Colmar Hotel

The Colmar Hotel is in a plain modern building that's as charmless as the bland street it sits on, beside a parking garage and the railroad tracks. The inside is more interesting, with a small lobby painted in black and yellow, housing a gray couch and chairs next to a mural depicting the canal that runs through the historic city center. Around the corner, the reception desk and bar are framed by large wooden beams in a geometric pattern, and the space opens up into a large lounge and breakfast room. The same kind of beams form sharply angled shelves along one wall and other murals decorate the walls beside high tables. Guests are a mix of business travelers and tourists looking for affordable rates within walking distance of the historic city center's attractions. 

The hotel sits on a residential street close to the city's historic main train station, which is about a three-minute walk away. Colmar's cobblestoned Old Town is about a 15-minute walk from the hotel, and the popular Little Venice (La Petite Venise) area filled with restaurants and bars, is a few minutes farther. The gothic St. Martin's Church is a 16-minute walk away. Colmar is located in northeastern France's Alsace region, near the German border, and it's positioned on the popular Alsatian Wine Route. Access to other towns along the route are easy via trains and buses that depart from the station right next to the hotel. Colmar Airport is about a 12-minute drive away.

Each of the hotel's three floors has a different color theme in red, yellow, or blue. This is carried into the 42 air-conditioned rooms, where wood flooring and a light-gray palette are livened up by the floor's corresponding color on accent walls and bedskirts. A functional design includes built-in wardrobes and desks with retro chairs. Rooms have twin or double-size beds with back-lit headboards and articulated reading lights. Free Wi-Fi comes standard, as do flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and electric kettles. Family rooms add extra twin beds, and upgraded rooms have Nespresso machines. Bathrooms are modern, with heated towel racks and rainfall showers equipped with handheld showerheads. On the downside, windows are small, and noise from the trains can be an issue, especially in rooms at the back of the hotel. 

Facilities are limited at Colmar Hotel, as the property lacks a full restaurant and wellness facilities of any kind. However, the lobby bar has an espresso machine and opens to an outdoor terrace with umbrella-covered tables. The space is shared by a breakfast room, and a well-reviewed continental breakfast buffet is included in all rates. A large bathroom in the lobby has a baby changing station, but there's no other family-friendly facilities. Free parking is included in an outdoor lot, and there are limited spaces in an adjacent parking garage.