Birnbach Vacations from $1,414

The hotel is located in a quiet side-street in Cologne, seemingly well away from any shops, bars, restaurants. The largest drawback however was that the hotel only served breakfast, had no lounge or bar area to chill & relax, & so could really only be used for sleeping & breakfast. However, we soon located a very good - reasonably expensive - steakhouse near bye, & a collection of resturarnts about 15 minutes easy stroll away. I was attending a trade fair at the Cologne Messe, which was around 10mins away by cab, circa £16 each way. My wife used the time I was away at the show to walk along the Rhine, into Cologne centre, easy 25mins walk to the Cathedral. Nice hotel, but would not use again because of the dining/bar situation.

Clean room. Comfortable bed. Big bath tub. Breakfast was super. Close to city of Bensberg.

Lovely, quiet location right by the river. Local shops are a 5 mins walk away. Nice breakfast set-up where you can sit inside, or outside on a lovely balcony with a few tables.

Clean room, friendly staff, nice new interior.

Only light in the room was from desk lamp, floor lamp and bedside lamps. Even with all lamps on, the room was just dimly lit. No dresser for clothes, just a deep, dark cubby cabinet with 1 shelf. Easier to "live" out of our suitcases the 4 nts we were there than have to bend over, searching cabinet with a flashlight for clothes to wear. Breakfast was ok. No traditional German Brötchen. There were some small "voll korn" rolls which were nice, but otherwise just mini kaiser rolls and rolls COVERED in poppy seeds and sesame seeds. By end of breakfast each morning those were the only rolls left. Obviously not a popular item. Suggest they nix those overly seeded rolls for some traditional brötchen. Also no elevator to the ground floor, so had to carry suitcases up/down flight of stairs. Not handicap friendly. Overall rating would be a 3.8.