A slight delay in writing this review, (as we visited back in December for 3-nights) however this is by no means to detract in any way how superb is the Pullman!
Having read previous reviews, I emailed the hotel a fews days in advance requesting a room with a view of the Dom (cathedral), of which the staff were more than happy to oblige. On arrival it was of course very cold, so it was of great comfort to find such a well-renovated, modern, and attractive room with a perfect Christmas-time view! I must pay particular compliment to the beds and pillows in this hotel. We are all in our 20's so you know, back-ache is not too much of a problem at this stage (!) however these beds are to die for! It has probably been the best sleep I have gotten for a very long time, and my 3 companions all commented on this so we can't all be wrong (right?)... and after walking around Cologne all day I think that this is a highly important factor!
For other positives regarding the hotel room: the bathroom was very modern, always super-clean and had a great shower. The TV was in perfect working order, complete with BBC world news and of course BBC1 and 2 (for those who need their dose of Eastenders). There was also a safe (pretty much standard), mini-fridge, and a kettle provided for tea/coffee.
In regards to the buffet-style breakfast: we ate here on all 3 days as it was included in our package, secondly, because to be quite frank it is probably the most convenient way to stock up for the day as we pretty much walked everywhere, and I suppose most importantly, they provide you with pretty much everything you could require and to a high standard at that. A few examples.. croissants, pastries, bread, fresh fruit, juices, cereals, cooked and cold meats (including sausages of course), great eggs, plenty of good coffee and tea etc etc. As for dinner, we only ate at the hotel once and this was at the downstairs bar so very relaxed and good standard food.
In regards to other services: the concierge at the hotel was extremely helpful. You may obtain your own maps of the city centre such as from the main bahnhof (station)- just go to the information desk for these, however the hotel will of course provide you with maps of the area. This may be of more use as they will be more than happy to circle where other tourist attractions are in relation to the hotel. There is also a computer room with free access to the internet located opposite the elevators which is quite useful if you don't have access to a laptop or do not want to pay the fee!
Location-wise: I personally feel that the Pullman hits it pretty much on the mark. You can't really get lost as it's just one straight road to the city-centre and cathedral (for anyone who is terrible with directions!) and just a short walk at that (and I mean 5-7 minutes..) I also should point out that it's close but without being too close for me to notice any traffic/noise disturbances from our rooms. Additional info: it costs only 2.50 euros for a single adult train ticket from the airport to the main bahnhof (HBF) from which you can walk to the hotel and vice versa.. so if you do not fancy paying 30 euros for a taxi you may like to consider this option!
To end my rather lengthy report: Cologne's a beautiful city particularly at Christmas time (do go for the Christmas markets- they are magical!)... I'd also highly recommend a visit to the Ludwig museum (Dali, Warhol, Picasso, Lichtenstein plus others and all amazing), Chocolate museum/factory (free Lindt Dor tasters), Gestapo Prison (a once nazi-prison turned museum... purchase the headphones for English travellers to get the most out of this experience), the Cathedral (dates back to the 16th century, and good for believers and non-believers alike) the Rhine, and of course the Pullman makes it perfect!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
