Flandrischer Hof Hotel

“Classic hotel with friendly staff”

As we in the UK know, nothing beats a Jet2 holiday, and I booked a stay in Cologne for four nights at the 3-star Flandrischer Hof for a very reasonable price. It was my first trip to Germany, and I planned to see the world-famous Cathedral and the Christmas markets. I arrived at Cologne Hauptbahnh… more

As we in the UK know, nothing beats a Jet2 holiday, and I booked a stay in Cologne for four nights at the 3-star Flandrischer Hof for a very reasonable price. It was my first trip to Germany, and I planned to see the world-famous Cathedral and the Christmas markets. I arrived at Cologne Hauptbahnhof right in the middle of the city centre, and from there it was a 20-minute walk to the hotel. Flandrischer Straße veers to the right of the Hohenzollernring as you approach from the direction of the station, so it's worth looking at Google Street View to get your bearings. I walked everywhere including to and from the hotel, but the tram is a stone's throw away should you need it. I was greeted warmly when I arrived and given a form to fill out some personal details before being given directions to room 412. I did my best to use my (basic!) German, but all staff I spoke to had good English skills and were kind, helpful and professional. They also offered to store my luggage after check-out or to ring a taxi to help get me to the airport - I'd already planned my logistics but this was a really kind gesture and I appreciated it. There are elevators available, but I will always choose the stairs and was happy to see that they were easily accessible and not hidden behind any fire doors! The foyer is spacious with plenty of seating and tables around the corner, near the stairwells. There's also a little cabinet selling some souvenirs and jewellery. Once I got to my single room, I was pleasantly surprised by how large it was and how much space I had to unpack my items. The windows were huge, and you're able to open them to let in some fresh air (although be warned, there are no restrictors on them so be careful!). My room faced out onto Hohenzollernring so there was a fair bit of noise from the main road plus the Christmas market around the corner; I wore ear-plugs to sleep which made all the difference. The Haribo sweets on the pillow were a cute touch and the mattress was very comfy. The heating's kept on, but there was a plug-in desk fan to help circulate the air if I ran a bit hot during the night. There's some commentary on TripAdvisor about the old-fashioned decor - personally I found it classic and charming. The dark wooden panelling, matching furniture, gold accents and the soft lighting throughout the hotel made for a relaxing environment, and everything was very clean. The bathroom was also modern and well-lit with good-sized towels and a powerful shower. Heads up to fellow Brits that there isn't a tea-station or a personal kettle in the room (which are rather taken for granted in British hotels). Reception have a few kettles and they'll happily lend you one if there's any available, or they'll make you a tea/coffee when they're not busy at front-desk. If it's non-negotiable for you though, play it safe and pack your own travel-kettle, teabags and UHT sachets. The best thing about being so close to Hohenzollernring is that you're near some great restaurants, the Rudolfplatz Christmas market, a DM and a REWE City if you forget any essentials (for me, it was toothpaste, but I also bought some Lindt choco for souvenirs here too). There's also an Aldi within walkable distance. If you're a runner and staying over a weekend, Aachener Weiher parkrun is only 10 minutes' walk away and they were a very friendly bunch. WiFi is available and free to use on the hotel grounds, which was a godsend as my data was very patchy whilst out and about. There was plenty of choice for breakfast and I could have something different every day from the cold buffet. Lots of fruit and veg available as well as meats, breads and cheeses. There was a great selection of teas and coffees too. I had breakfast at different times each day, and no matter how busy it was there was always space to quietly sit and take your time. All in all, I'm really happy with my stay in Flandrischer Hof and I would recommend it to any traveller staying in Cologne. I'd love to come back to see the Carnival when my German has improved, so hopefully I'll see you all again soon!

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