Arrived with tour group just before midnight due to travel delays for one night stopover. Quick check-in. Room basic but clean and adequate which is more than can be said for the small 2 person + cases lift. Breakfast in pleasant breakfast room of juice, cereal, cheese, meat and bread was sufficient. No shops in the immediate locality as far as we could see.

The Buschhausen from the outside looks hardly like a great accommodation--a dated beer sign, a location just off Karl Marx Allee, and a lobby which seems a little faded. But the service is excellent--unusually warm and friendly for this part of the world, and, despite the 1970s-looking corridors, the rooms were clearly to four-star standard. The bar and restaurant were convivial--the breakfast only lacking in its repertoire of non-pork deli items. Add in a very cheap price off Orbitz and the place is well worth the short cab ride from the station. A truly memorable place.

Can't recommend it. As other reviewers have noted, the
rooms are spartan, or even shabby. My single room was
very small, and somewhat threadbare - but for one short
night at the cheapest price I could bear, that was not necessarily a problem. What was
more of an issue is the smoke. They don't have a concept
of non-smoking rooms, and my room, though not strongly
reeking, was in that unpleasant state where all the curtains,
carpets etc are impregnated with smoke, just enough to force
itself on your attention all the time you're awake.

It's also a long walk if you stay in the city after the last
bus (which is at 23.30 on Fridays). For the same rate you
pay on a discount site for this hotel, you could stay
in an Ibis nearer the centre at rack rate - more impersonal
maybe, but more comfortable.

Incidentally, "tranquil location near the forest" is
also "on the ring road" - not that that was a problem,
as Aachen is dead after midnight outside the centre.

The hotel is pleasantly situated in the suburbs near woodland walks. There is a good bus service into Aachen but this does mean that it sits on the corner of two busy roads controlled by traffic lights so expect some noise.

I had no problems with the swimming pool.

The bedroom however was spartan with no carpet on the floor and the only mirror was in the bathroom (shower not bath actually).

The central heating worked fine.

The eating area was very cramped and the evening meal took forever because of the slow service.

The staff at reception were pleasant and helpful.