Hotels in Cologne
Jan 12, 2007 | 2:28 pm
#31
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Bollington, Cheshire, UK
Programs: BA, Best Western, Miles & More
Posts: 359
Yep, unfortunately to a non smoker like me it feels like it's almost compulsory everywhere in Cologne except on the U-Bahn where there are non smoking signs displayed but ignored by a lot of the teenage population out there.
We went to Phantasialand for the day & had to share ques for the rides with smokers.
If you go into a bar or a restaurant you will be greeted with smoke whether you like it or not.
I asked for a non smoking table in a restaurant near the Dom & was told that there was no non-smoking section in the restaurant, despite its size.
The food court in the station did not seem as smokey so we ate there & drunk our beers in the hotel bar.
One of my workmates who is a smoker told me that Berlin is totally different & they cater for both smokers & non smokers.
The Uk is gradually bringing in a smoking ban in all pubs, clubs & restaurants but as far as i know, mainland Europe does not have plans to follow suit.
Do not let that put you off Cologne as it's a fantastic city to visit with very welcoming & friendly people who will make every effort to speak English if your German isn't up to scratch.
We went to Phantasialand for the day & had to share ques for the rides with smokers.
If you go into a bar or a restaurant you will be greeted with smoke whether you like it or not.
I asked for a non smoking table in a restaurant near the Dom & was told that there was no non-smoking section in the restaurant, despite its size.
The food court in the station did not seem as smokey so we ate there & drunk our beers in the hotel bar.
One of my workmates who is a smoker told me that Berlin is totally different & they cater for both smokers & non smokers.
The Uk is gradually bringing in a smoking ban in all pubs, clubs & restaurants but as far as i know, mainland Europe does not have plans to follow suit.
Do not let that put you off Cologne as it's a fantastic city to visit with very welcoming & friendly people who will make every effort to speak English if your German isn't up to scratch.
Jan 15, 2007 | 6:20 pm
#32
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
Programs: DL CO UA
Posts: 163
If I'm not to late to offer up a hotel, you can try this one, it is more of a B & B then hotel, only has 10 rooms, owners live on site, 25 minute walk (for me) to the Dom, and reasonably priced.
Hotel Im Kupferkessel on Probsteigasse
Here is their web page, www.im-kupferkessel.de/
if this is not the English link, just click on the UK flag.
I always try and stay here when I go to photokine.
Another is this one. http://www.coellnerhof.de/service_e.htm
I've stayed here 5 or 6 times, there was never a problem at any time.
Wow I sound like a commercial for these hotels. Think I should ask for a free Kolsch, the next time I visit.??
Hotel Im Kupferkessel on Probsteigasse
Here is their web page, www.im-kupferkessel.de/
if this is not the English link, just click on the UK flag.
I always try and stay here when I go to photokine.
Another is this one. http://www.coellnerhof.de/service_e.htm
I've stayed here 5 or 6 times, there was never a problem at any time.
Wow I sound like a commercial for these hotels. Think I should ask for a free Kolsch, the next time I visit.??
Jan 17, 2007 | 1:05 pm
#33
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, UA, NW, DL, Marriott
Posts: 354
Jan 17, 2007 | 1:38 pm
#34
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: MUC (home), DUS (office), XXX (customer)
Programs: LH, AB, SPG, CC, Sixt, EC
Posts: 6,332
This collection is getting better and better. Maybe everybody who has information oculd post them and I am happy to make an overview about that so that we could do a Cologne sticky...
Jan 18, 2007 | 9:57 am
#35
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Asia/Europe
Programs: CX, OZ, MU (+AY, DL), Shangri-La, Hilton
Posts: 7,233
We stayed @ The Jolly Hotel, which is in the media park, in October which was about a 15 min walk from the HBF (train station). The underground station @ Cristophestrabe is about 5 mins away but it can work out quicker to walk it to the Dom as you have to change lines.
Another thing to do is to get yourself a Cologne welcome card which will give you discounts on museums & attractions, as well as certain shops & restaurants. It also gives you unlimited use of their public transport system an will take you as far as Bonn on the local trains.
They are valid for 24. 48 or 72 hours from the 1st time you use it & saves a lot of time messing around with change for the machines @ the station.
If Cologne is full or too pricey you could look at Bonn which is about 30 mins by local train from Cologne & is also really pretty.
We tended to eat in the train station cafes @ night as a lot of the restaurants were too smokey to taste the food properly.
Another thing to do is to get yourself a Cologne welcome card which will give you discounts on museums & attractions, as well as certain shops & restaurants. It also gives you unlimited use of their public transport system an will take you as far as Bonn on the local trains.
They are valid for 24. 48 or 72 hours from the 1st time you use it & saves a lot of time messing around with change for the machines @ the station.
If Cologne is full or too pricey you could look at Bonn which is about 30 mins by local train from Cologne & is also really pretty.
We tended to eat in the train station cafes @ night as a lot of the restaurants were too smokey to taste the food properly.
Jan 20, 2007 | 1:41 pm
#36
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: TXL, ROC
Programs: AB Plat (OWE), AY Silver (OWR)
Posts: 474
Eating out in Cologne
Breweries
Malzmhle - one of the less obvious breweries on the southern side of Heumarkt next to Maritim Hotel; not extremely beautiful but very original with lots of traditional dishes; be sure to also try the 'Malzbier', a sweet malt beer with very low alcohol content.
Brauerei Paeffgen - located on Friesenstrasse 64-66, this is the place to go when you want to get some original food between shopping and night entertainment. Some clubs are right next door in a street that is closed for traffic at night. When it's warm enough, take a stroll down Venloer Strasse and go to 'Stadtgarten', a beer garden with Jazz bar and night club.
Frh and Gaffel - probably the best known breweries in Cologne, located at the Cathedral on Roncalliplatz and on Alter Markt. These also serve very good food (if you like it) and have a more pleasant interior.
Fast Food
Cologne (and Germany, for that matter) has a lot of Turkish restaurants. The most famous dish is the Doener Kebab which has become a German favorite, too. Especially at night you will notice hords of people prefering it over McDonald's specialties... Always choose the garlic sauce to experience the real deal and have it put in the bread before anything else!
Keupstrasse - in the district of 'Muehlheim' near Wiener Platz this street has almost only Turkish shops and restaurants and is located next to some major tv-studios. Two of the biggest German late night shows are being recorded here as well as the programme for a music channel. Just pick any restaurant in the street and enjoy one of the best Doeners in Germany, maybe have some Turkish sweets in a bakery afterwards. I have never had a problem in this street, but maybe you should go there during the day at first and pick up the vibe.
Kyffhuserstrasse - on the corner of Kyffhuserstrasse and Heinsbergstrasse there is a very good Doener place. They will bake the bread for it fresh with every order! It's also in the heart of the students' party district and close to major subway/tram lines and taxi stands.
Then of course, there is the sausage ('Wurst')! You cannot go to Germany and not have a 'Currywurst'! In my opinion, it is much better in Berlin but people from North Rhine-Westphalia often (and untruly
, check my username) claim to have invented it. So, after having sampled quite a number I can recommend a booth on a tiny square where Ehrenstrasse and Breite Strasse meet. You can only stand there to eat, but it's right in the middle of the best shopping area, very easy to fit in the day's schedule. I suggest having a 'Krakauer' sausage (that is the red one) prepared as a Currywurst...
I have to stop here, because it's gotten rather late. I hope this is helpful for a visit to Cologne.
Malzmhle - one of the less obvious breweries on the southern side of Heumarkt next to Maritim Hotel; not extremely beautiful but very original with lots of traditional dishes; be sure to also try the 'Malzbier', a sweet malt beer with very low alcohol content.
Brauerei Paeffgen - located on Friesenstrasse 64-66, this is the place to go when you want to get some original food between shopping and night entertainment. Some clubs are right next door in a street that is closed for traffic at night. When it's warm enough, take a stroll down Venloer Strasse and go to 'Stadtgarten', a beer garden with Jazz bar and night club.
Frh and Gaffel - probably the best known breweries in Cologne, located at the Cathedral on Roncalliplatz and on Alter Markt. These also serve very good food (if you like it) and have a more pleasant interior.
Fast Food
Cologne (and Germany, for that matter) has a lot of Turkish restaurants. The most famous dish is the Doener Kebab which has become a German favorite, too. Especially at night you will notice hords of people prefering it over McDonald's specialties... Always choose the garlic sauce to experience the real deal and have it put in the bread before anything else!
Keupstrasse - in the district of 'Muehlheim' near Wiener Platz this street has almost only Turkish shops and restaurants and is located next to some major tv-studios. Two of the biggest German late night shows are being recorded here as well as the programme for a music channel. Just pick any restaurant in the street and enjoy one of the best Doeners in Germany, maybe have some Turkish sweets in a bakery afterwards. I have never had a problem in this street, but maybe you should go there during the day at first and pick up the vibe.
Kyffhuserstrasse - on the corner of Kyffhuserstrasse and Heinsbergstrasse there is a very good Doener place. They will bake the bread for it fresh with every order! It's also in the heart of the students' party district and close to major subway/tram lines and taxi stands.
Then of course, there is the sausage ('Wurst')! You cannot go to Germany and not have a 'Currywurst'! In my opinion, it is much better in Berlin but people from North Rhine-Westphalia often (and untruly
, check my username) claim to have invented it. So, after having sampled quite a number I can recommend a booth on a tiny square where Ehrenstrasse and Breite Strasse meet. You can only stand there to eat, but it's right in the middle of the best shopping area, very easy to fit in the day's schedule. I suggest having a 'Krakauer' sausage (that is the red one) prepared as a Currywurst...I have to stop here, because it's gotten rather late. I hope this is helpful for a visit to Cologne.
Jan 21, 2007 | 3:32 am
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott LT Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH LT SEN, QR Platinum. BA Silver (going down further)
Posts: 10,235