I stayed in this hotel five years ago (2002) and actually had a pleasant time there--the sheets were white and fluffy, the beds just perfect, the breakfast good enough...BUT not anymore!! --the quality of the hotel and the service of the staff deteriorated so much!!!
While planning my second trip to Cologne, Germany this time, I figured we could stay in the same hotel. I rechecked the reviews they have here and found satisfactory ratings. So I was confident to book the same hotel.
Unfortunately, when we got there, the place was stinky and just plain horrible. While I can tolerate the cigarette smoke, the reception area stunk of cigarette fumes you couldnt have breathe properly. The rooms were badly lit. The bedsheets have holes. The carpets were dirty. The TVs did not have remote control. The curtains were also dirty.
Service of the manager and receptionist were also terrible. The germans we met at the trip were all nice and helpful except the this hotel manager and this female receptionist.
While hotels normally bill you at the end of your stay, this hotel charged us as we checked in--they didnt even get our consent!
Not only that, when I got back home, I found my credit card bill with a duplicate charge from them posted a month before we arrived at their hotel!! (they had to take credit card details for the guarantee of the reservations!)
