After completing their renovation this hotel is fab again. Wonderful new rooms with up to date equipment. Thanks to a fab upgrade I enjoyed a view onto the lake Alster. I hope the lobby (carpet) will get the needed facelift as well soon. Their restaurants and bar are fantastic and of outstanding quality. Breakfast however could be nicer presented and could have a nicer variety.

Arrival:
As the hotel is next to the Austenalster which is close to the central station, the best is to take the S-S-bahn which took me around 15 minutes. Take the north exit in order to get directly into the direction of the hotel. It is a short 5 minutes’ walk.
Reception area is not yet renovated thus it really looks like it is old and in urgent need of renovation. The carpet for example is really worn.
Room:
I booked a room via their homepage and after several sad reviews I asked in advance for a renovated room. Answer was prompt and stated that I will get one for sure. I have to admit that normally I would not stay at the Atlantic but was curios for their new rooms and efforts to become a true 5 star again in Hamburg. During check-in which I did at 11am I was warmly greeted and the room was also ready. I asked about the renovation and was told that only third party bookings will get the “soft modernized” rooms ( I took a picture of the hallways from these). And they are still renovated some of the rooms. In total 131 of the to be 241 rooms will be renovated. So I took my superior room and were really excited to see it.
The floors look nice and very modern with high ceilings but half of the hotel is still undergoing some renovations (early November 2011) why the really hallways are not accessible. My room was at the end of the corridor facing the backyard (not view at all) but thus also no noise from the construction side. The room itself was of size that one would expect form a 5 star hotel , fresh and modern. Also the bathroom was totally new and optimal used, even so pretty small at all. The bed was also new with nice soft line and blankets. In my personal opinion it is too soft.
Highlight is the closet/cupboard which is of a decent size and includes a full sized minibar. What I did not like about the room is its cleanness. It feels really sterile and not warm at all. For me some paintins are missing.
Only downside is the window which is still old and did not close fully, thus let in some noise.
Breakfast:
Breakfast is served in the Alster view restaurant and provides everything one would expect from a 5 star grand hotel. Nice view, friendly staff and broad choice of food and beverages. But be aware that grand hotel also means charm of the eighties in buffet style.
In contrast to other reviews I was offered fresh juice and did not have to pay for it.
Summary:
For the provided rate it is a good hotel and woth the 5 stars in Hamburg for sure. But once more I prefer the more modern hotels, also regarding the guests, which in my case would either be the Sofitel Alter Wall or Meridien.
The “Spa” and pool area is still in the not renovated part (building out of the sixties) and looks like an old 3 star hotel area (I suppose it will be destructed and newly build). Thus I consider it as not existing at the Atlantic.

My wife and I have stayed in quite a few hotels in Hamburg over the last 15 years - from cheap and bad to luxury. This weekend no rooms were available at our favorite Hamburg hotel, so we were quite excited to try another of Hamburgs old classic hotels.

Even though we got an upgrade to a spacious, refurbished deluxe room, we feel a bit disappointed. Hotel Atlantic just isn't that superior!

The good: Large room, lovely bathroom, excellent breakfast.

The bad: The heating in the room didn't work. The staff must have known it didn't work because they didn't even bother to see if they could turn it on. Instead we got an eletric radiator. The renovated hallways and room had a cold and uncharming atmosphere.

The really bad: Live music till VERY LATE from one of the party halls in the hotel spoiled a nights sleep - even with ear plugs. We could probably have changed room in the middle of the night, but with a party that night our room (and others) should never have been used for guests. There was a bad smell from tobacco smoke and old ashtrays just outside the breakfast restaurant.

The best hotel we have ever stayed in. A bit of a splurge but a real 5 star hotel with loads of charm and amazing staff. If you can afford to, it is the only place to stay in Hamburg. Only a ten minute walk from the station.