vividventures

Hotel Review 

Location:

This large, modern hotel is one of the tallest in Hamburg and is located in the city enter close to the Gänsemarkt U-Bahn station.  It’s also a short 800m walk from Jungfernstieg on the banks of the Alster and one of my favourite parts of the city.

Arrival and check-in:

I arrived into Hamburg Airport and reached the hotel with ease taking the S-Bahn train directly to Jungfernstieg in just 28 minutes.  The large reception lobby has a warm and inviting feel and I was attended to very quickly by a very pleasant member of the front desk team.

Taking the lift up to the 7th floor was an experience in itself as the lighting inside the lifts is a deep sea blue on the lower floors, gradually becoming lighter as the lift travels upwards.

My room was actually on the 8th floor and as this floor had been added later, guests need to either walk along a corridor to take another lift or simply walk up one flight of stairs.  I used both lifts with my luggage but otherwise took the stairs as it was quicker but it’s good that the additional lift has been added to enable those guests with mobility problems to access the 8th floor.

The Room:

Rooms on the 7th and 8th floors are designated art rooms with works by various artists.  I was booked into 811, with the wall above the bed adorned by the works of Clueso (more details on my art room can be found here.)

I adored my superior plus room as soon as I walked through the door with its clean lines and Scandi style light wood furnishings.

With a double height ceiling and floor to ceiling windows boasting spectacular city views, the room was light and airy.  Alongside an extremely comfortable bed there was a complimentary minbar stocked with wine, beer, soft drinks, snacks and water.  Not only that, but guests in this type of room have access to the ‘Living Room’ a business style lounge with even more complimentary drinks and snacks.

The spacious bathroom came equipped with a powerful shower, luxuriously thick towels, fragrant FACE toiletries, a magnified make-up mirror and a powerful hairdryer.  A note informed guests that bathrobes and slippers were available on request from reception so I popped down to collect a set as I wished to make use of the sauna during my stay.

Dining:

A vast breakfast buffet is available each morning in the H2O restaurant, with a varied assortment of hot and cold dishes.  I stayed at the hotel for three nights and took breakfast in the restaurant on two of the mornings whilst on the other I chose to eat in the ‘Living Room’ which is exclusively for guests staying in superior plus rooms and junior suites.

The Living Room had a cosy, relaxed atmosphere but I preferred the main dining area for breakfast as eggs are prepared to order there.

The Facilities:

The hotel has an inviting lobby bar leading off from the reception area.  There’s also a small shop where drinks and light snacks can be obtained 24/7.

At the time of my visit the restaurant was closed for dinner but with so many restaurants to choose from in the locality I didn’t see this as a problem.  Wi-Fi was easy to connect to, being fast and reliable throughout the hotel.

A big bonus of staying in one of the Art Rooms is that guests have access to the Living Room with breakfast and daytime light bites available alongside a ‘help yourself’ bar with hot, cold and alcoholic beverages on offer.

I made use of the hotel’s sauna suite which comprises two guest saunas – one mixed and one female only.  There’s also a relaxation room and a well equipped gym on the same floor.  Bicycles can be borrowed free of charge for up to four hours and secure parking is available (extra charge payable).

Out and About:

Here are my suggestions of things to see and do:

It’s just a short walk to Jungfernstieg, a beautiful part of the city with its grand promenade, classical colonnades and elegant arcades.  Relax with a coffee and one of the delicious Franzbrötchen local pastries.

Take a one hour Alster boat trip departing from Jungfernstieg to gain a perspective of the city from the water.  The cruise travels along the inner Alster continuing through the picturesque Lombardsbrûcke bridge which separates the inner and outer Alsters.  The inner part of the lake is lined with imposing buildings and grand hotels whilst charming villas and parks surround the outer.

Visit the Speicherstadt district, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It’s the best known symbol of the maritime history of the Hanseatic city of Hamburg with its well preserved warehouses where tea, coffee and spices were originally stored.

If you’re a coffee lover, don’t miss out on the opportunity of visiting Coffee Museum Burg as it’s located in one of these old warehouses.  Take a guided tour and learn about the cultivation, trade and roasting of coffee beans.

If your visit to Hamburg includes a Tuesday or Friday morning then hop on the U-Bahn to Eppendorfer to enjoy a stroll through the Isemarkt, sampling its gastronomic delights.  This wonderful market stretches for 1 km and is located beneath the railway bridge which provides shelter on rainy days.  It’s a foodies paradise with fresh produce, street food and coffee stalls galore.

Enjoy a stroll at Landungsbrücken, a bustling area popular with locals and tourists alike and home to two museum ships and lots of small cafes and bars.  It’s also the best place in town to sample the local fish sandwich.

It might not sound all that special but shouldn’t be missed as these are so tasty.  I enjoyed a mackerel sandwich washed down with a glass of local beer from Bruecke 10 and it was so delicious I can easily understand why these are so popular.

Harbour cruises leave from this promenade which are really interesting as you get to see the container port up close and marvel at how large the container ships are compared to the size of the cruise boat.  The tour also passes the historic Speicherstadt warehouse district which looks even more impressive from the water.

For chocolate lovers, head to Chocoversum, the city’s chocolate museum.  It’s located in the Kontorhaus district with the nearest U-Bahn station being Meßberg on the U1 Line.  Join one of their 90 minute chocolate tours which are offered in both German and English.  Standard admission €21 at the door or €15 if booked in advance and take home a chocolate bar handmade and decorated by yourselves.

The star of the show when it comes to Hamburg’s attractions has got to be  Miniatur Wunderland, home to the world’s largest model railway and miniature airport (Standard admission €20).  Pre-booking recommended to avoid disappointment.  With almost 10 miles of track and more than 1,000 trains, the attention to detail is incredible with such things as tiny writing on vehicles and individual blades of grass.

The setting changes every 15 minutes from day to night-time when tiny apartment windows become illuminated and street lamps and car headlights are switched on.  As if the enchanting model railway exhibition wasn’t enough there’s also an impressive miniature airport which features 45 different planes from an A380 to a Cessna.

Take in city wide views from the plaza of the landmark Philharmonic Concert Hall.  This stunning building sits on top of a 1960’s brick warehouse and  has been designed to create the impression of a large liner setting sail.  Free to visit, it’s accessed by one of the world’s longest escalators with the viewing area encircling the entire building offering spectacular panoramas across the Elbe, canals and Hamburg skyline.

Overall:

The Scandic Emporio is a large hotel with 340 rooms spread over 8 floors yet gives the impression of more intimate accommodation.  All members of staff I came into contact with were well trained, putting the needs of guests first and ensuring everyone, be they corporate or leisure travellers have an enjoyable stay.  With the hotel’s central location, it makes a perfect base for a weekend break.

Details:

Scandic Hamburg Emporio, Dammtorwall, 19 Hamburg, Germany

During my stay, I was a guest of Visit Hamburg and the Scandic Hamburg Emporio and as always, all views and opinions are entirely my own.