I know there have been many posts on lodging near the airport, but I have some specific questions. My aunt will be traveling solo and has difficulties walking and especially with her luggage. I would love for her to stay on site at either the Sheraton or the Hilton Garden Inn but the prices are over $300 and budget is a huge issue, but convenience may be more important. Does anyone know how to get a good deal on these places? I thought about Hotwire or Priceline, but seem to only be able to bid on hotels 1.2- 8km (or something like that) from the airport.

I also thought about Motel One?

Booking.com perhaps? I've had good rates at other places using that site.

Would it be possible to stay even further away and use a taxi or car service? Public transport?

What are the constraints?

She has a mobility and budget issues, we understand these.
Lodging near the airport, why?

I have stayed at the Airport Sheraton. But in reality, she would likely to walk MORE by staying at Sheraton than if she took a taxi from the airport to a hotel with street level access. I don't know if a Franfurt airport mobility assistant can take her all the way to the Sheraton. If not, she has to drag the luggage across the overpass route. She can bring the push cart all the way to the registration area. Also, the Sheraton is huge and unless she gets a room close to the elevator, it can be quite a walk to the room.

Another thing is the choice of Frankfurt as a layover point. It is huge so if she cannot handle that, she needs a mobility support.

There are places like Steigenberger Airport Hotel Frankfurt with 24hr airport shuttle service at a fraction of Sheraton price.

I also think it would be easier for you aunt to come out and get in a taxi that will take her to a hotel in Frankfurt, where she doesn't have to walk so much. The walk to the Sheraton and the Hilton are both quite far from the arrival areas. Getting a taxi is less strenuous.

If those hotel rooms at the airport are going for 300 euro, then there must be a trade fair in town, and then all the hotels will be expensive. What were the dates?

The Meininger hotel seems to be an option. I booked an overnight stay there for my wife's sister-in-law and her son about a month ago. The hotel has a free shuttle from the airport (terminal 2), and charge €3 for the trip back. The room rate was € 60 (double room) plus €9,50 for breakfast p/p.

I've stayed at the Steigenberger Airport Hotel - it's quite OK, if a bit impersonal, and I don't recall paying anything for the shuttle either way. The shuttle goes quite frequently, but you would have to cross a lane of traffic (not real traffic but airport buses) with luggage to get to their bus stop. It was also quite a way from where our plane came in (lots of walking through the terminal), but you can hardly control that sort of issue. Had you thought about asking if hotels / airport staff can help people with mobility issues? Maybe if they know someone is having issues they could arrange to meet them on the pavement next to the terminal? Or at least provide help up to the bus stop?

It also wasn't crazy expensive at the time - I booked with hotels.com .

Lavandula

If you tell us the airline and the date, we can offer you more specific answers to your question, such as prices and ease of travel. If arriving at terminal 2, it is different than terminal 1. The taxis are right outside the doors of each terminal at every single arrival gate. Terminal 1, has 5 arrival gates for example. If your aunt comes in at C, this is quite a walk to the shuttle bus for the Steigenberger. Airline has staff to help with mobility issues, with wheelchairs or golf carts.

The shuttle to the Steigenberger stops at terminal 1 and terminal 2, it is free and runs every 20 min. At terminal 1, it stops by Arrivals A-1. There are no streets to cross to get on this bus, as it pulls up alongside the terminal itself. At terminal 2, there are only 2 arrival gates, but one can check on the hotel website where it will list where the bus stop is located.

That's interesting about stopping at terminal 1 - when we went (last year), they did not tell us about terminal 1, and we had to get to terminal 2 with our luggage. To us it wasn't a huge problem but had we known about the 2 stops of course it would have been better. Now I am trying to remember how we found out - if hotels.com.au told us or if we looked on a website ... at any rate the bus stop I mention in my post above is the one at terminal 2.

Lavandula

We stayed at Express Holiday Inn Frankfurt Airport and paid 42 euro for a double room (breakfast included). They have a shuttle that costs 5 EUR and runs very frequently.