USAFAN

The garage is under the hotel. The entrance is around the corner.
The Hilton is next to Frauenkirche ... and that's the problem. The whole area around Frauenkirche is under construction.
Still, there is nothing to worry, the area is not a "high traffic area". When you come from the street running along the Elbe River, just drive to the direction Frauenkirche, it's only 100 to 200 meters from the Elbe. You can always stop/park and ask for direction. Park first or check in first - it doesn't matter...
We had a nice room and got free breakfast. I believe, they don't have an executive floor. All in all it was a very nice stay: very friendly service, nice hotel, nice town, good restaurants

ColumbiaPete

An update from my stay on April 4-5, 2007. They have completed an Executive Floor, it is the 4th. Unfortunately the lounge was expected to be done on March 31 but was not yet complete. If one can rely on the pictures of the lounge on the elevators it will be very nice for what that's worth...in the meantime, they utilize a 3-room suite for the lounge. One room for service, one with about 8 tables and a large tv, and the third in a "living room" setup with a couple of couches. Food was very good. I hit the lounge at the end of "tea time" at 5:00 and there was a nice selection of cakes and cookies. At 5:30 or so they came out with grilled shrimp on lemongrass skewers and fried mushrooms along with a new assortment of desserts including some type of fruit parfait things and lemon creme brulee.3-4 kinds of German beer as well as the usual liquor selections, no charge for either. Breakfast for Golds and Diamonds the next morning was in the Italian restaurant on the first floor and was a buffet including bacon, sausage and eggs as well as the usual European cold items and a great assortment of breads.

Nicely renovated room with a flatscreen. I detailed on another thread some issues I had prior to checkin with my room type, but the customer service was great here. They emailed me to ask my preference for a view (I took "river" over "church" and was glad I did!) and I received a phone call from the woman with whom I had been corresonding via email, asking if everything was ok after I checked in. Also rec'd vouchers for drinks in the bar when my room wasn't ready on arrival. I assured them it wasn't necessary since we arrived at 11:00 a.m. but I didn't argue too much.

Only one little "oddity" that struck me. There are lots of references in previous reports to getting bottles of wine, chocolates, etc as Diamond members....my little treat was delivered to the room shortly after arrival. It was...a small plate containing 4 cherry tomatoes with a sour cream dip, accompanied by a tiny bit of those weird dried onion string things. It was...umm...interesting, and I kept waiting for another knock at the door with the "real" treat lol.

But all in all, a great property - hoping someone stays soon with a report on the new lounge.

kwbtraveler

Thanks for the update. I'll be there next year and am already looking forward to the stay.

USAFAN

I am Gold and got a small bottle of wine .... from Elbe Valley, which wasn't any good, but I still appreciated it.
I liked the hotel a lot. Very friendly staff and great location.

There are at least two other hotels nearby. The Westin on the other side of the Elbe River ... had a great room with view of Dresden. And the Taschenberg Palais, which might be the best hotel in Dresden, didn't stay there, just visited it.

I recommend two places for a visit:
-Glaeserne Manufaktur, where they build the VW Phaeton (reservation required)
-Meissner Porzellan Manufaktur in Meissen.

Flying Lawyer

There are several others close by - Dresden can be a price heaven for luxury hotels. 50 Meters from the Hilton is the new Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe, very nice. And close to the parliament is the new Maritim, haven't stayed there but it looks interesting.

BTW: I am not sure that the Executive Floor is an enhancement or a downgrade. As a Diamond I got suite upgrades on every stay with the argument

"You know, we do not have an Executive Floor but we upgraded you to a suite and you are free to have full breakfast in the restaurant."

I have a slight feeling that in future the statement will be:

"You are lucky, we upgraded you to Executive Floor and you will get free continental breakfast in the lounge".

This could take me even more frequently to the Westin on the other bank of the river.

dave10

I think you're right. As a Diamond was upgraded to the executive floor (where the rooms are really quite nice, but the 'amenity' as pointed out rather basic). The lounge is really nice - very modern and 'funky' and the style that someone will like or perhaps find too 'modern' (a view which the executive check-in staff gave me from comments they had received).

Breakfast was not offered downstairs, but in the lounge, and really this was adequate, so unless you really need the pancakes etc then offerings in the lounge are adequate.

I am not sure thought whether they've consistently u/graded to the exec flor as a colleague of mine who stayed the following wek (diamond) was not u/graded until requesting this a few times at check in.

dabee69

I was upgraded as a diamond automatically. I was actually sent from the check-in desk to the lounge in order to check in. Room size was ok, might feel small for some. AC was quiet, LCD TV was good and bathroom was fine. I did enjoy my stay as well beautifully reconstructed old city of Dresden.

Lounge is very good, food was better than in other German Hiltons. This is one of the Hiltons were paying for Exec floor could be worth it. Drinks were very decent, including good German wines and spirits like Remy Martin VSOP cognac (EUR 35 in EU airport duty free shops). Service is a mixture - sometimes a guy appears and does a refill but it is certainly ok to use it as self-service bar. Morning breakfast contained hot items.

It is kinda funny to drive to the parking lot of Hilton Dresden. One may have to cross the central square in the old city. It looks like a pedestrian only although it is not. Parking itself is indoor, rather small but ok for a very center of the city.

I would definitely return.

Mr. LAU

Any recent stays from a FTler with Gold status in Dresden?

Staying there next week and want to know about the possibility of an upgrade to the Executive Floor with lounge access.

Maybe someone could also pm me an e-mail of someone to contact in the hotel because of this matter.

Thanks.

ChickenOrBeef

How was your stay? I am staying here in a couple of weeks time as HH Gold, so wondered what I might expect.

Thanks.

SanDiego1K

We had a very pleasant one night stay last week. We took a taxi from the airport, which was roughly 20 euros. On arrival at the hotel, as a diamond, we were sent to the executive lounge to check in. Without fail, the staff at the executive lounge was gracious and helpful - as were staff throughout the hotel.

On a stay two years ago, I was given a enormous suite. This time, I had no such luck. We were given a spacious corner room which had lots of light and a nice view.

We arrived early and left late the following day. The executive lounge staff were very cooperative, finding a different room for us than they had preblocked in order to get us in a room immediately, and allowing us a 4pm checkout the following day.

We liked the large lounge very much, with its range of seating options. It ranged from tables to sofas to a bar. There were drawers of cold beverages available at any time, and a decent range of appetizers in the early evening. We had a rate that included breakfast, and chose to eat in the restaurant from its plenteous buffet.

The executive lounge has two computers. We were allowed 30 free minutes at a time. It's not clear to me that post August 15, with the new directives for member benefits from corporate, that the hotel is continuing to offer free internet.

As a tourist, I like the location of this hotel very much. It is in the old city, a half block from the cathedral. It's a short walk to the boat dock for rides down the Elbe, and an equally short walk to the hop on hop off sightseeing bus.

Vaclav

Last week, while on vacaton in Czech Republic, a couple of friends suggested to take a two-and-half-hour car ride to Dresden (formerly East) Germany.

After having a great stay at Hilton Munich and Vienna, I became hooked on the German and Austrian Hiltons and decided to give a try to Hilton Dresden.

Since we were four, I booked two rooms. Upon arrival, we were lucky to find a parking spot in the small hotel garage when somebody was just leaving. The cost is EUR 19 per 24 hours. The agent at the main reception directed us to the Executive Club for speedy and personalized check in. It was barely noon and both rooms were ready. We were offered accomodation on the 4th floor (executive) and invited back to the lounge for coffee/tea and cakes at 3pm and appetizers and open bar at 5 pm, with breakfast next morning. The hotel also operates a gym, pool, indoor/outdoor jacuzzis and saunas and steam rooms. All those facilities are kept in perfect working order and spotless clean. The hotel has several restaurants. I wish I could have stayed longer! The location right in the cenetr of Altstadt (Old Town) is unbeatable.

Being of Czech origin, I got used to German efficiency and their ways of handling things and as such was never disappointed during my 1 night stay. The rest of my party - two of them Hilton first-timers - were so impressed that they now want to try other Hiltons. That's the way to go! ^

For myself, I'd like to return for a performance at the Semper Oper during their long season,a nd obviously, Hilton Dresden will be my first chocie of accomodation. Thank you!

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the update! I was in Dresden about 10 years ago, but alas not at a Hilton. Think it was an IBIS. I just remember it was hotter than hades & no a/c. Good to know there's a nice hotel if by chance I go there in the future. Cheers.

lewishogs

The Hilton Dresden during the Christmas market is one of my fondest travel memories. Great location, great hotel, great city, and great recognition of HHonors status. I've read posts stating that reading posts about the Cavalieri in Rome brings an instant smile to the reader's face - for me, reading a post about the Dresden Hilton brings a big smile to my face. But, I am also very much looking forward to staying at the Cavalieri for the first time this November.

satori

The Hilton in Dresden is a great altstadt location by the Frauenkirche and Martin Luther statue. I stayed across the river at the Westin last year and back in 2000. I was amazed to see how much building construction had happened in 7 years between my visits. The Altstadt square had a little Disneyesque look with all the new older looking facades.

Vaclav

When in Dresden, I walked past the Westin across The Elbe River. Even though the surrounding area is fine, I'd still prefer the 'disneyesque' Altstadt. There is more restauration work either going on currently or planned for the near future. I wish someone would find the way how to convert the ugly communist era buildings into something else...