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IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona

Florian Buechting Hotels & Accommodation No Comments

IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona

136 EUR
IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona
4.1

Rating

 4.1/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Amazing location
  • Great breakfast

Flyctory.com Cons

  • WiFi and shower issues
  • Issues with H-Rewards Silver discount price

At the beginning of April 2022, I had two nights in Hamburg. As one of my key intentions was to visit a German cast show of my favorite musical Rock of Ages in Pinneberg North of the city, I looked for a hotel with good connections to that directions. I finally went for the IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona. Truly what I call a rail station hotel – it is practically located on the station’s premises. Here is my review.

 

IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona – Location

The hotel is located right next to Platform 12 of Hamburg-Altona Station, which features national ICE high-speed rail connections. The station is also connected to all kinds of local and regional transport, so that the location of the hotel is absolutely ideal. It is only a few stations to St. Pauli and the Reeperbahn or Hamburg’s City Center. Hamburg-Altona is traditionally also used as the car train station of Hamburg. This means that very rarely (once or twice a day), the access from the hotel to some station facilities is blocked for a short period due to the loading / unloading of cars.

The train station features a couple of opportunities to eat as well as some supermarkets. Thus, the logistics is ideal for travelers, especially as the German laws regarding store opening hours do not strictly apply in here.

 

IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona – Room

My reservation was a Business Room for two nights. The total of the refundable rate, including breakfast, was 272 EUR. There is some open hassle with the finally correct rate (see below), but that’s finally the rate I booked the room for and which is in my confirmation. The room doors have that a bit of weird opposite-and-angled style which I also had at the IntercityHotel Nuremberg. The room had actually a similar style, but a nice size. I liked the minibar in the wall, which is for free and even refilled in this room category. The work desk corner shelf thing is a bit bothering, though. There was sufficient space for my luggage.

The shower bathroom was actually really nice and had more space than the pictures actually might suggest. Basic amenities were provided, the whole room was absolutely clean. However, the mixing of the shower frequently completely dropped the cold water – which means that you had a shower in boiling hot water for one or two seconds before it recovered again. At check-out, other rooms claimed that as well. As you see on the bottom pictures, I had direct view of the Hamburg-Altona platforms. Nonetheless, the room was quiet.

 

IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona – Breakfast

If there is anything negative I could state about the breakfast buffet at IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona, I might say that it is so packed that you struggle to rest your tablet or plate while you help yourself. The area is really nice and the selection of items even includes cake and less typical items. Signs gave you the items in German and English and there were sufficient items for special need guests (vegan, gluten-free etc.).

 

IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona – Service

The staff at the hotel was really friendly. They were a bit hectic, though, during the Saturday breakfast service, where the staff performance was rather average. The WiFi had multiple breakdowns, including during the night. The hotel does not include a gym or similar facility. Like at all IntercityHotels, you receive a public transport ticket for all days of your stay (including check-in/check-out day). In contrast to the IntercityHotel Hamburg Main Station I stayed in before, the ticket was “just” a second class one and did not included the very outer parts of regional transport.

 

IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona – Pricing Issues

As said, the price for which I have been booking the hotel and which has been stated on my reservation is 272 EUR for two nights. However, I am Silver Status member of Deutsche Hospitality’s H-Rewards frequent traveler program. One of the perks they state is a 6% reduction in hotel price. 272 EUR was definitely the rate any non-member would have received as well. Interestingly my member profile shows (until today!) a different price of 247.58 EUR (which is roughly nine per cent below the original price). The H-Rewards helpline could not help me at all, they did obviously did not see that price in their systems. Overall, this is of course a very confusing thing, even though I did the booking under the original price and thus I am fine with it. It nonetheless decreases my rating of the hotel.

 

IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona – My View

You might not call the IntercityHotel Hamburg-Altona a budget place, but it comes with a lot of advantages. First of all, there is the outstanding location, especially if you are on a rail trip. The staff is nice, the breakfast very good. The minibar service has been lovely. Bad luck that some basics like the shower and the WiFi failed – and that Deutsche Hospitality, the company behind Steigenberger and IntercityHotels, obviously struggles with the H-Rewards discount. Overall, the sum of these negatives just prevents the hotel to be in the Top Pick! ratings – nonetheless, I would absolutely recommend it and consider it again.

 

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