FFlash

We will lift and carry the Fiat Panda into our suite in HI Neuss

offerendum

Especially good if it´s raining

Cargojon

I've never been anywhere in Germany that I didn't feel safe. And I've been all over the country.

I laughed at your story about your colleague and the Sushi knife, that is pretty funny stuff ^

FFlash

A one more silly question to our German friends here:

As we are planning to go visit Dortmund soccer match during this weekend, I just saw on new IHG pointbreaks list Holiday inn Express Guetersloh, and it seems the property is fairly neat and new. It would be a no brainer to use that for lodging after the game in Dortmund. It is some 100km drive eastwards.
How is Guetersloh otherwise, any worth driving those 100km oneway to get a "almost-free" night there, if there is some nice areas around there to "sightsee"?
As said, we don't have any special plans and we have car. Just funnying around.

LondonElite

With the greatest amount of respect to the nice people of Gütersloh, the place is not worth driving 100km for any reason, least of all a Holiday Inn Express!

LondonElite

In Düsseldorf I usually stay at the Hyatt Regency, which I think is a very nice hotel. I just checked for your dates and advance purchase rates are €158, and flex rates are €175. Very good prices for that property.

FFlash

The thing is that while I could accept a bit more upmarket property, my companions this time are very budget-conscious.

Thanks anyway!

offerendum

+1, the car-drive would be also nearly more expensive in my eyes as the hotel in Dortmund.

nacho

13-15 of March has an alcohol fair in DUS - basically a drinking fair.

We were looking at the points bargain ticket with SAS and found out something wrong with the hotel price and then found out about the fair.

Our favourite hotel is the Renaissance Dusseldorf - free minibar, breakfast and half price restaurant voucher for elites.

FFlash

That hotel seems in fact reasonably priced.

Yeah, I did burn lowly 10000 EB points for a pointa bargain campaign ticket which costs around cash price 500€, so good value for points

nacho

After we found out about the fair we decided to go there during another weekend.

That hotel is nice to Marriott Elites.

FFlash

So we ended after all staying at HI Ratingen and HIX Dortmund due to "price-shopping". Cheap hotels with no frills (see the other thread for reviews).

I followed the pricing in the area for curiosity, almost every day.

The prices were decreasing by time, and when approaching 1-2 weeks before the date, the hotel prices had come down remarkably (only the HI/HIX ones), but during the last days before weekend, they went up again and finally sold out practically all.

I take it as there was a Wine Fair starting Sunday, most travel agents had prebooked all hotels just in case, up to very high prices, and finally prices started to come down as people were confirming their attendance or absence.

There was also a Horse Show in Essen on Saturday which finally was adding on top and caused a major traffic jam in the area. Oh well, there is not a single visit in Ruhr area without getting mad about the traffic...

Fanjet

I've stayed at both hotels. I thought the HI Ratingen(DUS) got sold off not too long ago? The HIX Dortmund put out a nice breakfast in the mornings for guests. As do most HIXs in Germany.

JBa

HI Ratingen got sold to the Leonardo Group but still runs as a Holiday Inn