The location is picturesquely urban - along an industrial section of the Rhine River, with the…read moreentire glass eastern wall of the hotel overlooking a water inlet. The rooms and the lobby all stylishly modern - with exposed metal, glass, and glossy white surfaces, only broken up by bright colored couches and rugs. All glass elevators take you up to your room with views of the lobby and the exterior.
Rooms were reasonably comfortable, albeit small. The bar in the evenings was a perfect place to come and grab a drink, lounge, meet up with friends and fellow travelers, or watch a game. The dining room is huge - again with the wall of glass overlooking the river. Breakfast service was a bit limited and the serving area was easily overwhelmed even with not many people dining. Front desk staff was friendly and helpful.
So what would limit the art'otel to only three stars? It wasn't very clean. The carpets in the rooms and the hallways had very obvious stains and didn't feel clean. Likewise, while the beds were fine, I took issue with the countertops and tabletop surfaces, that were also not cleaned very well. Perhaps it was an illusion caused by the use of glossy white surfaces. That still doesn't forget the grimy feeling and clearly stained carpeting in all the rooms and the hallways. We tried switching rooms, which the front desk helpfully complied with, but it didn't improve the situation and only made us more aware that the entire hotel was kind of grody.
While the Wi-Fi was expensive and nothing interesting within immediate walking distance of the hotel, the hotel was redeemed by it's relatively affordable rates, outstanding view, and the friendly staff. If you can get over some of the cleanliness issues (and the bed was not one of them), this is a very nice place to spend the night.
