Tripology Travel Experts Blog: Cologne

Hotel Buchholz--in the heart of Cologne's historical center

After 21 hours of traveling, we arrived at Cologne, Germany's train station utterly wiped out. Good thing our lodgings at Hotel Buchholz were barely a five minute walk from the train station. Before we left the train station, however, we took advantage of the many services offered: withdrew cash in the local currency from a handy ATM, refilled simple OTC meds from the apothoke, and picked up some vegan foods from the well-stocked health food store. The Cologne Banhopf is a treasure trove of stores and services.

A five minute walk later, we were warmly welcomed into Hotel Buchholz, an unassuming inn owned by Sascha Buchholz, grandson of the founder, and his beautiful wife Natasha. Comprising only 15 rooms, the Hotel Buchholz is a real gem for many reasons. The convenience of its location--close to the train station, the Cologne Dom (Cathedral), and historical city center--can't be beat. But convenience alone would never justify staying in unkempt accommodations or suffering with terrible service. So here is where the Hotel Buchholz really shines. Sascha and Natasha and their staff of friendly helpers deliver a home-y experience with all the warmth you'd expect to find from close friends, coupled with the professional assistance of innkeepers who know their city well. In fact, you really do feel like old friends by the time you check out regardless of how short your stay is.

For all this hotel offers, and the reasonable prices charged, Hotel Buchholz ranks among the best values we have seen in Europe.

There is a computer kiosk off the bar with free Wi-Fi, and if you brought your own laptop, there's free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel--an extremely convenient service.

The rooms are adequately furnished. But the bed was supremely comfortable, and we dived under the lofty down comforters, toasty warm, and drifted off to sleep in mere seconds. In-room bathrooms vary in size; some have showers only and others are combination shower-tubs. Our bathroom this time had a large tub in which we could totally stretch out--a rarity--and soak our limbs. Junior suites also have a separate sitting room.

Compact, yet offers the amenities you'd expect or hope to find, such as a cozy bar where you can enjoy a relaxing drink or complimentary coffee or tea, expertly served by Vartan, accompanied by friendly conversation. Very convivial atmosphere. The hotel also has a dining room where guests can savor a hearty breakfast in the morning. And I mean hearty: vegetables, fruits, cheeses, platters of meat and bread baskets served tableside, a huge assortment of fresh juices, variety of cereals, and homemade jams. We inquired about vegan options, realizing that Germany is typically a meat-and-potato-and--cheese country. Sascha surprised us with a bountiful feast by going to the market--just for us--to purchase an array of vegan 'sausages', herbed spreads, vegan 'butter', and soy milk--and even vegan 'pudding' which was new to us. And feast we did, since it was our first real meal after surviving the better part of two days on trail mix. This was totally unexpected and beyond the minimum standards that passes for customer service these days, yet typical of the kind of individualized attention and incredibly thoughtful touches Hotel Buchholz lavishes on its guests.

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