I stayed at Hotel Domstern for two nights in early July 2008, and I have to agree with the preceding reviews here. At a price of only 85 Euros a night for a double room, Domstern is a real find. We had two double rooms on the second floor, both of them facing Domstrasse, and everything was spotlessly clean. The rooms were somewhat small but well planned, with a clean, simple and very unpretentious design, and they worked well for two persons. The bathroom was a bit narrow but very well planned, with a shower. There was a free-standing closet with the TV set placed on top of it, and a small desk in each room. There was also a refrigerator in each room, but no “mini-bar” in it, which was a nice touch, we thought – the refrigerator as a service to the guests, with no obligations, rather than as a vehicle for selling drinks at extortionate prices. Instead, if you want cold drinks in your room, you can choose between filling the fridge with drinks bought from the hotel reception, or from the corner shop just across the street at Machab?erstrasse, or from somewhere else. Another nice touch was the small piece of complimentary candy which the housekeeping service left on the bed each day – on the first day, German “Gummi-bears”, on the second day a small piece of chocolate. Housekeeping was immaculate. Breakfast was very good, offering plenty of choice, and the breakfast area is pleasant. The reception area is not large but feels generous, there are armchairs where you can sit down and browse through the hotels own collection of books about Cologne as well as the regular tourist information brochures on the desk. The people at the front desk were very friendly and helpful, and made us feel welcome from the moment we stepped into the hotel until we left. All in all, the whole atmosphere of the hotel is agreeable, and the people who run it seem to be genuinely interested in making their guests have as nice a stay as possible. I really can?t fault anything. The location is excellent, no more than 5 minutes on foot from the main railway station (though watch out if you take Maximinienstrasse, where a section of the pavement is missing at present due to the construction of a metro station). The cathedral, main shopping streets, business centre and the great museums are all very close to the hotel, just on the other side of the railway. The promenade along the Rhine is a few blocks to the east, and if you walk two blocks west you will find plenty of local shops and a selection of restaurants ranging from moderate to fairly expensive along Eigelstein and Marzellenstrasse. On the square around Eigelsteintor, the old city gate, there is a lively and interesting evening scene with several restaurants and bars. If you enjoy Indian food, Jaipur on Marzellenstrasse should not be missed, they make a subtle but devastatingly good chicken vindaloo. If you are on a honeymoon, or celebrating something like your 50th birthday, you might prefer to stay in something a bit more special and luxurious. But for a business trip, vacation, or just seeing all the sights of Cologne, Domstern is an excellent choice. Whenever I go to Cologne again, I will know where to stay. Why look elsewhere?

We stayed here for one night on our way through Cologne and thought it was a great little hotel. We had the junior suite on the top floor and, though calling it a suite is a little extravagant, it was large and well furnished. The room was very clean and the bed was really comfortable. The hotel's location was also pretty convenient, being a couple of hundred metres from the main station without being on the busy main roads. We could go everywhere in central Cologne from here on foot without thinking about needing public transport or taxis. Finally, the staff were very friendly, spoke impeccable English and were helpful in recommending tourist attractions and places to eat/drink. We'd certainly stay here again next time we visit Cologne and would also recommend it to our friends.

I happened to be in Cologne for the Gay Pride Festival and really enjoyed it. Re the hotel it is indeed good. From the moment I booked by phone to check-out, I got courtesy and smiles all the way. The location is good as it is only 5 minutes away from the train station. Service is excellent. Breakfast is plenty with cereal, coffe and tea, brioche and cereal bread and three types of ham, cheese, jam, butter etc. We had a double and a single room. Not much too criticise. They were really clean. The single can be used as a double but I wouldn't recommend it as it is slightly small and I don't think two people would be comfortable in it. The TVs are placed on the wardrobe which is slightly painful for the neck. Pity there are roadworks outside the train station making the trip to the hotel a bit difficult but this isn't the hotel's fault after all.... Hotel Domstern was quite pleasant and value for money and I would certainly go back any time