cln

Omg, that's no good news.... 4P Cologne and Dusseldorf leaving SPG

Starwood has not the best setup for Germany.... and this is not going to improve it at all....

Flying Lawyer

Well, these two are certainly not a gem in the Starwood collection

cln

yes, but at two more choices , not the best yeah but better than nothing :]

Only Frankfurt/Munich have nice spg properties

KittyCat

No 'gem' indeed, but will miss FP Düsseldorf, found it great to add a stay/night here or there for promotions, and as using it in weekends great value for money on most occasions (close to 100% suite upgrade, hardly ever for more than 75EUR ... for what is/was in the end a decent hotel in decent location).

A bit less concern for the FP Köln, even if it did the same trick ... but outright silly if the LM Dom can be had for not that much more money.

Flying Lawyer

Certainly not true. There are nice properties in Hamburg, Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Nuremberg, Cologne.....

Starwood is - next to IGH - one of the chains with better presence in Germany.

Flying Lawyer

I never paid more than 59 and most of the time as a BRG rate. So plenty of points. I used that hotel quite often for a nap before a long evening for a shower, hardly ever for an overnighter. But seriously: There are several cheaper and better choices around. It was good for points and for 59 for a suite a cheap place, but certainly not a place I would anyhow enjoy.

KittyCat

Well, same use there then (also had my share of 55-65EUR nights), also good as crash-place for a night out ... doesn't alter my idea that a bit sad to see the option disappear.

Need to re-think my MR strategy (which is inherently very location-based of course), it used to be (1) Westin Rotterdam, (2) FP Düsseldorf, (3) Köln, Dom or FP as fallback if silly prices at LM ... looks as if not much left by year-end

Zurich Flyer

They are not bad either. I got always nice suite upgrades at both hotels. Friendly service and good location. Not bad, not bad, I like(d) them

cln

I dont really travel up to the "Osten".... had no chance to try out the properties there.... In Cologne the Hilton and the Marriott are superior to the Dom Hotel.

I'm looking forward to the opening of the Westin Hamburg...

Starwood has plenty of properties in the "Osten" but i miss properties in the Southwest... LM Stuttgart is the only property.. Personally i think Marriott is stronger than *wood in Germany.



I hope there will be some new hotels announced after the loss of those two...
( dreaming should be allowed )

stimpy

Is there free street parking anywhere near the hotel? Or in the city center? This would be on a weekend in August so I should be able to find a spot I think. But I just need advice of where to park and not worry about getting a ticket.

KittyCat

Parking in street is not free, even though I don't know exact rates. Frankly, easiest option is to park in the major parking lot (hotel on your right in the one-way street, parking 75m further down, left side). Price is 10 or 12 EUR per day if I remember correctly, really not worth risking parking tickets.

Flying Lawyer

True. Marriott has 31 properties in Germany, Starwood has 30 properties, IHG certainly has by far more.

skrosvik

Sad to see this one go as well. I have an upcoming stay (Friday) here in October, but won't be expecting much of an upgrade when reading about the horrible front desk guys!

stimpy

FYI, I found out that parking is free on the street that the hotel is on, all evening, night and part of the morning. It's only paid parking from 11am-6pm. And the hotel agent said I really didn't need to pay after 5pm. So free parking for my entire stay, almost in front of the hotel. ^

skrosvik

Just checked-in for a one night stay. Booked standard room at the cheapest rate (55 EUR), did not expect anything of an upgrade. A very friendly female member of staff checked me in, I asked about leaving Starwood, and she told me it have been the plan for the last two years. They were bough up by some Israeli investors a couple of years back, and they are buying up a lot of hotels to make their own chain (I don't recall it's name).

I was given a room on the 2nd floor, I didn't even bother to ask what kind of room it was. I was kinda surprised when I entered my room and noticed that it was a one-bedroom suite. A living area and a separate bedroom, 2 LCD tvs, etc, etc. That being said - this is the most tatty and outdated SPG suite I have ever seem. It compete with the old Le Meridien in Damascus and the Le Meridien in Lattakia, hahahaha. Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate the upgrade and the extra space, but this suite is so outdated that it is funny! I gotta take some photos Minibar free as usual - 2 bottles of water and 2 bottles of soft drinks.

BTW - I just noticed something on the ground floor. There is a business lounge there. I entered it and it was a small room with a couple of computers, a coffee machine and a minibar with cold soft drinks and water, and some snacks. All complimentary. Is this something new? Did anyone use it before?

Too bad this hotel is leaving SPG. It seem to be a relative good value and the sole SPG option in Central Dusseldorf.