From a promising transfer at Hamburg airport onto the S1 train & then the # 2 bus from Altona station it all looked good.Allocated room 351 on the third floor and on entry into the room it was unmade & not ready, sheets & towels everywhere, went back to reception & allocated room 151 on first floor. All seemed okay so left for something to eat. Unfortunately the single beds are not very wide or long and while I am not very tall or very large it was an uncomfortable sleep as you felt you might roll & fall out of bed. Also it seemed to be just over the kitchen & there was a lot of noise from downstairs about 5.30/6.00 in the morning.

We asked to change for the second night & this was arranged to another room. However on arrival after a day of Hamburg Christmas markets this new room was not very warm and we could not get the heating to work. After 2 visits down to reception we were told there was an error on the computer & they could not get the heating to work in that room. So fourth room - back onto the first floor with nice large double bed & heating that worked !!! Hurray.

The staff were excellent each time in sorting it out. It just seemed it was us that were unfortunate in having all the trouble. The hotel itself is clean & modern apart from the small twin beds. It location is not a central as I would have liked but the bus # 3 stops outside the hotel & in 10 minutes you are at the Rathaus or main railway station. Certainly if you arrive late I would jump onto the # 3 bus and head downtown to eat as there is nowhere to eat near the hotel except for a McDonalds or a restarant called Atlas at the PhoenixHof 5 minutes walk away (get directions from the hotel desk) There is a small branch of the Nur Hier bakery chain across the road if like me your rate does not include breakfast but it does not open on Sundays but the ones in town do.

Ate at Leopolds Wirtshaus which was good & also opened late, there was not as many German restaurants as I would have liked but lots of Spanish tapas and others cuisines. There was a few German eateries also on Colonnaden near Stephenplatz metro stop. The Gruppenkarte at 9.60 euro for up to 5 people is excellent value for getting around on all HVV modes of transport availble fro purchase from the bus driver or at the station.