Holiday Inn Express Hamburg City Centre

Occupying a boxy monochrome block -- that was previously a tax office -- the Holiday Inn Express Hamburg City Centre certainly looks every inch the functional modern chain hotel. Entrance is either through the street entrance or via the rear parking area. Much of the ground floor is an open-plan space stretching along one side of the building and encompassing the reception, restaurant, and bar areas. Interiors combine dark wood effect with purple patterned carpets and low-level lighting to create a smart business-like and contemporary vibe; a signature scent helps to add a little ambience. The hotel was built in 2009, and still feels modern and well-maintained throughout. Business guests make up a large share of clientele, and they can often be seen bent over laptops in the lobby lounge. This is also a popular choice for leisure travelers -- both couples and families with kids.

Despite it's name, the hotel is actually set on a busy, tree-lined road in the largely residential neighborhood of Hohenfelde, to the east of central Hamburg. It's a five-minute walk to the two nearest U-Bahn stations (Wartenau and Lübecker) which connect to the city center in under 10 minutes, or 15 minutes to the Reeperbahn nightlife district. Around 10 minutes away on foot is the Mundsburger Kanal waterway that leads to the picturesque shores of Hamburg's Outer Alster Lake. Just over five minutes' walk away is the Hamburg Landwehr S-bahn station for regional trains and direct links to the Hamburg Airport in 20 minutes; otherwise it's around a 20-minute drive from the hotel.

Decor throughout the hotel's 179 guest rooms takes its cues from the lobby area, with darkwood paneling, patterned carpets, and a smart and modern business-like feel. Rooms either overlook the busy road, with only faint traffic noise when windows are closed, or the quieter car park to the rear. Family rooms add sofa beds for up to two kids. Amenities include 32-inch flat-screen TVs (with a few English-speaking news channels), coffee- and tea-making facilities, and electronic safes. There's no minibar or fridge. Black-out curtains, pillow menus, and comfy beds help with a good night's sleep. Wi-Fi is free of charge and reliable. Spacious modern bathrooms provide step-in showers, wall-mounted hairdryers, and wall-mounted soap and shampoo dispensers.  

Features here are scant. A buffet breakfast is always included in the room rate, and provides a plentiful spread of hot and cold items in the bright modern surrounds of the hotel's dining room. Although there's no proper restaurant on-site, a bar is open around the clock for drinks and there are a couple of vending machines that dispense snacks. Business-oriented facilities include a meeting room and two internet terminals, plus Wi-Fi is free and fast throughout the property. Secure underground parking is available for a daily charge without reservations. There are no health or fitness facilities on-site.