Hamburg-Where to Stay
 

Hello and thanks in advance for your help and advice. Usually we stay in two or three star hotels but we want to stay somewhere nicer this time. Does anyone have information about the Das Weisse Haus in Hamburg or something that is a little small, centrally located and would be good in mid December? Thanks for your help.
Michael

Das weisse Haus is owned by Germany's currently most popular TV chef Tim Maelzer (sort of Jamie Oliver like). It is primarily a restaurant and actually it surprises me that they would offer accomodations, too.
The restaurant is worthwhile trying out with an interesting concept: They don't have a set menu and will serve you a surprise dinner - however, you can point out what you don't like and they will acknoledge that in the courses they serve you.
It has to be said, though, that given the current hype created by the TV show and the seemingly omni-present owner, the quality of food these days appears to be a bit shaky.

The location is quite nice , overlooking the Museum Port in Oevelgoenne. There is a bus stop in front of the Restaurant, but it isn't exactly centrally located.

Are you sure that you can stay there (apart from having dinner) ???

I recommend: "Residenz Hafen Hamburg"
Rooms 520-525 have a brillant harbour view. Very nice hotel; perfect location

Could it be that in fact you are looking at the "Das weisse Hotel" in Hamburg?

That in fact would be located on prestigious (but busy) Elbchaussee street. It's an old building that a few years ago was renovated and turned into a Senior Citizen Home. However, the location was not convenient enough for the inhabitants and rumour had it that the owners had planned to open a hotel from the beginning on, but had not been able to obtain the necessary approval from local authorities. However, after only a few of the elderly living there, they closed and shortly after re-opened as a hotel.
The location should boast some views of the river (if you happen to be on that side of the building), but apart from that isn't too convenient for seeing the city.

As I am living in the city, in general I can only comment on location and the impressions the hotels leave with me without staying there.

Micha45's suggestion of the Residenz Hafen Hamburg isn't bad, if you want to be located very near the nightlife around (red-light) Reeperbahn. The downside to me would be that there is a pretty popular nightly hang-out for tourists in the building (Tower Bar affording splendid views of the Port and the city). This causes quite some traffic inside and the building is not exactly very well guarded - so visiting patrons can stroll the aisles without restrictions. Apart from that, this should not be a bad choice and Landungsbruecken, from where tours of the port start, are just steps down the hill.

You might also want to take a look at Garden Hotels Poeseldorf. These are housed in some stately mansions in the up-market neighbourhood of Poeseldorf, right in the center of town, only a few minutes' stroll from the Outer Alster Lake and within easy reach of Dammtor Station. I have no information as to what the quality of the rooms is, but the place looks pretty charming to me should you want to stay at a smaller property.

http://www.garden-hotels.de/English/

Keep in mind that hotel prices in Hamburg are not exactly high - thus you might be able to afford to stay at a luxury hotel that you normally would not have figured in. The Park Hyatt on downtown's Moenckebergstr. is pretty good. As would be the Marriott (in a brilliant location of downtown). Also German Steak House King Eugen Block's Elysee Hotel offers casual upscale accommodations (although they never discount their rooms).

If you are interested in smaller hotels, you might also take a look at these properties - all of them individually owned and located in nice residential neighbourhoods close to the city center:

Hotel Abtei
http://www.abtei-hotel.de/

Hotel Hanseatic
http://www.hanseatic-hamburg.de/engl/home.html
(Fellow Fodorite Rex appears to have some -good- experience with this and it is usually highly acclaimed.

A webpage directing you to a collection of privately owned hotels in Hamburg would be

http://www.privathotels-hamburg.de/

And last but not least: If you don't mind staying out of the center of town (as would be the Das Weisse Hotel)), you might also want to check out Hotel Louis C. Jacob on Elbchausse overlooking the River Elbe (although their cheaper rooms are on the other side of the street with no River view whatsoever). A Hamburg classic that has been revived and arguably features Hamburg's best restaurant (portions could be larger, though, IMHO). BTW, although the Jacob and the Abtei are listed in the same category on the above mentioned website, the Jacob should be way better.

http://www.hotel-jacob.de/

Woot! Thank you hsv! I have been following the Hamburg threads, hoping to get a suggestion on where to stay. I knew what areas I did (and didn't!) want to stay. Using the website for private hotels I was able to find one. We are staying at Hotel Baseler Hof. The location is right where I want to be (by one of the Alster lakes) and, what really got me, there is a wine restaurant in the hotel. Perfect! We will only be Hamburg for one day/one night, and hopefully we will be able to get a good taste of the area.

Thanks again for your suggestions!

StLgrrl,

great!

The Baseler Hof has a good reputation for what it is. It is family owned and well taken care of in general.
I once had a friend stay there and what they were not so happy about were the rooms as they were a bit sixty-ish in their decor (but certainly clean). However, they might have been renovated by then (about 4 years ago). Expect a 2.5 star hotel for US standards. The location is great. You might want to ask them for a room facing away from Esplanade St., though, as that is quite busy.

The reswtaurant Kleinhuis is nice enough. The food is more than edible (though you definitely can have some better), and their choice of wines is impressive (also a lot of wines by the glass). They offer a three-course business lunch that is quite worthwhile.

Thank you for the review. I appreciate it. As far as the restaurant, we were mainly planning on going for the wine. After 2 weeks of German beer, I think I will be ready for some wine!

Could you give me an idea of your top three "must-sees?" I really wish we had two days, because as I learn more and more about Hamburg, I want to stay longer. I know we will try to get to St. Michael's church, but what else? How often do boat tours go around the lakes? We will be traveling from Aachen that day, probably early morning, but I don't know what time we will actually get to Hamburg. And it will be on a Saturday.

Thanks again!

StLgrrl,

My top 3:

Tour of the port (even though its likely going to be less busy during the weekend)

St. Michael's Church (climb the squire for a great view) and the nearby Krameramtsgasse

A walk along the shores of the Outer Alster (particularly near the Interconti Hotel and from North from there, the views of the "skyline" from the other shore at "Schoene Aussicht St." (Great View St.) are lovely, too.

And finally (I know, this is No. 4): A visit to the Fischmarkt (Fishmarket)on early Sunday Morning. Everything here is on sale - from fresh seafood to greenery to live animals and fresh produce. Live Jazz usually in Fischauktionshalle (Auction Hall). The adjacent "stilwerk" (styleworks) is a mall catering to upscale interior design and might be nice for some window shopping.

Forgot to add: Unless you are visiting during the winter, a most pleasant way to explore the beauty of the Outer Alster Lake would be from a boat. You can board the "Alsterdampfer" passenger boats at Jungfernstieg or other berths along the shore - or, and even better, you can rent rowing or sailing boats at a few locations. The one directly in front of the Hotel Atlantic is very uncomplicated. A typically local place to hang out (and rent a boat) would also be Bodo's Bootssteg near the Interconti on the Alte Rabenstrasse berth.

Since we're on the subject of renting a sailboat, do you know whether one needs to have a sailing license to rent the bigger sailboats in the Ausenalster? Would they accept a redcross sailing license from San Diego? I did watch someone who could barely sail took out a small sailboat from Bodo's bootsteg.

DAX,

it depends. I do have a licence, so I am not prone to encounter any difficulty, but I rented a boat repeatedly at the berth in front of the Hotel Atlantic without having to produce it. They are pretty relaxed.
I don't know anything about that San Diegan redcross licence (BTW do you live there?), but I am quite sure that they would accept it - and almost anywhere.

Thanks for the info. In California, the licensing for all levels seems to come from the Red Cross at least in the days when I got my licenses. What size of boats are available for rent?

A long time ago, I used to live in San Diego as a student but has slowly moved northward to Los Angeles, Ventura, and finally the San Francisco Bay Area. We like the fog.

Of course typo "has" should have been "have"

Hi DAX,

I envy you as you're living in the region I would love to live in most!

I am currently in the process of evaluating chances to find a (short term) work assignment in S.F. (although having family in the L.A. area and - incidentally in Ventura, which is greater L.A., of course, too) and hope for things to work out for the coming summer - although I also hope to experience the oncoming World Cup here ;-). BTW: The US team is going to stay at the Park Hyatt in Hamburg and set up camp at the former practice facilities of the Hamburger Sport Verein.

Boats for rent on the Alster are mostly small sailing boats, many of which you could sail on your own. They usually don't have a keel, but rather a sword only. And I share the strong opinion of most natives that anybody sailing with a keel boat on the Alster is hopelessly nouveau-riche (or/and from Duesseldorf...;-) ).

the text in brackets should have been:

"(although having family in L.A. and - incidentally - in Ventura I would have preferred to make it farther South)"

Well I hope you'll get the assignment, let me know if you do.

I haven't sailed much since I moved into the Bay Area as the wind is a lot more challenging than in southern California and my wife doesn't enjoy it at all. The last time I sailed (years ago) the old mast actually broke under the Bay bridge, it pretty much closed the chapter for sailing on the bay for me.

I don't know when the last time FIFA had the World Cup in Germany, I'm sure that will be the ultimate experience for everyone in Germany. The US team came a long way from the bottom last time, we hope they will do even better. I have to apologize for the fact that I don't have an idea how the German national team is doing so far, it's difficult to learn about anything outside the US when you live overhere.