Motel One was the choice for lodging for all the speakers at a particular conference. My first impression was: hmm, bare-bones basics. The room was small, and had no phone, alarm clock, peep hole in the door, dresser (there were a couple of shelves that double as a bedside table), movie channels on TV, or closet (there was a rack from which hangers hung), and a single shampoo-body wash combo in the bath. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn't need all those things. I always use my Blackberry as an alarm clock (to avoid learning each hotel's alarm clock), and I don't really use the phone except to call the front desk. If I'm only staying a couple of days, I usually live out of the suitcase rather than unpack into drawers. The only things I really use are the TV and blow dryer, both of which were in the room.
Then I started doing the comparison: upside vs downside. The minimalist feel, which North Americans would see as a downside, was balanced by the feel of the place. It is new and modern, decorated nicely, nothing run-down about it. The beds are comfy, the pillows too, and the ceiling-to-floor windows open. They provide a nice buffet breakfast at a reasonable price, and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. The location is next to a small shopping centre, and next to that is the train station - the ultimate convenience for getting back to the Frankfurt airport. It's within walking distance of restaurants, and across the park from the convention centre. When the breakfast area was filled with professionals in suits, you could easily forget that you were at a minimalist hotel. You were simply there, enjoying a bit of Weisbaden.
- Hotel One Wiesbaden
