The hotel is housed in a very interesting old German building. It is situated on the edge of the old town - the location may be off-putting to some (sex shops and lively bars in the immediate area), but leaving those aside the location is most convenient.

The hotel is spotlessly clean, reasonably priced and staff are extremely friendly. Rooms are basic but comfortable -each with an en-suite bathroom with shower only which is clean, functional and with loads of hot water. Towels are changed on a daily basis.

Breakfasts are adequate - served buffet style.

There is also a free internet facility available in the reception area which is staffed 24hrs a day.

This hotel is ideal If you are looking for reasonably priced, clean and friendly accommodation convenient to the centre of Cologne.

I would certainly use this hotel again.

I made a late booking at the hotel for a recent business trip, price was the main factor in my choice. The location probably isn't the best for families, with a number of sex shops on the same street and some 'interesting' bars in the vicinity (including Boners)!! No problem as such other than the noise late at night. Shutting my window made no difference and also the internal doors were particularly useless at hiding sound from the corridors.....I had to wear my iPod to get to sleep! The rooms were basic, although on a positive note the hotel is quite historic and quaint. Breakfast also fine and the staff polite. Location ok, walking distance to the Old Town. Wouldn't stay here again by choice, mainly because of the lack of sleep I got (and I normally sleep like a log).

The Hotel Ahl Meerkatzen is situated in the heart of the city, 10 mins walk from the main railway station and cathedral, 5 mins walk from the Rhine and near to the Heumarkt tram stop (it's quicker to walk from the main station than to catch a tram from the station to Heumarkt) and chocolate museum. The hotel staff are friendly and helpful and most of the rooms are clean, comfortable and spacious.

We had requested double rooms for all of our party, but all the rooms had single beds which we had to push together. One of the couples we travelled with was allocated a room barely larger than the two single beds pushed together but when they requested a larger room they were moved without any problems. The feather filled, shapeless pillows which seem to be fairly common in Germany weren't very comfortable, but the beds were OK (although I am renowned for being able to sleep anywhere!).

The en suite facilities were basic and the shower overflow system consisted of a drain in the middle of the bathroom floor, which flooded the whole bathroom when the shower was used. We worked out that the trick is not to put the towel on the floor until AFTER you have had a shower!

There is no bar in the hotel but each room has a reasonably priced minibar, although personally I would have preferred tea/coffee making facilities, which weren't provided.

This hotel is ideal for those travelling on a budget, but be aware you need to be fairly open minded to stay in this area. There are at least 3 sex shops in the vicinity (including one next door to the hotel which displays its wares in the window) and two transvestite bars less than 100 metres away. That said, the hotel is clean, quiet and friendly and the area does not appear particularly seedy, unless you include seeing gay couples holding hands, which is fairly common throughout Cologne.