Hotel Review

Location:

Nuremberg is situated in Bavaria, southern Germany and is a delightful place to enjoy a city break with its impressive old town, Imperial castle and wealth of museums.  The Leonardo Royal Hotel is a newly opened hotel (2021) located in the city centre just a few steps from the railway station.  As the UBahn connects the airport with the central station in only 17 minutes the hotel is both an ideal and convenient place to stay.

Arrival and check-in:

The open plan entrance lobby is very welcoming with a large reception desk facing the door and stylish modern seating by the large floor to ceiling windows.  Check-in is from 3.00 p.m. and upon our arrival at 8.00 p.m. we were greeted by a friendly receptionist who had us checked in very quickly, enquiring if we had visited Nuremberg previously and offering us a city map.

The Room:

The hotel has 238 rooms arranged over 8 floors and on taking one of the four high speed lifts up to the 7th floor we soon located our room along an attractively lit corridor adorned with modern art work.  The spacious room was stylishly furnished in muted shades of taupe and blue with everything needed for a relaxing stay.  From an incredibly comfortable king size bed complete with goose down duvet and high-end Egyptian cotton bed linen to its 50″ television mounted on a wall at the foot of the bed.

Wi-Fi was fast and reliable with useful USB charging points at the bedside meaning that we didn’t need to unpack our adapters.  The room also featured a large armchair, bench seat at the foot of the bed, work desk, wardrobe, coffee and tea maker.

The newly installed bathroom was of a good size with a powerful rainfall shower, heated towel rail and luxurious toiletries.  There was only one minor improvement that I could think of and that was concerning the hairdryer being fixed into the vanity unit drawer.  Had it not been hard wired I could then have used it in the bedroom whilst the bathroom was in use, offering more flexibility and time saving before breakfast.

Dining:

Breakfast takes place each morning in a spacious restaurant located to one end of the building and accessed by a separate lift and staircase.  The room is beautifully appointed with huge comfortable chairs around the majority of tables with cosy booths seating up to six along one wall.  Breakfast is self-service with a wide selection of both hot and cold dishes available.  Alongside the buffet, there’s an egg station with a chef on hand to prepare omelettes and/or cook eggs any way you wish.  On one of the mornings I ordered an omelette which was then delivered to my table by the waiting staff when it was ready.

In addition to the main restaurant, an informal casual dining bistro is located to one side of the lounge bar with a varied menu on offer throughout the day.

The Facilities:

Located between the lobby and the lifts is a business zone equipped with tables, power points, USB sockets and printing facilities.

The lounge bar is located to one side of the open-plan lobby featuring mood lighting which changes colour periodically from shades of orange to green.  Seats surround the bar in a relaxed style making it a cheerful spot for pre-dinner drinks.

Several individually styled seating areas are located around the lobby area, all on-trend creating relaxing spaces to rest awhile.

Out and About:

Nuremberg is a beautiful city with many of its key museums / attractions being within walking distance of the hotel.  Listed below are my suggestions of things to see and do.  All of them are included in the Nuremberg Card which offers substantial savings if visiting several museums and attractions.

Start off at the Craftsmen’s Courtyard which is conveniently located just across the road from the hotel beside the medieval walls and towers.  Stroll through the Konigstor (Kings Gate) leading into a charming courtyard of small half-timbered houses.  Here you will find handicrafts on sale alongside small inns and bakers offering traditional Franconian delicacies such as local bratwurst sausage and gingerbread.

Continue a short distance to the Altstadt (old town) which has been lovingly restored after wartime devastation.  The Altstadt is divided into almost two equal parts by the Pegnitz River which flows through the city centre.  Pause to admire the beautiful views from the Museum Bridge along Königstraße with its characterful buildings dating back to the Middle Ages.

Take a look inside Lorenzkirche (St. Lawrence Church).  Built in 1250, it has been an Evangelical Lutheran church since 1525.  Restoration work began in 1952 following severe damage inflicted on it during the Second World War.  Don’t miss its huge rose stained glass window and one of the world’s largest organs (free entry).

Next, head for the Hauptmarkt (market square) where a daily market takes place with traders offering items such as fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers and bread.  Ready for a snack, then tuck into a plate of the delicious local Nuremberg sausages from one of the stalls.

Gaze in awe at the magnificent 14th century Schömer Brunnen, (Beautiful Fountain).  It’s 19 metres tall and in the shape of a Gothic spire.  Legend has it that if you make a wish and then turn the Golden Ring, it will come true.

Move on to the western side of Trodelmarkt island to view one of Nuremberg’s most picturesque sights, that of the Hangman’s Bridge (Henkersteg).  This wooden footbridge dates from 1457 and between the 16th and 19th centuries the hangman lived in the round tower and reached the town by crossing this bridge.

Close by, stroll along the delightful Weißgerbergasse, a winding street of beautiful half-timbered houses.  Known also as Tanners’ Lane these old craftsmen’s houses reflect the wealth created by the leather working trade in this part of Germany.

Museums

Imperial Castle – Nuremberg’s castle was one of the most important Imperial palaces of the Holy Roman Empire in the Middle Ages and its residents were loyal to the empire’s cause.  The castle was so well fortified that it acted as a safe base for the head of the empire.  Take a self guided tour of the historic rooms detailing the castle’s history and displaying medieval armour and weapons.  From the ramparts enjoy panoramic views of the old town and its landmarks.  Imperial Castle

Albrecht Durer House – located just below the Imperial Castle.  Dürer  is recognised as one of the leading artists of the Renaissance period transforming printmaking from craft to fine art, often depicting religious subjects.  Take a self guided audio tour of the half timbered house where he lived and worked from 1509 until his death in 1528.  Albrecht Durer House

Nuremberg Toy Museum – contains the most important collection of the famous Lehmann tin toys depicting the history of the company including a large collection of cars, trains and steam engines.  Other exhibits include dolls, dolls houses, board games and a model railway.  The museum is a treasure trove of childhood for visitors of all ages and I would definitely recommend a visit.  Nuremberg Toy Museum

DB Railway Museum – located close to the central railway station (standard admission €7).  This museum is one of the world’s oldest railway museums having opened its doors in 1882 and is based in Nuremberg as it was in this city that the first ever German rail journey took place.  Explore the exhibition halls telling the story of the railway in Germany from its origins to the present day.  View a large number of engines and carriages including the Royal saloon car of King Ludwig II of Bavaria and a replica of Adler, the first working steam locomotive used in Germany.  DB Railway Museum

Rock Cut Cellars – Take a fascinating underground tour and learn about Nuremberg’s history of beer brewing and how this maze of cellars came about.  At the end of the 14th century there were more than 40 breweries in the city serving a population of only 30,000 people. Rock Cut Cellars

Neues Museum – Explore this cutting edge museum with its striking modern architecture which blends in surprisingly well with the medieval walls surrounding it.  The galleries combine contemporary art and design covering the period from the 1950’s to the present day.  Neues Museum

Germanisches National Museum – the largest museum in the German speaking world dedicated to cultural history and art (standard admission €8).  The building itself is a blend of old and new from its modern entrance hall through to its original building in a 14th century cloister.  Explore the magnificent former Carthusian monastery dating back to the late Middle Ages adorned with stone sculptures and religious regalia.  Highlights include Baroque dolls houses, a golden headdress of a Bronze Age priest that had been unearthed not so long ago in a farmer’s field and one of the largest displays of historical musical instruments in Europe.  Germanisches National Museum

Nazi Documentation Centre Rally Grounds – Nuremberg’s history is complex with its symbols of power from the days of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation to its dark Third Reich history as the ‘City of the Nazi Party Rallies’.  The complex where the National Socialists held six rallies between 1933-38 covered approximately 4 sq. miles.  Start with a visit to the Documentation Centre for an overview of the history of the site then walk beside the Dutzendteich Lake before viewing the stadium, congress hall and parade ground where Hitler supporters flocked to a series of mass rallies and to watch parades and processions.  Nazi Documentation Centre Rally Grounds.

Courtroom 600 – Follow this up by taking the metro across the city to visit the Palace of Justice where the Nuremberg Trials took place.  The building was chosen as the location of the major War Criminals Trial for the surviving German war criminals of the Second World War.  The city’s court was sufficiently large to host the trials and was connected by an underground tunnel to a prison from where the defendants could be securely transferred.  Take an audio guide tour of the exhibition which continues into the actual courtroom itself.  Courtroom 600

Overall:

The Leonardo Royal is one of Nuremberg’s newest hotels and is a perfect base from which to enjoy a city break.  The high-end accommodation has been designed to create a relaxing, informal stay from its stylish rooms to its public areas. All the staff we came into contact with were courteous and helpful with nothing seeming to be too much trouble and I would wholeheartedly recommend the hotel when visiting this beautiful part of Bavaria.

Details: Leonardo Royal Hotel, Bahnhofspl. 3. 90443, Nuremberg

We were guests of the Leonardo Royal Nuremberg and Tourism Nuremberg and as always all views and opinions are my own.

 

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