THE 'OUTLET HOTEL'…read more The cosy little Swabian market town of Metzingen , some 20 clicks to the south of Stuttgart, may be quite well-known in the U.K. (I'm not sure) and is certainly worth a visit. Apart from the usual scenic and culinary charms that such small towns in Southern Germany boast, it became well-known in and beyond Germany quite a few years back when local company Hugo Boss first opened their factory outlet there. Since then, outlet stores have bloomed for just about any designer brand you care to think of. Indeed, as far as I know it was one of the very first outlet cities in Europe (along the lines of Bicester Village in the U.K.). In the meantime, it literally attracts visitors from all over the world, including Russia, China and other countries. I have stayed at the Hotel Schwanen several times, both with my wife and once alone on business. This very friendly family-run hotel in the town centre by the church and minutes from the shopping centre offers very pleasant rooms, excellent bars, a fine and a reasonably-priced restaurant with quality local specialities and even a gift shop. I know from professional experience that the word 'sumptuous breakfast buffet' is somewhat overused by hotels in the German-language diaspora, but the Schwanen is certainly deserving of that epithet, with its diverse and stylish facilities. In fact, as you pass through to the breakfast room you will see photos of the serried ranks of the great and good who have stayed there (but remember that it is still very reasonably-priced). In fact, during my last visit, I had stayed the previous few nights at the Four Points Sheraton in Duesseldorf which cannot hold a candle to the Schwanen! Definitely the place to hang your hat when passing through! Early booking in the high season is probably not a bad idea to avoid missing out on the best hotel in Metzingen (as far as I know, 'high season' there runs from January to December). My photos are not representative of the luxurious double rooms, but I was very impressed with the imaginatively-designed and practical open-plan single room I had last time round: a sort of studio apartment. To see more, best check the pix on their website which you can read in an interesting variety of languages! http://www.schwanen-metzingen.de/de/00_home.php Related links:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metzingen http://www.outletcity-metzingen.com/en/welcome

From the owner: Ein Paradies mit urbaner Lebensqualität Wo Freundlichkeit…read moreund Qualität zu Hause sind, Herzlichkeit und perfekter Service kaum Wünsche offen lassen, dort ist gut wohnen. Wunderschöne Zimmer und extravagante Juniorsuiten empfangen Sie mit 4-Sterne-Wohnkomfort und ausgesuchten Designerstücken, die Auge und Seele verwöhnen. Weltoffenheit, Eleganz und Professionalität mit Herz prägen das idyllische Ambiente unseres innovativen, modernen Stadthotels, das Behaglichkeit, urbane Lebendigkeit und ein abwechslungsreiches gastronomisches Angebot vereint. Dank unserer einmalig vorteilhaften Lage mitten in Deutschlands größter Outlet-City erwarten Sie international bekannte Fabrikverkäufe der weltbesten Modedesigner direkt vor der Hoteltür. Eine vielfältige Erlebnisregion in herrlicher Landschaft freut sich darauf, von Ihnen entdeckt zu werden. Erleben Sie unsere bemerkenswerte Individualität und das wunderbare Gefühl, stets herzlich willkommen zu sein. Bei uns im Schwanen.

My room was too noisy and hot. If I opened the window, I heard traffic all night long. If I kept it…read moreclosed, I sweated all night long. The shower wasn't a shower - no place head height to hang to telephone shower head. Well, there was a place but it was waist height. Breakfast was okay. The sauna was nice once the person from reception came up and reset the fuses. The carts of the cleaning ladies' tended to be in the hallways all day and night, sometimes blocking the elevator. The cable was terrible, half the channels were fuzzy. And the ceilings in the rooms are low. Reception was friendly and helpful and the gym, a large airy room, is well appointed and has a nice view of the city.

Stayed here for a couple of days in August. Overall this is a good hotel for business travel. The…read moreroom was clean, and a large breakfast is included with your stay. Most of the staff spoke English, but there didn't seem to be any English language channels on the tv. Also, there was no AC but there was good circulation from the large windows in the room.