Hyatt Regency KölnAlthough we had previously visited Köln on a number of occasions, we had yet to stay in the Hyatt there. Having decided to visit the city for their annual Kölner-Lichter fireworks display, it seemed an ideal time to try the property.
We arrived at the hotel after a long journey from Berlin (575 km by car - thankfully the hotel has secure underground parking facilities) and were swiftly checked in and escorted to our room. At first glance, the hotel is spacious but feels a little old-fashioned. This possibly reflects a lack of competition in Cologne, which only has 8 5* hotels in the city and no top luxury hotel. Of course, the rates available (the hotel is generally available for under $200/night) are correspondingly low. One negative we noticed almost straight away was the flaw of the open-plan restaurant on the mezzanine floor. Although the smell of freshly cooking eggs is not unpleasant at breakfast time, fast-forward 5 hours and it creates another ambience altogether. Business travellers will be delighted by the spacious and well equipped Business Centre on the ground floor and neighbouring conference room. Club LoungeAll floors in the Hyatt Regency Köln require key-card access - the reason for this became more obvious when we stepped out of the lift on the top floor straight into the club lounge area. The lounge has great views of the Dom (cathedral), Rhine and the Hohenzollernbrücke (bridge). As we were offered breakfast in the restaurant, we did not use the club lounge in the mornings. However, the spread looked pretty good for a continental offering, with traditional German Weißwurst also available. A light afternoon tea is offered, although we didn't partake. In the evening, there were both sweet and savoury canapés and a wide choice of beverages, although the wine was a little rough around the edges (we recommend the sparkling Sekt as the best option). For us, there was not enough for dinner, so we ordered room service (see below), but if you have no allergies and want a light dinner, there would be enough.
Our main problem with the lounge was that it seemed way too small and had too many sitting areas for larger groups. Presumably most people are travelling alone or as a couple. The hotel has around 50 club rooms and suites (i.e. 100 people with club access), but seating only for around a third of these - get there early to get a seat. Overall Impression |
Regency Suite KingOn this stay, we used 6000 points to upgrade to a suite and received Iris Suite, a standard Regency Suite King. This was a great use of points, although the suites are also a reasonable price to buy outright. The suite had been recently renovated (we could smell fresh paint) and was a very good size. One of the best fruit bowls we have received was in the living room, along with a bottle of red wine, decanters of gin, whisky, cognac and vodka, and some snacks on the table, including glacé pineapple. A bottle of white wine was shortly delivered too. As with many other suites in Germany, the contents of the minibar were included. The lounge had space to lounge or work, but nowhere to dine. We loved the window seats though.
A spacious bedroom led to a walk-in wardrobe and large bathroom with separate tub and shower. The quality of the toiletries was typical for a Regency property, and nowhere near as good as the Aveda goodies in Grand Hyatt Berlin, Blaise Mautin at Park Hyatt Zürich or Molten Brown at the Regency in London. Although the room was large and newly decorated, we felt that huge improvements could have been made by a slightly fuller renovation - the old woodwork, doors and air-conditioning felt like relics from the past in quite a modern room. DiningWe learnt on our first morning at breakfast that it was best not to arrive too late. After a mix-up with serving hours, we got to breakfast only 15 minutes before service finished. Unfortunately, it was busy and staff seemed to struggle to replenish items which had run out (or perhaps this is policy to not waste food). However, on our second day, we got to breakfast in plenty of time and our experience was much more pleasant. The breakfast offered everything typical of a good hotel breakfast - we particularly liked the separate cheese, fish and meat room. The ingredients were perhaps not as high quality as you may experience in a Grand or Park Hyatt, but were much better than the typical Hilton breakfast.
In the evening, we were delighted when the assistant f+b director (who we hope Hyatt hang on to) found us a table for the special firework buffet dinner. The buffet was very extensive (in particular the starters) and of high quality - even our foody friends were impressed. The price of the buffet seemed high at €165, even taking into account that it included free-flow wine (although this is Köln's equivalent to New Year), but was great value when our 50% Gourmet Club discount was applied. |
In conclusion, the Hyatt is probably the best option in Köln. The setting is fantastic with wonderful views over the highlights of the city - the Dom and the Rhine. Although we feel that the hotel could have been much better had a more extensive renovation been carried out, we understand that due to the lack of local competition, this wasn't required or economically viable. Service throughout our stay was very good - room service arrived early and house-keeping requests were promptly taken care of. However, all in all, the hotel doesn't feel up to the standards of the other German Hyatt Regencys (Düsseldorf and Mainz) and would perhaps be better suited as a Crowne Plaza or similar 4* hotel.
Cologne is a great city to visit with much for the tourist (if you have no business travel). Combine a 2-night stay at the Hyatt with 1 night at the Chinese-themed Ling Bao at the local theme-park Phantasialand to make your children's year (great for big children too). Whilst in Köln, climb the tower of the Dom, have a cruise on the Rhine, marvel at the number of lover's padlocks on the Hohenzollernbrücke and enjoy the gourmet options. The Hyatt Regency offers the perfect location for all these things.
Cologne is a great city to visit with much for the tourist (if you have no business travel). Combine a 2-night stay at the Hyatt with 1 night at the Chinese-themed Ling Bao at the local theme-park Phantasialand to make your children's year (great for big children too). Whilst in Köln, climb the tower of the Dom, have a cruise on the Rhine, marvel at the number of lover's padlocks on the Hohenzollernbrücke and enjoy the gourmet options. The Hyatt Regency offers the perfect location for all these things.