When I travel abroad I tend to stick to small, independent hotels. My theory being to get a more “authentic” experience and support the local economy directly. But when I needed a hotel in Friedrichshafen, Germany prior to my Zeppelin flight I looked for convenience. This led me to the Holiday Inn Express Friedrichshafen. With free breakfast included, located adjacent to the airport and Zeppelin Hangar, and clean and comfortable the hotel exceeded my expectations.
Besides my bias against chain hotels, I was also concerned about staying in a hotel so close to an airport. My imagination was running amok with nightmare scenarios. Turns out that my imagination really needs to get a grip.
It’s All About Location, Location, Location
The Holiday Inn Express Friedrichshafen is conveniently located. It is on the far side of the Bodensee-Airport Friedrichshafen. It’s just down the street from the Messe Friedrichshafen (the convention center) and the Zeppelin NT Hangar, which shares the tarmac with the airport. The Bodensee (Lake Constance) is less than two miles away. Which, while not far, makes the hotel more convenient for business travelers, Zeppelin airship enthusiasts and convention center attendees than tourists.
The hotel’s physical location, while close to those commercial sites, is also quite residential. In fact, the view from my room looked right onto the Zeppelin Hangar space in the background and a residential neighborhood directly below the window. The hotel’s just off the nearby highway which makes it easily accessible by car but shields it from some of the noise of the roadway. The neighborhood is rather quiet.
The Room
My experience with hotels targeting business travelers is that they’re a safe bet. They’re generally clean and comfortable with friendly staff. The Holiday Inn Express Friedrichshafen was no different. Built in 2014, the hotel is still in great shape. The all important wifi worked great as did the air conditioning.
The room itself was narrow but large enough to include a comfortable double bed, a small sofa, and a desk. The bathroom was modern in style and design. Notably, it included a large-by-German-standards shower. Compared to some of those mom and pop hotels, the whole room felt like a bit of a luxury without feeling too self-indulgent.
Rise and Shine
A stay at the Holiday Inn Express Friedrichshafen also includes some nice amenities, like a free buffet breakfast. The offerings had some variety and were of good quality. Eilles tea, a coffee machine for push-button access to fancier brews, a selection of miniature pastries as well as meats, cheeses, breads, and cereals. All the German breakfast favorites. And the large crowd of business travelers I shared the breakfast room with seemed to have no complaints. I certainly didn’t.
Holiday Inn Express Friedrichshafen
I would stay, without hesitation, at the Holiday Inn Express Friedrichshafen again. My stay was one of the more pleasant stays that I’ve had in Germany. At the end of the day, travelers want clean, comfortable accommodations and the Holiday Inn Express Friedrichshafen delivers.
Getting There
For travelers with cars, the hotel has a parking lot directly outside of the lobby.
For those arriving via public transportation or the airport, the airport train stop is the closest train station. From there, there is a cycling and walking path around the perimeter of the airport that will take you to the hotel’s neighborhood where you can pick up local streets. It is a very pleasant walk but rather far if you’re traveling with luggage or hurrying to catch a train or a flight. Instead, you can take the local bus, which has a stop just outside the hotel. From there you can get to the lakefront or the airport, among other spots.
This review is unsolicited and contains affiliate links. Top two photos are my own. All other photos from Holiday Inn Express Friedrichshafen.
