A three-star hotel doesn't have to get a three-star review. The Kocks Garni isn't fancy, but it served my purpose well. The staff is friendly, my room was cleaned daily, and it's a short walk from the U-Bahn (Fuhsbüttel Nord) and one bus stop from the airport. It's the first hotel I've stayed at (granted, I don't stay at a lot) that had secure Wi-Fi (or W-LAN, as they call it in Germany). The 24-hour cold drinking water dispenser, for filling bottles, is a nice touch. I stayed in two different rooms because I left for the weekend and came back. The upstairs room was amazingly well insulated from the noise of low-flying planes. The downstairs one not so much; the room proper was well soundproofed, but the bathroom wasn't, and I had to keep the bathroom door closed to minimize the noise.
The breakfast buffet was quite nice, with an assortment of bread, cheese, meat, juice, etc. They asked me if I'd need breakfast earlier than 6 AM; I didn't, but it was nice to have the option.
Negatives: If you have mobility issues, you may want to look elsewhere. To get to the room on the second floor (contrary to usual European practice, the "first floor" is the ground floor), I had to use the stairs. The rooms aren't spacious.
The big issue with the upstairs room was the shower. I had to step up a good 25 cm to get in, and it was a bit scary stepping out with wet feet. The downstairs room had a more modest step up. The showers have grab bars, but they aren't placed to help you get in and out.
If you want a high-class hotel or have trouble getting around, you may want to look elsewhere, but for basic accommodations in Hamburg, Kocks Garni is a good choice. read more
