Love Travelling Blog

Hotel Review

Motel One is a design hotel chain, founded in Germany and to be found throughout Europe with one hotel in New York City.  Don’t let the name ‘motel’ put you off as the chain is far removed from the motel concept offering affordable, stylish hotel accommodation.

Location:

Motel One Hamburg Airport is situated within a fifteen minute walk from the airport terminal.  I arrived late in the evening and followed a well lit footpath to the hotel.  There were no busy roads to cross and it felt very safe.

Arrival and check-in:

The hotel has a large open plan lobby with a check-in area to one side of the bar.  I was attended to promptly and as I’d registered in advance to join the hotel’s BeOne membership scheme I was entitled to a one-off complimentary breakfast.

The Room:

I took one of the lifts up to my room on the second floor and found the room to be well equipped and of a reasonable size for a short stay.  The room lacked tea and coffee making facilities but complimentary bottled water was supplied.

The bed was comfortable and I was asleep in seconds.  The bathroom was stylish with thick, fluffy towels and a powerful shower head.

Dining:

Breakfast is served in the lobby / bar area with ample seating..  There was a good choice of bread, pastries, cheese, cold meats etc. on offer along with freshly ground coffee which woke me up nicely for the day ahead.

The Facilities: 

The lobby is the focal point of the hotel and has a convivial atmosphere.  There’s an attractive bar lounge with cosy seating areas.  It seemed very popular with numerous guests enjoying drinks in the bar whilst others were using their laptops in the well designed work areas.

Fast, reliable Wi-Fi was available throughout the hotel and was easy to connect to.  Secure parking is available beneath the building (additional charges apply).

Out and About:

Here are my suggestions of things to see and do:

It’s just a short walk to Jungfernstieg, a beautiful part of the city with its grand promenade, classical colonnades and elegant arcades.  Relax with a coffee and one of the delicious Franzbrötchen local pastries.

Take a one hour Alster boat trip departing from Jungfernstieg to gain a perspective of the city from the water.  The cruise travels along the inner Alster continuing through the picturesque Lombardsbrûcke bridge which separates the inner and outer Alsters.  The inner part of the lake is lined with imposing buildings and grand hotels whilst charming villas and parks surround the outer.

Visit the Speicherstadt district, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It’s the best known symbol of the maritime history of the Hanseatic city of Hamburg with its well preserved warehouses where tea, coffee and spices were originally stored.

If you’re a coffee lover, don’t miss out on the opportunity of visiting Coffee Museum Burg as it’s located in one of these old warehouses.  Take a guided tour and learn about the cultivation, trade and roasting of coffee beans.

If your visit to Hamburg includes a Tuesday or Friday morning then hop on the U-Bahn to Eppendorfer to enjoy a stroll through the Isemarkt, sampling its gastronomic delights.  This wonderful market stretches for 1km and is located beneath the railway bridge which provides shelter on rainy days.  It’s a foodies paradise with fresh produce, street food and coffee stalls galore.

Enjoy a stroll at Landungsbrücken, a bustling area popular with locals and tourists alike and home to two museum ships and lots of small cafes and bars.  It’s also the best place in town to sample the local fish sandwich.  It might not sound all that special but shouldn’t be missed as these are so tasty.  I enjoyed a mackerel sandwich washed down with a glass of local beer from Bruecke 10 and it was so delicious I can easily understand why these are so popular.

Harbour cruises leave from this promenade which are really interesting as you get to see the container port up close and marvel at how large the container ships are compared to the size of the cruise boat.  The tour also passes the historic Speicherstadt warehouse district which looks even more impressive from the water.

For chocolate lovers, head to Chocoversum, the city’s chocolate museum.  It’s located in the Kontorhaus district with the nearest U-Bahn station being Meßberg on the U1 Line.  Join one of their 90 minute chocolate tours which are offered in both German and English.  Standard admission €21 at the door or €15 if booked in advance and take home a chocolate bar handmade and decorated by yourselves.

The star of the show when it comes to Hamburg’s attractions has got to be Miniatur Wunderland, home to the world’s largest model railway and miniature airport (standard admission €20). Pre-booking recommended to avoid disappointment.  With almost 10 miles of track and more than 1,000 trains, the attention to detail is incredible with such things as tiny writing on vehicles and individual blades of grass.

The setting changes every 15 minutes from day to night-time when tiny apartment windows become illuminated and street lamps and car headlights are switched on. As if the enchanting model railway exhibition wasn’t enough there’s also an impressive miniature airport which features 45 different planes from an A380 to a Cessna.

Take in city wide views from the plaza of the landmark Philharmonic concert hall.  This stunning building sits on top of a 1960’s brick warehouse and has been designed to create the impression of a large liner setting sail.  Free to visit, it’s accessed by one of the world’s longest escalators with the viewing area encircling the entire building offering spectacular panoramas across the Elbe, canals and Hamburg skyline.

Overall:

An excellent value, design hotel in a quiet location close to the airport and benefitting from a nearby bus stop linking to the U-Bahn for quick access into the city centre the next morning following an evening flight.

Details: Motel One, Alsterkrugchaussee 455 – 459,  22335 Hamburg

During my stay, I was a guest of Visit Hamburg and as always, all views and opinions are entirely my own.