germany. There are so many great places to go to between Frankfurt and Southern Germany. My thoughts really just involve getting out of Frankfurt. Understanding that you simply want to get some sleep, it really doesn't matter where you go.<BR>If you want some organization to your trip, I would recommend finding a map of Germany. Identify a town that is a 45 minutes to an hour from Frankfurt in the direction you are planning to go and get on the internet for hotel reservations. It is very easy to pull up these towns on the internet. Simply use a .de instead of a .com<BR><BR>The town will open up and you should be able to navigate to the hotel selections. The smaller the town the better. Well, that's how feel. Good Luck!<BR><BR>Anybody out there with small town suggestions for Heidi that will get her 45 minutes to an hour South of Frankfurt.<BR><BR>I will leave it up to the rest of Fodor's readers to offer suggestions.<BR><BR>I am not quite sure how many trains go from the Airport versus the trains that leave from the Hauptbahnhof. Maybe we can get some other Fodors readers to give us their input.<BR><BR>Have a great time. I was there a dozen times during my 20's. I look back on those trips as som of the best times i have ever had.<BR><BR>

Emily

There are 2 hotels at the Frankfurt airport. One is the Sheraton and it is connected by a walkway to the terminal. The other is the Steigenburger and it has a shuttle to bring you about the half mile trip from the airport. The Steigenburger is very European, has great food and a very nice feel to it. The Sheraton is also nice with several great restaurants and a nice indoor pool. I have stayed in both and I like them both for different reasons, one being very American and the other being very European. The Bahnhof is on the lowest level of the airport and is easily reached by the elevators or escalators. You could consider getting a local train to Heidelburg which would be about 1 hour away...or you can choose one of the 2 hotels. Another question is, what time do you land in Frankfurt....if you choose a hotel at the airport you need to specify early check in....we have checked in early at both of these hotels, but we reserved it that way. Good luck!

xxx

We stayed at a Steingenberger Exprix near the airport. It had a shuttle service and seemed to me, to be very similar to a Holiday Inn. It had to be a different hotel than the one Emily speaks of??

Barn

<BR><BR>Heidi,<BR><BR>The Frankfurt Hauptbanhof hotel area is seemy and rather scary at night. In fact it could make a pit bull nervous in broad daylight. <BR>So you are wise to seek lodging at the airport. The airport train terminal is very convenient...you go down an escalator and you are there. <BR> <BR>It is less than a half an hour from the airport to the train depot in Frankfurt<BR>.<BR>Here's an lodging alternative you may want to consider.<BR><BR>The last time I flew into Frankfurt instead of worrying about getting a descent hotel and the drama of the depot neighborhood...I instead caught the train from the airport terminal to Mainz which is 15 minutes by rail in the opposite direction from the airport. <BR><BR>I stayed at an adequate, (clean) hotel with a restaurant directly across the street from the Mainz train station. A much safer atmosphere with hotels and restaurants in the immediate vicinity.<BR> Yes, you would have an extra 15 minutes added to the usual 30 minute train ride time to the Frankfurt Hauptbonhof. But there are lots of trains going from Mainz to Frankfurt and it was nice to have a seat when the hordes piled on the train at the airport terminal. Besides Mainz hotels may be a bit less expensive than those in Frankfurt. I beleive the hotel I stayed at (a B&amp;B) was called The Tulip and 2 years ago was about 60 DM per night. <BR><BR><BR><BR>

mark

Heidi,<BR><BR>It's Mark again<BR><BR>Thought I would drop a short comment about the suggestion to get to Mainz and stay there for a night.<BR><BR>How long are you planning to stay in Germany? When exactly are you going? If it is in springtime and if the weather cooperates, why not get over to Mainz and take a Rhine River cruise. You can very easily do the ferry from Mainz to Boppard or Mainz to St Goar for the day. Grab another hotel along the Rhine and leave for Southern Germany from the Rhine.<BR><BR>Or, you can take the advice and get over towards Heidelberg. From Heidelberg you can get to Munich in about 3 hours.<BR><BR>Heidelberg is a really nice town. Can be a bit touristy, but the restaurants are excellent and the Castle is something you might want to see. You did say that you did Germany before. Have you been to Heidelberg.<BR><BR>I remember one trip a few years ago. I landed at the airport, got to the hauptbahnhof and looked for the first train that was heading south. I ended up on a train fro Lake Constance. I got off the train in Donaueschingen for the night to overcome my jet lag. Found a nice hotel, inexpensive and went to dinner there. (The Danube River starts in Donaueschingen) Can't be sure of the spelling of this town. I remember that was small, no tourists and they were all very accomodating of an American. had a really comfortable time in Donaueschingen. Anyone out there with the correct spelling of this town?<BR><BR>Ended up blowing off the Lake Constance area and wound up in Titisee in the Black Forest for 3 nights.<BR><BR><BR>Good Luck<BR><BR><BR><BR>

Mark

Heidi,<BR><BR>I did spell Donaueschingen correctly.<BR><BR>www.donaueschingen.de<BR><BR>Che ck it out. Nice place. You won't be dissapointed<BR><BR>Mark

Russ

Heidi: I agree with getting out of Dodge (Frankfurt.) If you're heading south in the direction of Munich, it's less than 1.5 hours to W&uuml;rzburg on the ICE train - no change of train needed at the main Frankfurt station for several of these - and it's right on the same rail route. It's an attractive mid-sized city with plenty of places to eat/sleep and one of Europe's most amazing palaces, the Residenz (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) which you might tour in the afternoon after a quick mid-day nap (don't sleep for too long or you'll get WAY off schedule!) I've heard good reports on the Hotel Regina there, which is, conveniently, RIGHT across from the W&uuml;rzburg Hbf train station:<BR><BR>http://www.hotel-regina-wuerzburg.de/zim_e_fr.htm<BR><BR>(hit &quot;Kontakt&quot; for the contact info. page)<BR><BR>Russ

sam

Heidi - <BR><BR>I agree with the people encouraging you to leave the Frankfurt area. I don't know where you're coming from, so I'm going to assume the US. This means you'll probably be arriving in the morning. Even easier than the train, is the Lufthansa bus to Heidelberg. It runs about every half hour (it alternates on the half hour - one goes direct to Heidelberg, the next goes via Mannheim) I believe it's around $20 and will take you 45 min to an hour. It drops you off at the Crowne Plaza, which is walking distance to the Alt Stadt. You could find a small hotel, leave your stuff, spend the day walking around, have a nice dinner and then get a good night's sleep before taking a train from HD to your next destination. The shopping is nice, the castle is fabulous and there are certainly plenty of places to eat.

andrew

Great advice, Russ.<BR><BR>Wurzburg is a terrific city. So far, given the choices in this forum, I would do Wurzburg and then the Heidelberg. Donnaueschingen is a nice town but Wurzburg or Heidelberg would be much logical choices for what you are trying to accomplish<BR><BR>

Mark

Heidi,<BR><BR>Sam has some terrific advice.<BR><BR>I would jump on that recommendation to take the Lufthansa bus to Heidelberg. In fact, if you miss the bus to Heidelberg, why not do Mannheim.<BR><BR>Mannheim wouldn't be a bad place for you to get the nights sleep you will need.<BR><BR>Or, you may find that you won't even need the sleep you think you will, and you will simply end up going for it and travel to Southern Germany from the start.<BR><BR>Have a great time.

Heidi

This is all great advice! I will definitely leave Frankfurt as soon as I land. Now, I'm looking into possibly taking a chance in Mainz, or maybe Heidelberg. My ultimate destination is the Mosel valley, so which city would be more convenient to stay in for one night? It's funny, Mark, but as I was reading this I started thinking exactly what you said! Another good reason to just wing it, I guess!

Russ

The Mosel is northwest of Frankfurt, so when you said you'd be heading south, well, we thought you meant south. Mainz is a mere 20-25 minutes from Frankfurt. It's a nice city - I used to live there - but if you can manage a little longer on the train, I'd suggest stopping somewhere a bit further along your route on the Rhine instead. The Rhine doesn't really become attractive until Bingen, where the Rhine Gorge begins; you can take in the views starting there past vineyards and castles and head north to either Boppard, a smallish place, or the somewhat more bustling Koblenz, a city with a greater selection of accommodations, food, and entertainment options. From there, you're poised for a direct assault on the Mosel; from Boppard, you'll need to take a short train ride up to Koblenz to transfer.<BR><BR>That's what I'd do, anyway.<BR><BR>Russ

Mark

Heidi,<BR><BR>We did the Rhine last year and this spring as well.<BR><BR>We stayed in Assmannshausen along the Rhine for a couple of nights and a Castle for a few nights nights around St Goar.<BR><BR>I would agree with Russ. If you are heading towards the Mosel, try to get to the Rhine. Mainz isn't bad, but the Rhine towns of Boppard, St Goar, Kaub, Assmannshausen, Rudesheim, Bingen or even Bacharach are absolutely wonderful. Depending on when you go, there really isn't any need for you to consider reservations in these towns. We were at the Fireworks last fall and it was tough finding rooms during that week, but not impossible. I doubt if you will have any problem getting off the train and finding a Zimmer Frei.<BR><BR>Unless you plan to choose a specific hotel like the 5 star Hotel Krone in Assmannshausen, you should have absolutley no need for a room reservation. You can check out Assmannshausen in past posts. There is plenty of info about these towns in past posts.<BR><BR>Have a great time.