I was at the Innside on business for the 2008 Expo Real international real estate convention, and my experience was excellent in every respect.

I arrived a bit early for check-in (around 11 a.m.), and the staff was quite hospitable. I offered to wait or go out for a few hours, and instead, without asking for any special concession, the desk upgraded my room and give me immediate access. (Nice touch, particularly during a convention when bookings are running 100% at top rates.) I was checked in within minutes, told about the hotel's amenities and given my room key.

Upon entering my room, I was pleasantly surprised by its cleanliness and simplicity. The Innside is an ultra-modern hotel, which is not entirely to my tastes, but it was kept neat and clean which is all I ask for when traveling on business. You can take a look at my photos and you'll see what I mean.

The hotel features wireless internet for a fee. My room, however, had a wired broadband connection that was included for no additional charge. Another really nice touch.

As in many new European hotels, the toilet is in a separate room, and the sink is off to one side of the main room. The shower is a three-sided glass box, also in the middle of the room (and I mean in the MIDDLE of the room), which at first is a little strange. But I was traveling alone and the arrangement had the added advantage of allowing me to watch television while showering.

The room is appointed as one would expect -- telephone, television (tube, not flat screen), mini-bar, lots of towels and a queen-size bed. About the only thing that was missing was a clock radio, which is hardly a problem as most business travelers carry a cell phone and a blackberry both of which have clocks and alarms.

A big bonus of my stay was the included buffet breakfast. Breakfast is served in a nice, well-lit and airy dining room on the hotel's second floor. This is not your typical skimpy breakfast buffet (for which you would expect to pay 15 Euros or more); this is a full spash: three types of scrambled eggs, cheese blintzes, three types of fresh bread, fresh fruit, yogurt, cheeses, sausage, bacon, sliced meats, cereal, juices, coffee, tea... just about anything you can think of for breakfast and it's all included. My single biggest complaint when traveling on business is that the hotel breakfast is lousy -- not even that I have to pay for it. The Innside folks, however, do as nice a buffet as I have every had and it's included. (Lunch and dinner are a-la-carte. I ate lunch during my stay and it was also very good and reasonably priced.) Oh -- before I forget: there's a chef that will also cook eggs and omelettes to order.

Another fabulous added bonus -- that I didn't discover until my last day of a five-night stay -- is that the mini-bar is free. *FREE*. When was the last time you saw a free mini-bar? Uh, how about never?? It came stocked with water, juice, soda, beer and a few snacks. There's a sign somewhere in the room (perhaps in the mini-bar itself) that says that all items are complimentary and that it gets re-stocked daily. Really nice touch!

The hotel features a pleasant courtyard with patio-type furniture, accessible from the rear lobby. As for transportation, taxis can be called at the front desk and will arrive reasonably promptly. During my stay, I waited no longer than 15 minutes for a taxi. The train station (which becomes a subway in the heart of Munich) is a convenient 15-minute walk from the hotel, and takes about 20 minutes to the center of town. While you may not be a public transportation person (particularly if you're traveling on business when cost is not an issue), the train is nonetheless an essential option at 1 a.m. when you can't find a taxi.

If I had to be ultra-critical, what could I find wrong with the Innside...? In fact, very little that has any meaning. The location was great for a convention at the Messe (2 km away), close to public transportation, clean, comfortable bed, nice restaurant, breakfast included, and a cheery and helpful front desk. Maybe a flat-screen TV...? About the only true flaw is the absence of a business center, which became evident when I needed to print out some documents. However, the front desk staff was pleased to print my documents for me promptly and without charge.

If I return for the 2009 Expo, I'll be back at the Innside!