Hilton HHonors - Hilton Cologne

after doing a search with all three ways of spelling ( Cologne, Köln, Koeln ) and finding nothing,I wonder if anybody of the FT comunity has stayed in this hotel ?

greetings

senatorservice

[This message has been edited by senatorservice (edited 08-15-2002).]

Yes. Stayed there this June and got an upgrade to the 4th floor, the top floor on the part of the building we were in. It was a very nice hotel. We also got free complimentary hot and cold buffet breakfast. The food was excellent, and a chef made omelettes and waffles to order. There was fresh squeezed oj, and tons of food and drink.

The hotel was an easy walk from the train station and the cathedral. We got lost trying to drive to it, but the hotel itself was great! Hope you enjoy it!

Aussiemate

I agree with Aussiemate. I stayed in a Business Plan room on the 2nd floor. I was very impressed with the hotel and its staff. The only thing is to be careful not to forget your room key (they use the room key to turn on the power when you slide it in). It's supposedly "eco-friendly" rooms. I loved the hot breakfast buffet, and the quality of the furniture (my room also had hardwood floors). if you want a health club, theirs is under construction, but offer access at a nearby hotel (it was not that convenient, and I felt bad using it more than once since the competing hotel charges the Hilton 15 bucks for every guest). Like aussiemate, great location, easy walk to Cathedral and shopping district

Bump to find out if anyone has stayed at the Hilton Cologne since 2002 and had similarly positive experiences. I have a choice between Hilton Cologne and Hilton Bonn coming up on an itinerary, and one post I found about the Hilton Bonn said they didn't upgrade or give complimentary breakfast there, so I'm leaning towards Hilton Cologne.

Bump to find out if anyone has stayed at the Hilton Cologne since 2002 and had similarly positive experiences. I have a choice between Hilton Cologne and Hilton Bonn coming up on an itinerary, and one post I found about the Hilton Bonn said they didn't upgrade or give complimentary breakfast there, so I'm leaning towards Hilton Cologne.

I stayed in both several times during the last two months and the Hilton Cologne is much better than the one in Bonn.

Both do not have a lounge.

In Cologne, be aware that highspeed Internet does not work on some of the lower floors, so if you want that, mention it at check-in.

One weird thing about the Hilton Cologne in the Business rooms (on the higher floors) is that there is a sensor that detects movement in the bathroom to turn on the light. The downside of that is that if you don't move much for a while in the main bathroom area (e.g., you lie in the bathtub or you are in the shower), the light turns off. Picture someone jumping out of the bathtub or the shower every two minutes or so just to turn on the light again... :D

Other than that, the business rooms are very modern and relatively spacious. The rooms in Bonn seemed to be a bit more worn and the hotel overall a category lower than in Cologne.

Staff also seemed to be trained better and friendlier in Cologne.

Oh, and do not expect a suite upgrade in Cologne since they only have 2, I think.

I stay at the Hilton Koeln about 3 times a year. Whilst it does not have a lounge, the staff are very friendly, the buffet breakfast is great and I always get upgraded to one of the superb business rooms.

I also like having lunch in the Bar, very good and very sensibly priced.

It is beautifully maintained and very well situated for visting the city.

I was quite disappointed with the Hiltons in both Munich and Frankfurt, but haven't stayed at the property you're inquiring about. Perhaps my standards are too high?



the countdown to 100 posts continues...

Does anyone know how close this hotel is to the train station. We are arriving fro Frnakfurt by train and will have 4 bags for 2 people. Should we take a taxi from the station to the hotel or is it really close?

Thanks.

Any info of Gold treatment on free night stays?

Many thanks.

From hilton.com:

The hotel is located just 200 meters away from the main station.

Enjoy your stay in Cologne.

[QUOTE=hts]I was quite disappointed with the Hiltons in both Munich and Frankfurt, QUOTE]

I have stayed at both the Munich Park and the Frankfurt Hilton, and liked them both very much.

Ditto. I was very impressed with both, and somewhere back in the dawn of FlyerTalk posted about both of them (particularly the corner suite with glass sides facing the park in the Frankfurt Hilton).

I'd rank them (particularly the Frankfurt Hilton) with the Athens property.

The Hilton Cologne is very "stylish". The rooms impressed my girlfriend and myself a great deal. Staff is excellent, breakfast was very nice but extremely crowded. The location is excellent if you arrive by train. I liked the Hotel a lot, and would go back there anytime.

My favorite in Germany is the Munich Park Hilton.

Just got back from a one-night stay at Hilton Cologne -- overall positive experience, easy access to main railway station and cathedral (2-minute walk) if you're touring instead of working, river, easy access to multiple restaurants (and breweries if you like). Desk and concierge friendly and helpful.

They put me into one of the larger rooms though I'd paid for a base room, modern styling, everything worked.

Room was not ready on arrival (it was only 1PM so I wasn't sure it would be) and they gave us complimentary drinks at the bar during the 20 minutes we waited even though we were early.

Welcoming plate with chocolate covered fruit and strawberries in room was a nice touch.

Breakfast buffet was abundant and tasty but as stated above crowded -- had to sit at the other end of a table already in use by someone as there was no room elsewhere, but that used to be routine in Germany even in restaurants so it was no big deal.



Would definitely go there again.

Looking to stay at the Hilton in Cologne for a weekend break in August, anyone any info, good ^ or bad :td: on this property

Regards

Paul

Well,

isn`t it an upgrade at the time of check in ?

I also demand to be upgraded at some time, but if everything is already sold at a point when they allocate the rooms ( about 24 hours in advance ) there is simply not much left to be upgraded to and that is okay, IMO...

You may be aware that there were two smaller fairs in Cologne last week ( Passenger Terminal Expo and Conference and some Tire Expo ), so the city is already booked quite solid and the hotels can sell those upgraded rooms, especially the hotels very close to the fairgrounds ( Sofitel, Radisson and the best hotel in town , the Hyatt Regency ) and the brand name hotels...

Hilton in Bonn is a former Crowne Plaza, solid location, but only ranked a 4 * property and therefore overpriced, IMO !

Go for the Hyatt and if you do not have status at Hyatt, pay for a club cathedral view room or stay at the Hotel im Wasserturm next time...

http://www.hotel-im-wasserturm.de/

It is simply not worth it to go for Diamond status with Hilton based on the current perks, as a Gold you get basically the same as a Diamond, or at least the two best perks, free breakfast + exec. room/ upgrade are the same.

A Suite upgrade can be nice, but as you have already pointed out is not out of reach for Gold members as well, so basically Diamond gives you only better reward availability, but how often do you book a reward, once or twice a year...

Hello, short time reader, first time poster here. I've learned a ton of valuable information from you all already and am very grateful for everyone generously sharing your vast knowledge.

I'm staying at the Hilton Cologne in May and have what is probably a stupid question about the parking fee. The web site says 22 Eur/day for self parking and right beneath that is says free Valet parking. Does that mean if I choose Valet parking the charge is still 22 Eur/day but nothing additional or is it completely free meaning no 22 Eur/day charge?

Also is there alternate non-Hilton parking in the surrounding area for less money?

yes, it means it is still 22 euro per day but you wont be charged for the driver. anyway, you will be looked at strangely if you dont tip when they return the car to you.

Thanks for confirming what I feared the web page meant. Is a 2 Euro coin an appropriate tip for the driver? In America I'd feel silly tipping anybody with a coin but in Europe 2 Euros is worth something and tipping at least in restaurants is less relied on as a primary income source.

Does anybody know anything about alternate cheaper parking in the area?

2 euro will be fine but i agree it does not feel good ...
just give him 2 USD bills instead, so you even save some ...

Hi,

Just bumping this thread... have a 3 night stay very soon.

Any recent info regarding upgrades or rooms ? other suggestions regarding this property ?

Thanks !

Looking to stay at the Hilton in Cologne for a weekend break in August, anyone any info, good ^ or bad :td: on this property

Regards

Paul
---------------------

I've stayed here several tiimes and I am usually quite pleased with my stay. On a few occasions the front desk has arranged for me to use the gym facility late at night after it has closed. I've been given breakfast every time at the hotel (diamond member) and for the most part the front desk personnel are nice.

The rooms are clean, beds good and the room service food is pretty good also. They even have the shoe shine machines in the hallways near the elevator :)

I once received an upgrade to a larger room on the top floor...I am usually only there for a night so its not really a big deal. All the rooms I've recieved have been consistently good.

Its extremely conveniant to the train station.

Hi,

a friend of mine is meeting the management of Hilton Int.

He asked me if he should suggest anything to the management.

so please post what would you like to see, or which changes would you like to see?

i will make a list and Pass it to him.

Free cocktails in the concierge lounges (seems to be very inconsistently applied).

Free cocktails in the concierge lounges (seems to be very inconsistently applied).


Is this a stated/promised benefit?

I have one suggestion if your friend is willing to take it up .. and that relates to the lack of real differentiation between the Diamond and Gold Elite levels. This can become a problem for HHonors if it is not worth some significant extra reward/benefit to go the extra mile and achieve Diamond status.

Most of us participate in at least two programs (HHonors, Hyatt, Starwood) and at the moment I am inclined to adjust my stays so that I will achieve elite status in a third program (I am now Diamond in both Hilton and Hyatt).

I have no specific recommendations, but the differentiation should be distinct (like the old Diamond guarantee). How about and extra free night (similar to the 5/10/15 promotion) after the attainment of 20, 25, and 28 nights - or something similar

HILTON COLOGNE
Stayed from dec 16th to dec 17th
Deluxe Room (room 310)

No line at checkin, so I was greeted immiedeately by a nice young lady at the reception. A porter took care of my luggage. As a HHoners member with Diamond status I received an upgrade to a deluxe room and the usuall breakfast voucher, as this hotel doesn´t have an executive floor/lounge.

The first impression of the hotel is very good. The hotel calls itself a designer hotel – a wording wich can mean everything or nothing. In this case it deserves this title, as the interiour is indeed very contemporary with warm colors and a relaxing design. Very well done.

From the lobby you will look at the bar with extremly wide but nevertheless comfortbale club chairs and an as inviting as stylish fireplace to the left. Everybody who likes his drinks in a more style way, may try out the icebar – an bar, made of ice where you can enjoy your vodka (or any other drink) out of glasses made of ice too. Unfortunately these exiting place is closed on Sunday nights.

The room was also very nice and large (>35 square meters). I noticed that only the bathroom was larger than my room in the New York Hilton wich I had to explore a few weeks later. Very impressing. The room has all the classic amenitys, you´d expect: bathrobe, newspaper in the morning, coffeemaker (GAGGIA coffeesystem – a little bit complicated in the first moment, but coffee was excellent, and there was a manual availlable too), large desk with more then enough powerports and of course a comfortable kingsize bed. The TV is still an old “classical” one, which I found intersting. In a designer-hotel I would expect a flatscreen TV. But I´m not here for watching TV anyway.

I was looking forward to explore the sauna and the healthclub, only to be left disappointed as the club closes on Sunday at 6pm. Not a very good service. Instead I strolled a little bit around the city, visited the cathedral (everytime an simply impressive sight), walked through the christmas market and yes, also enjoyed one or two glühwein  if I couldn´t get into the sauna, I had to be warmed up at least from inside ;).

I slept very good this night (great bed and good glühwein) and woke up refreshed a 7am. Breakfast buffet was also very good, and nicely decorated (of course in christmas style) as well. After checkout at 8:30am I was well rested, well fed and in very good mood. What else can I expect from a hotel?

We checked out the day you checked in mijugo:)

We to had an excellent stay. This was our second time at this hotel, and we had booked a 2 night B&B dinner first night package in a standard room. We received an upgrade to a junior suite on the top floor, which are really nice with a separate shower and bath and high ceiling.

The meal on the friday evening was the fish buffet. This was very very good, with loads of fresh fish that you picked and then took to the chef to cook. Our daughter got to pick form a good range of childrens meals, and these were also included.

Spent saturday wandering around the markets - I was surprised just how busy they got especially in the evening. Not very easy with a 6yr old in tow.

Overall, love this hotel. Location is 5 mins walk from the train station, and right near the centre. Staff were very friendly and pleasant. Would have no problem recommending this hotel

Tim T How did you get a room with two adults and a child? Did you call the Hotel or the number in the UK? My wife and I are headed to a wedding in nearby Rodenkirchen in May and would like to theoretically stay at this hotel with our three kids (in two rooms).

As appears typical with some european Hiltons, the online booking does not show rooms as suitable for 2 adults plus child, even when they have a sofa bed. Therefore, we just book for 2 adults and turn up with the child. Never had a problem. Sometimes I call or email ahead. Also, a lot of the hotels (or all??) provide free meals for children with paying adult.

I found the hotel staff quite indifferent (July 6-8, 08). The doorman, the front desk staff, the on-duty manager (on this riser one had to pass to get to the elevator) -- all assiduously avoided eye contact, a greeting or a smile. Amazing. OK room, nothing special. 5 euros for a bottle of mineral water on the desk. The Ice Bar was apparently named for the "employees of the month" which was most of them. BTW, the Ice Bar has a counter that freezes over and collects ice like the element in an old non-frost free refrigerator, a very timely use of energy these days.

What a difference compared with the Mainz City Hilton -- welcome at check-in, welcome letter in room, some chocolates in a dish, 2 bottles of the same mineral water complimentary. A 90 minute train ride between the two, and a world apart.

Hmm. Everyone's experience is a bit different. I was there in May on an award stay and found the check-in staff and others around the hotel to be very helpful and friendly. Even when I wandered down the wrong staircase and ended up in the kitchen.

In my room, I got two free bottles of water, plus an enormous chocolate bar presented with small flowers. The breakfast buffet (also complimentary as HH Gold) was quite large as well. I'd definitely return.

I found the hotel staff quite indifferent (July 6-8, 08). The doorman, the front desk staff, the on-duty manager (on this riser one had to pass to get to the elevator) -- all assiduously avoided eye contact, a greeting or a smile. Amazing.

Interesting. I like this hotel a lot and I never found the staff to be reserved, however, I hate chatty staff in US placed telling me the story of their lifes and forcing me into meaningless conversations. So I believe, everbody expects and feels different.

A side remark: A US visitor complaining about "very timely use of energy these days." and referring to a cooling device is remarkable. But rest assured: I had a similar feeling and therefore a discussion on the icebar with the manager. I learnt from him that this device does not use more energy than an aircon or a refridgerator does. It has the same effect on the pretty small room as an aircon has...

Stayed there in early August with friends. Staff do seem a little bit indifferent at first, perhaps due to the popularity of the hotel.

However, the location is perfect and the breakfast buffet is one of the best I have encountered in any hotel, for my taste that is.

And after some 20 minutes talk with management, staff did correct the issues they had neglected at booking and were very friendly during the rest of our stay.

I wonder if the Hilton Cologne smells nice.

Looking at going in October in Germany and visiting there.
MRS SANGER3494 is Gold HH and I am SPG Gold, so we have two options.

Thanks ALL

SCA

I'll be there in a few weeks. I'll post a trip report as soon as I'm back. Anything particular you want to know?

We will be traveling by train from Berlin. No car. Location to local spots. Traveling for Leusire.


Thanks and enjoy your trip.

SCA

Looking at going in October in Germany and visiting there.
MRS SANGER3494 is Gold HH and I am SPG Gold, so we have two options.

Thanks ALL

SCA

You actually have three options. I stayed at The Hilton for one night around new years and enjoyed my stay. The room was clean and in good condition, the comp buffet breakfast was excellent and the staff uniformly friendly and pleasant. The hotel was also very well located with respect to local sights and the Cologne Hauptbahnhof. I will be heading back to the area for a couple of weeks in late April and early May and have already booked quite a few nights at the Hilton.

Given that you have status with SPG as well as Hilton, I also found the nearby Four Points to be a fairly decent property, which provided me with a spacious top floor suite and comp breakfast as a Platinum. In contrast, I was profoundly disappointed with the Dom Hotel, a Le Méridien property that assigned me to a miniscule view-less room and very little tangible benefit as a frequent SPG guest. Many of the room accoutrements were subpar, including towels that were nearly as thin as paper and just as coarse.

The bottom line is that as a Hilton Gold, I think you will be well taken care of at the Cologne Hilton.

Looking at going in October in Germany and visiting there.
MRS SANGER3494 is Gold HH and I am SPG Gold, so we have two options.


As stated above, you have three options: Hilton, 4P, Dom. Their locations are essential the same - all three are within 5 min walking distance from the main station.

I know the 4P really good - more than 100 nights during the last two years, the Hilton quite good (just checked out this morning, my fourth stay there this year), and stayed at the Dom once.

The 4P is - okay. Being SPG platinum, mainly due to stays at the 4P, I almost always get a large suite. However, most of the regular rooms are quite small, with quite dark interieur, and the hotel has seen better times - it looks rather worn off. Staff is friendly, breakfast is good. However, on a leisure trip with my girlfriend, I would not go there (although she joined me on a business trip there and did not complain ;-) ).

The Hilton would be my choice. Currently it is available for reasonable prices. Rooms are really nice (wooden floor, light colors), their size is ok (although I would prefer them to be bigger). Staff is very friendly and professional, breakfast good (a little better than the 4P). However, I personally see it rather as a business hotel than as a hotel for leisure stays.

At the Dom I stayed only once. The stay was more or less ok. The room was nice (nicer than the Hilton), although I am not sure if I got a room update (I certainly did not get a suite which was what I was hoping for). Staff was - well, quite reserved. I would even say they had an attitude. I didn't have any breakfast there, however we had some pasta outside on the terrace, which actually was not good (although the terrace is nice). However, the Dom is certainly the most prestigious of these three hotels, probably the one Grand Hotel in Cologne with the most history. My impression was that they don't live up to their heritage, although I can't say very much negative about it (apart from that it was not as good as I expected).

Going out of line altogether, you could consider some other hotels in Cologne, not linked to any big hotel chain: the Hopper St. Antonius (where I had the most pleasant room of all 20+x hotels I stayed at in Cologne), or maybe the Wasserturm (which is said to be a very special hotel, but I have never been there).

After checking out at the Dusseldorf Hilton we moved over to the Hilton Cologne / Köln (HHonors Category 4), Marzellenstrasse 13-17, 50668 Köln, Tel: +49-211-130710, Fax: +49-211-130720, email: info.cologne@hilton.com

The hotel is located right in the city center. Walking distance to the Cathedral is approx. 3 min. Valet parking was available. Valet / self parking is 26.00 € per day. If you’re arriving by car, you’ll find NO free parking spaces around the hotel! In front of the hotel taxis are available. If you are using public transportation, the Cologne Central Station is a 5-10 min. walk away. A Sixt rental station is on site.

Check-in was very friendly and efficient. All my room-preferences set in my profile were honored. Received an upgrade to a Deluxe Room on 6th floor. This hotel does not have an Executive Lounge. Baggage assistance wasn’t offered.

In my room I found a welcome note from the GM, two compl. bottles of Apollinaris silent water and a plate with three Danish. This room was HUGE and had a fabulous view of the Cathedral, especially at night. The room was clean, bright and had the modern Hilton deco, with A/C, WiFi, wooden floor, bathrobes, slippers, in-room coffee-maker, iron, ironing-board, extra pillow and a room safe in the closet as well as the new Hilton clock. The minibar was stocked with: orange juice, apple juice, Apollinaris sparkling water, Coke, Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Tonic Water 3.50 €, Evian non-sparkling water 3.80 €, Perrier Sparkling water 4.00 €, Staatlich Fachingen non-sparkling water 5.00 €, Red Bull 5.00 €, Becks Beer, Kölsch, Heinecken 4.00 €, red wine (0.2 l) 9.50 €, white wine (0.2 l) 9.00 €, Vodka, Martini 6.00 €, Gin 6.50 €, Rum, Cognac 7.00 €, Hilton Sparkling Wine (0.2 l) 9.90 €. The bathroom was also huge, clean and well lighted, with a tub and a huge walk-in shower. The usual amenities were available.

After strolling through the city for several hours we went back to the hotel for dinner, just to find out, that their Konrad restaurant was closed for dinner due to low occupancy rate. They set up maybe five to six tables within the Lobby Cafe & Bar instead. Unfortunately there was a soccer game in Cologne that day, so the Lobby Bar was filled with 20–30 drunk / wasted soccer fans who were singing, yelling and screaming, so we decided to eat outside the hotel, which was no problem at all, as the hotel is located within the main tourist area with a lot of restaurants close-by.

After having dinner we went back to the hotel for the main purpose of our trip, a visit to their ICE Bar. The ICE Bar features 120+ different vodkas and as a big vodka lover I was looking forward to this trip since last Christmas, as it was given to me as a Christmas present. Well, while approaching the hotel we recognized that ICE Bar was dark! We went over to the Front Desk and were informed that ICE Bar has also been closed over the Easter holidays due to the low occupancy rate. The Front Desk agent was very polite, excused for any inconvenience this may have caused and informed us that other guests also complained about the closure and it will be forwarded to management. After walking through Cologne all day long, we decided to stay at the Lobby Cafe & Bar. When the waiter came by, I asked to speak to F&B Manager, but was told that he’s not in the house anymore. So I explained the situation to our waiter, informing her, that we intend ordering at least two bottles of Grey Goose if there would be a possibility to get a reduced bottle price instead paying shot by shot which would have cost us 175 € / $228 per bottle. After checking with her supervisor she informed us that they won’t offer us a bottle price and every order will be charged separately. This led to ordering just cokes and Kölsch beer for the rest of the evening, for a total of $117.

Next morning we had breakfast at the Konrad restaurant (24.00 € per person if not incl. in your room rate). The selection and quality of the food was very good! Different French Rolls, bread, toast, Danish, muffins, Brezel, croissants, cake, several cereals, milk, low fat milk, yoghurt, cheese, spread cheese, meat, spread meat, smoked salmon, ham, salami, butter, margarine, honey, marmalade, Nutella, fruit salads, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, tofu, apples, pears, grapes, hard boiled eggs, multi-vitamin-juice, orange juice, tomato juice, water, coffee and tea. The warm selection included scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, baked beans, baked tomatoes and meatballs. You could also order your eggs soft or hard boiled, sunnyside up, as an omelette or porridge, Belgian waffles and pancakes.

Check-out was very polite, fast and accurate.

Final notes: The location of the Cologne Hilton is superb. Rooms are clean, modern and above average size. The staff seemed very friendly. The downside was the yelling and drunk crowd in the Lobby Bar, which I wouldn’t expect in a 5* hotel. The closure of their Konrad restaurant and especially the unexpected closure of the ICE Bar which made my friend and colleague feeling very miserable. If the management decides to close parts of the hotel due low occupancy rate, it’s hard to understand why they prefer to displease a guest instead of attempting to accommodate someone and taking as much of his money as possible. My guess is that there are still enough tourists in Cologne, so an individual does not count pretty much. This is really surprising as the GM manages the Cologne Hilton and the Bonn Hilton. The staff in Bonn is much ahead of pleasing their guests. Altogether you might be happy with this property. I’ll return only once due having already another non-refundable reservation. At check-out I dropped their guest questionairy, expressing my disappointment. ... 48 hrs later I received an email from Guest Relations, requesting more information about the circumstances that made my stay not pleasant... I'll report back about the outcome.

***pictures available upon request***

I stayed at the Hilton in Cologne on Sept. 5. I picked it because of its proximity to the rail station.
Staff was indifferent and did not volunteer any assistance.
No upgrades.
Room spartan and depressing.
Location was great.
This is no where near a 5* property. 4* is pushing it.
Walked across the bridge to the Hyatt. What a difference! Cheerful, outdoor activity down by the river etc. Next time in Cologne will definitely be at the Hyatt.

I stayed at the Hilton in Cologne on Sept. 5. I picked it because of its proximity to the rail station.
Staff was indifferent and did not volunteer any assistance.
No upgrades.
Room spartan and depressing.
Location was great.
This is no where near a 5* property. 4* is pushing it.
Walked across the bridge to the Hyatt. What a difference! Cheerful, outdoor activity down by the river etc. Next time in Cologne will definitely be at the Hyatt.
That's disappointing to hear. I had quite a few stays at this property last Spring and was always assigned a top floor junior suite, which I found to be bright, pleasant and spacious, definitely not depressing:

http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh441/larryu2/Cologne%20and%20Paris%20Spring%202009/THUMB-Img_4678.jpg (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh441/larryu2/Cologne%20and%20Paris%20Spring%202009/Img_4678.jpg) http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh441/larryu2/Cologne%20and%20Paris%20Spring%202009/THUMB-Img_4682.jpg (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh441/larryu2/Cologne%20and%20Paris%20Spring%202009/Img_4682.jpg) http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh441/larryu2/Cologne%20and%20Paris%20Spring%202009/THUMB-Img_4683.jpg (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh441/larryu2/Cologne%20and%20Paris%20Spring%202009/Img_4683.jpg) http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh441/larryu2/Cologne%20and%20Paris%20Spring%202009/THUMB-Img_4680.jpg (http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh441/larryu2/Cologne%20and%20Paris%20Spring%202009/Img_4680.jpg)

The staff were also quite friendly and personable. The only flaw in the hotel was the lack of a club lounge but even then, they sometimes handed me some drink vouchers to use at the bar. I hope your recent experiences with the staff do not signify a diminution of service quality at this property.

That's disappointing to hear. I had quite a few stays at this property last Spring and was always assigned a top floor junior suite, which I found to be bright, pleasant and spacious, definitely not depressing:
The staff were also quite friendly and personable. The only flaw in the hotel was the lack of a club lounge but even then, they sometimes handed me some drink vouchers to use at the bar. I hope your recent experiences with the staff do not signify a diminution of service quality at this property.

Nice room. Hard to believe you and I stayed at the same hotel.
Its interesting that at both Cologne and Amsterdam-Schiphol, they would not give upgrades (though I am Diamond) and hid behind the excuse that I had "ticked the 1,000 point bonus box" and would get 1000 points instead. First, I have no recollection of making such a choice, which I would not have done and secondly, if you had upgrade rooms why would you not give them to a Diamond customer regardless?
I will certainly go into my account and change those settings anyhow.

Nice room. Hard to believe you and I stayed at the same hotel.
Its interesting that at both Cologne and Amsterdam-Schiphol, they would not give upgrades (though I am Diamond) and hid behind the excuse that I had "ticked the 1,000 point bonus box" and would get 1000 points instead. First, I have no recollection of making such a choice, which I would not have done and secondly, if you had upgrade rooms why would you not give them to a Diamond customer regardless?
I will certainly go into my account and change those settings anyhow.

Although I haven't noticed this recently, I know for a fact that these settings have sometimes changed on their own, especially pertaining to international reservations. I am profoundly distrustful of anything involving Hilton and information technology and have made it a habit to double check my profile settings very frequently and especially just before an upcoming stay. That being said, I am not sure why a property would be unable to switch your myway choices to whatever you prefer at the time of check-in. I have usually been able to do this in the past.

After checking out at the Dusseldorf Hilton we moved over to the Hilton Cologne / Köln (HHonors Category 4), Marzellenstrasse 13-17, 50668 Köln, Tel: +49-211-130710, Fax: +49-211-130720, email: info.cologne@hilton.com

The hotel is located right in the city center. Walking distance to the Cathedral is approx. 3 min. Valet parking was available. Valet / self parking is 26.00 € per day. If you’re arriving by car, you’ll find NO free parking spaces around the hotel! In front of the hotel taxis are available. If you are using public transportation, the Cologne Central Station is a 5-10 min. walk away. A Sixt rental station is on site.

I read somewhere else about low emission cars? We are getting a rental from either AMS or CDG any issues getting them to the hotel?

We are getting a rental from either AMS or CDG any issues getting them to the hotel?

Yes. You are not allowed to drive to the Hilton without an emission sticker (http://www.tuev-sued.de/auto_fahrzeuge/feinstaub-plakette/feinstaubplakette_ausland/england).

But you can use one of the free park+ride options outside the city center (PDF, 800kb (http://www.stadt-koeln.de/mediaasset/content/pdf57/2-2.pdf)) for parking.

True. And it is taken seriously. There is a general ban for cars without a sticker. It will cost you 40 Euro if you take a car without such sticker downtown. If you hold a German driving license (what you obviously do not do) you will face further consequences.

https://umwelt-plakette.de/umweltplakette/Grafiken/3%20Plaketten.jpg

Yes. You are not allowed to drive to the Hilton without an emission sticker (http://www.tuev-sued.de/auto_fahrzeuge/feinstaub-plakette/feinstaubplakette_ausland/england).

But you can use one of the free park+ride options outside the city center (PDF, 800kb (http://www.stadt-koeln.de/mediaasset/content/pdf57/2-2.pdf)) for parking.
Thanks,
Troy