Gallery Loft Cologne

This is an interesting hotel - it is a rumbling old factory, refurbished as an hotel with very spacious loft rooms, with large windows, comfortable bed and a second floor with a great shower and bathroom. More space in this studio than any other hotel I have been to in Europe! The art deco style of the hotel is a bit strange, and while in the main corridor, makes you feel in an old discotheque, overall, I enjoyed my stay of nearly two weeks. The room had a bar that is replenished daily, so I used it much as I had long days to catch the train back and forth to Bonn daily at the nearby station of Koln-Ehrenfeld. They offer breakfast in room, but for twice the price of a similar breakfast on the numerous cafe-restaurants on Velnoer Street three minutes walk away - so didn't make use of this service. The room was very comfortable with a well appointed bathroom and super modern shower - the bathroom also had a sunroof! There is a live-band bar next door and a nice friendly bar on Heliosstrasse about a block away. The main issue relates to their opening hours for the reception - for this reason if you arrive after 10.00pm, you have to go through a back alley and door opposite of the main reception. They would not bulged on the check-in at 3.00pm, so used the time from 11.00am arrival from the airport to visit the neighborhood. It is a bit depressing, but once you reach Velnoer Street, two-blocks away - the place comes alive with many restaurants, bars and shops, most of them Turquish, with donor kebab and Turkish pastries and delicatessen - I spent much time on this street in search of a late night meal. The management of the hotel is a bit amateurish - after nearly 14 nights - they didn't have a record of my mini-bar incursions, so had to recollect at best, so I could make a final check-out payment...frankly! but apart from this I did enjoy my stay and the spacious studio for the few hours I was there each day.