could someone please compare this hotel with the Le Meridien in Cologne (Dom Hotel).

i am interested in convenience to the sites/city as well as the train station and the airport.

it looks like the hotels are pretty comparably priced.

thanks so much.

edited to add:

here are the desciptions from spg.com....wondering if there are any further comments out there. if the locations are comparable, i guess other items (lounges, breakfast, bed quality, etc.) would be good to know.

Dom Hotel: "Enjoying one of the finest locations in Germany, the Dom Hotel piques curiosity and inspires guests to explore the city of Cologne. Founded by the Romans in 50 A.D., Cologne has a rich cultural history and a vibrant art scene. Overlooking Cologne’s gothic cathedral, the Dom Hotel is just a short walk from the Rhine River and is close to the banking district."

Four Points: "The Four Points by Sheraton Central Köln, is a four star hotel in the city center. Located near the main station, the hotel is within walking distance of the pedestrian zone and the Koelner Dom Cathedral."

DEFINITELY go with Dom Hotel, I was prebooked into corner room (called "suite") as SPG Gold. Great room, fantastic views. Right next to Dom, very close to a bridge over the river, and short walking distance to train station. ^

The hotel is on the opposite side of the Dom's plaza from the train station. So if you have light luggage, you just go up the steps and across. If you are rolling the luggage, you have to go around the steps to the front, where it is sloped, and then cut across.

It has the best views of the Dom and is the 2nd closest hotel to the train station after the Excelsior. Close walking distance to riverside and shopping. Not sure in terms of business areas.

Take the train to the airport. And if you happen to be flying out CGN>FRA>XXX on LH you can even check in and check your luggage at the train station. The luggage goes straight to the plane in FRA.

Enjoy :)

The 4 points and the Dom are within spitting distance of each other - they are both adjacent to the main railway station but on opposite sides. They are very different in character though - the Dom is a European Grand Dame of a hotel, little bit faded but still aspiring to greatness; the 4 points is functional, everything neat and clean.

If you can get both at the same price then go for the Dom. Normally though the 4 Points is fantastic value in the Euro70-100 range including a great breakfast buffet. Platinums also tend to get upgraded to great suites but they only have a limited number of them. The 4 points is closer to the railway station and most of the suites have great views over the station - useful for the trainspotters.

I second that. Take the Dom Hotel and check the AAA rates.

AND: Avoid flying from FRA to CGN. You can take a high speed train several times an hour between Frankfurt Airport Station and Cologne Central. That takes you about 55 minutes. The Train from Cologne Airport to Cologne Central goes less frequently and it takes you 15 minutes (plus the time and the hazzle of that connecting flight).

the Dom sounds like the way to go...though the Four Points offers free breakfast, free high speed internet, and a good chance at a suite?

i wonder if the Dom hotel has the typical European overpriced internet? and, no free bfast at the Dom? i guess it would depend on the rate plan chosen....

It appears that the 4 Points Koln offers complimentary breakfast whereas the Dom does not.

IIRC it's 20 euros/day at the dom for HSIA (wired). although i used 2 days and only got charged for 1.

i never ate at the hotel, the values were great(cheap) elsewhere (right nearby)

four points would probably be easier, if thats a factor.

Honestly, I prefer the FP.
On the one hand, as the room rates a way cheaper (I am the most time on my own budget), the breakfast is included and the staff knows me :D .
The LM Dom Hotel is more expensive and from my point of view, the noise at the Place before the Dom could be also very loud (depending on the number of skate boarders on ht eplace).
I have so far never had any trouble with the noise of the construction in front of the FP, because the windows are sound proofed.

yeah
 

but for the current meridien promotions :) the dom hotel is getting a lot business from my friends company, as i gave him the sign up link for the 3 nights 1 free, and he signed up 28 collegues which were all staying at the hilton know rebooked all stays in the dom hotel until december
:)

dp

Staying at the Dom Hotel this weekend...got a 135 euro rate (no breakfast unfortunately and at 24 euro a person, that's a big hole).

Anyway, being SPG Plat, I was guaranteed a corner room facing the Dom (light weekend this weekend, so the GM was able to assign me a room already).

I did have a reservation at the Renaissance at 104 euro WITH breakfast...but it is only for one night and I couldn't pass up the big room nor the great view and since it is very close to the Hauptbahnhof, there are plenty of breakfast options that won't cost $60.

- HF

Dom or 4P in Cologne
 

Hi:

I am travelling too Madrid in two weeks(Staying at the Westin Palace). On my way back I am flying MAD to Dusseldorf on Sunday and then early Mon AM flying from Cologne to EWR.

Which hotel would you recommend for a 1 night with convienient access to the airport on Monday morning. It is a vacation so I would like to be as comfortable as Possible for the least amount. I am a lowly Gold so prob not much in the way off upgrades.

Thanks.

Phil.

I suggest you stay near the train station as this is your easiest way of getting to and from the airport location wise.

as you only stay for a very short amount I would save money and spend it on something else, I remember the dom being quite more expensive.

(iirc the 4p is also part of the current 4p promition that might help you a bit.)

If proximity to the train station is the deciding factor, than either is fine. The 4-P is across the street from one train station entrance (at the opposite end of the "train station mall" from the cathedral entrance), the Dom is on the other side of the cathedral from the other train station entrance (from the station, just walk upstairs & past the Dom entrance, and it's right there).

Either is no more than a 5 minute walk. You save MAYBE a minute or two at the 4P, if that. To get to the Cathedral from the 4P, simply walk thru the train station, from one entrance thru to the other.

Interestingly, for a 2-night stay this past weekend, the 4P was MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more expensive than the Dom. They told us it was because the 4P was nearly sold out. So, ended up doing one night at the 4P, and the other at the Dom....which worked out well for the stays promo SPG is doing now.

A 70-80 eur. rate at the 4P included a really, really good breakfast buffet with several hot different hot/cooked entrees, fresh fruits, cereals, baked goods, meats, cheeses, juices, coffees, etc. Def. not your typical club lounge nor continental breakfast at all.

The Dom did not include breakfast, nor does the Dom have a club lounge. Breakfast at the Dom restaurant was at least 20 eur (which was passed on for cheaper places nearby).

If one is choosing hotels based on cost alone, then you'd have to factor in the "free" breakfast at the 4P.

As a Plat at the Dom, was upgraded to the Dom suite (on the corner of the hotel, top floor, with a round room with multiple balconies facing the Dom cathedral).

As a Plat at the 4P, I had a "standard" room instead of a suite, BUT--and this is noteworthy--I was upgraded to a much larger room with a much larger bathroom (about as big as the room was). I saw a couple of the other standard-sized standard rooms, & mine was def. much bigger. It was also facing the inner coutryard & not the street, so NO traffic noise. The hotel staff said their suites were booked, and they spent some time ascertaining which was the biggest room they could still give me. They said if their suites were not already booked, they would have been glad to upgrade me to one, and were VERY apologetic that they had none to upgrade me to (no apology needed, they were booked, but it was nice of them).


There was a lot of road construction going on around the 4p, which actually made a walk to the Dom shorter than a walk to the 4p...but, again, neither is more than a few steps from the train station.

Thanks for that last note. I'm doing a quick one night trip to CGN next month and was debating between the Dom (e122 incl full buffet breakfast) or the 4P for a Single room at e80. As a Plat, last year I was given a small, narrow room with one single bed at the 4P, and when I complained I was told sorry, you are travelling alone and we only give our larger rooms to 2 or more guests:confused: This year, I was debating going for the 4P and trying my luck again---but I do remember the mess the construction caused, and my non view. So your comment about the ongoing construction made my decision easier. So the Dom it is, now I just have to hope for a nice upgrade with a Dom view. (Don't really care about a suite, but any room there would have to be bigger than my miniscule room at the 4P)

The Dom, no doubt about this. It is the much nicer hotel, the by far better location (DIRECTLY in the heart of town and not in the station's backyard at a big bus station with plenty of people around you do not want to be with at night). The 4P is close to a better YMCA. Stationwise they are both the same, you take the train from Cologne Central Station to CGN, very easy, cheap and convenient.