WillTravel

We have one night in Cologne on Feb. 4, and one night on Feb. 10. We're taking the train to Paris in between. So I want somewhere that is convenient for seeing the cathedral (my foremost aim) and for the train station. For Feb. 10, I'm also thinking of ease to get to the airport, but I imagine that a taxi might be a good idea on the morning of Feb. 11. Any feedback on Cologne airport transit options welcome too. Perhaps for one night in each case, location is not so important - it's hard for me to evaluate when I know nothing of Cologne.

One possibility:
Dorint Novotel Köln City
Bayenstrasse 51
Available for 62 Euros, prepaid on Feb. 4 and 58 Euros prepaid on Feb. 10.
This hotel has the policy of a free breakfast for a child under 16, so the 15 Euro breakfast is not such a bad deal.

Another possibility is the similarly-priced
Mercure Hotel Severinshof Koeln at
Severinstrasse 199.

The Ibis Koeln Barbarossaplatz at Neue Weyerstrasse 4 has a 61 Euro cancellable rate.

I'm not restricted to Accor hotels - this is just one of the first places I look, and I didn't see any other obviously better choices in my initial searches.

Any ideas?

WillTravel

Another possibility is using Priceline for a 4* hotel for approximately $55 USD + taxes and fees.

Travelnut

A couple years ago, we stayed at this hotel:
Comfort Hotel Central am Dom
An den Dominikanern 3
50668 Köln

It was situated on a corner that made a 'triangle' of the main train station, the hotel and the Dom. I think it was about 100E for a twin and included a huge buffet breakfast. It was quite nice, quiet and very convenient.

It doesn't seem to be listed on the ChoiceHotels.com website, but it's listed on many others.

http://en.venere.com/germany/hotels_...el_am_dom.html

martytravels

I stayed at the Europa am Dom, on the other side of the Dom, a five-minute walk from the train station, right at the beginning of the Old Town, and two blocks from the beginning of the long parade of pedestrianized shopping streets. A better location you can't find.

martytravels

And my rate at the Europa am Dom was 49 euro a night (a single room - it's probably 10 euro more for a double) for a very clean, comfy room and a better-than-average buffet breakfast.

WillTravel

Marty, it looks like the price has gone up quite a bit for the Europa am Dom. For one of my nights, it is 89 Euros for a double room with breakfast, and the other night it is 135 Euros. It looks very good and is probably worth it - I just have to decide whether to spend that much.

http://www.cityclass.de/Europa_am_Do...pa_am_dom.html

Travelnut, my guess is that the Central am Dom hotel is no longer affiliated with Choice hotels.

WillTravel

Another possibility:
Hotel Breslauer Hof am Dom
Johannisstraße 56
69 Euros per night including breakfast.

DAX

Will:
Going by your choices(never been in any of the rooms), the Ibis has the best location though typically a step below the Mercure & Dorint. Babarosaplatz is lively at night with plenty of restaurants to choose from. My favorite Italian restaurant in Cologne is there. It's a major stop on the underground line. The Mercure is second best in terms of location. All three are far from the Dom though you can still walk to it.
Bidding for any four star hotel may put you in the Cologne Deutz side which is on the other side of the river (not as nice/convenient) which has a different atmosphere completely.

There used to be an IBIS right in front of the Hauptbahnhof & cathedral(never stayed there). I usually stay at the Sofitel am Dom, it's worth the extra 25 euro splurge for the room luxury ,service & location.

111op

I stayed at the hotel that Travelnut recommended in 2004 for a night. It was adequeate. I do remember that the furniture looked cheap, but apart from that, it really was perfectly fine. I can't remember how much I paid, but I think it was very cheap also. I was there in early October.

The next morning I took a flight to Lisbon (I think) from Cologne. The train station is nearby. There're trains for the airport every 15 minutes or so (?), and the ride is also about 15-20 minutes. Search the Cologne-Bonn airport website and you should have a list of current transportation options. There used to be a bus, but I think that it stopped running years ago (even when I was there).

Also check hotel.de (where I booked the hotel) to see if there're better rates. For Cologne during off season, I don't think that you need to attempt a PL bid -- unless you've lots of time to kill and waste.

111op

To give credit where it's due, I think Travelnut was the one who suggested hotel.de to me. (Thanks!)

WillTravel

I did check out http://www.hotels.de and http://www.hrs.de and http://www.laterooms.com and http://www.venere.com and http://www.booking.com . I agree a Priceline bid is not a very good idea.

The location of the Hotel Breslauer Hof am Dom mentioned above seems ideal - can anyone comment?

DAX

Will: I've never seen the actual hotel Breslauer but I've ventured around the area a bit and would not normally recommend it as it is dead & uninteresting. It is on the wrong side of the track and isolated by the train station which forms a good long barrier. All the attractions & lively areas are southwest of the station, while the Breslauer is on the northeast.

That said you're going on a moderately expensive weekend, so if you plan to rely only on your feet, Breslauer is indeed within the closest walking distance to the cathedral. You can always walk through the long station gate hallway.

I should refine my previous post, Barbarosaplatz is close to the Cologne university (student hangout), the major restaurant row is actually northwards along the ring road towards Rudolfplatz where I go to eat Italian. I reviewed the distances, it looks like the Mercure is the next closest hotel to the Cathedral. The area btw the Cathedral & Mercure is like a sprawling shopping district so it's lively when the shops are open.

WillTravel

DAX, are there likely to be any shops open on a Sunday in that sprawling shopping district you mention?

DAX

Sorry, I didn't realize that Feb 4 is a Sunday, I thought it's a Saturday. So far, shops in Cologne are opened only on 4 first Sundays of the months. This year it was Apr 2, Oct 1, Nov 5 & Dec. I wouldn't be surprised if they'll increase it to other first Sundays of the month next year. You can check on the Koeln.de closer to your departure. They are constantly changing the laws for shopping hours. They just relaxed the law to allow stores to open till 10pm for the first time ever starting this month (Mon-Sat).

travelgirl2

WillTravel - will you post a travel report about Cologne when you get back?

As you know, we are headed there next summer, so I'd be curious to hear of your experiences/suggestions. We will also be using it as a jumping off point...

Thank you,
travelgirl2

WillTravel

Travelgirl, certainly I will, although our stay will be quite brief. It appears our Sunday in Cologne might be one of enforced rest, as well!

DAX, thanks for that info. I guess we might end up saving more money than planned if shopping is out. I hope some attractions will be open on Feb. 4. The reason the Breslauer is attractive to me, besides the price, is that it will simplify our transit for our one-night layovers, given it seems to be only steps from the train station and steps from the airport bus.

valtor

We stayed at Breslauer this May. It is 3 minutes walk from Dom and railway station and near Rhine. Very good location!
Small but very clean rooms. Good breakfast. The people at reception desk gave us a map and good explanations.

For the price we paid, it was very good.

WillTravel

The Breslauer Hof am Dom was a good hotel. Our first room was on the dingy side, although with a good enclosed shower in the bathroom. The breakfast is very good. Our second room was very nice, with a flat-screen TV, a view of the cathedral, and a newly renovated look. It was so convenient to stand on the train platform, look to my left, and see the hotel, and then wheel our suitcases the short distance there. Getting back to the train station was just as easy. Obviously we'd prefer to get the nicer room if we go back, but we'd go back just for the convenience, friendly staff, and breakfast.

DAX

Will Travel: That's unbelievable, flat screen TV. It would help other Fodorites if you can specify what floor the better quality room is located, facing the station or away, corner room? You certainly got your money's worth.

WillTravel

I only spent about 5 minutes watching that flat-screen TV, so I hardly even gave it a thought. Oddly, we also had a flat-screen TV at our Paris hotel. I think the dingy room at Breslauer Hof am Dom was 214 and the nice room was 502. I don't want to overplay the view in the second room - you had to stand at the window (but it was a very big window), and the train station blocked the lower part of the cathedral, but it was still a nice view. I don't remember the view in 214.

A few minor drawbacks to this hotel - the keys are a bit odd, the elevator is small, and the luggage storage area is an open area next to reception. I would not want to leave a laptop there, for example.

One advantage is that they have two computers you can use for free in the lobby.