2021.12 Germany and Christmas Markets (part 2) – Hampton inn by hilton, frankfurt city centre messe
Our first hotel during this trip was a simple Hampton Inn. It is located well for those attending the convention (Messe) centre, and it is close to both U-bahn (subway) and S-bahn (local trains) public transit, and is very close to the main north/south Autobahn (highway) traveling through Frankfurt. Overall, it was a great stay with one small opportunity for improvement.
Location
The Hampton by Hilton Frankfurt City Centre Messe is located on Europa-Allee and is filled with many other hotel brands catering to the convention centre nearby. Construction was occurring to expand the u-bahn in the area, however being a weekend, and being jetlagged I’m not which was the reason we didn’t hear any construction noise. (We checked out on a Monday and did not hear any construction then either)
We arrived by taxi, as navigating public transit with luggage and a side of jetlag is not something I subject Little Miss to at the start of our journey. Given the early hour at Frankfurt airport, we quickly found a taxi, and was at the hotel within 40 minutes. It would have been faster, however that construction required a few detours around the local area.
Service & Breakfast
Upon arrival, we were not only able to check-in early, but also was invited to enjoy their complementary buffet breakfast, that was located in the lobby area off to the right (elevators were located to the left of the main entrance). After quickly depositing our luggage in our room we returned to the buffet to have breakfast. In fairness, the Hampton Inn brand offers a free breakfast, however I think and feel that the presentation, selection and quality available in Germany is significantly greater than their North American counterparts. Here a picture of the buffet area:
There were several hot items available with eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns and a waffle maker. For cold items there were cold cuts, cheese, yogurt, fruit and vegetables. There is something about the buns in Germany that make them so tasty and delightful to eat!
After we had enjoyed our breakfast we returned to our room and fell asleep. I was so tired I didn’t take pictures of the room, however did take this one of the bathroom:
After many hours of excellent sleep we headed out for the day. In fairness it was a standard Hampton Inn room.
Parking
The hotel has a parking garage that is available to guests being charged a daily rate. If up for the challenge, there is a small amount of on street parking that is significantly cheaper (and free overnight I was told) if you can find it.
As we had rented a car for the trip, I elected to park in the underground garage for convenience. When I arrived at the rental car desk near the city centre, the conversation went something like this “I’m sorry but the BMW 3 series you reserved is not available. The only vehicles available is either an Audi A3, or a BMW M 440i.” It was not hard to make that decision! I was happily surprised with the Zurich plated neighbour when we parked in the garage:
But…
Now this is personal preference, however it is worth noting that the bed at the Hampton Inn was on the firm side. It was so firm, that I would wake up with pain from trying to sleep on my side. Little Miss joked upon getting into the rental car “Can I sleep in this?”, as the seats of the car were much more comfortable than the bed, even though they were performance oriented and were not overly plush or as squishy as a 1980s Cadillac or Lincoln (aka chesterfields with wheels).
Finally, the hotel stay was great. It was a five minute walk to either S-bahn or U-bahn station. There was a mall near the U-bahn where several restaurants were located where we gladly had dinner the first night while extremely jetlagged. Given the price point, the hotel was just what we needed.
Explore other parts of this trip:
Part 1 – Introduction, Maple Leaf Lounge Toronto and Flight to Toronto
Part 2 – Hampton Inn by Hilton Frankfurt (this post!)
Part 3 – Frankfurt and area Christmas Markets
Part 6 – Dusseldorf Christmas Markets
Part 7 – Cologne Christmas Markets
Part 8 – Frankfurt Airport Hilton Garden Inn
Part 10 – Frankfurt Maple Leaf Lounge and Air Canada Frankfurt to Toronto