In a big, busy city sometimes you can be lucky if you can hear your own thoughts. For travelers, it’s a fine line. You want to be in a convenient location, maybe experience some city life but still be able to relax, unwind. The
Barceló Hotel Hamburg proves that you can be centrally located and still get away from the hustle and bustle — even if just for a moment.
It’s All About Location, Location, Location
Centrally located in Hamburg’s Altstadt, or old city, the Barceló Hamburg is just a few blocks from the Hauptbahnhof (central train station) as well as many popular attractions. The Hamburger Kunsthalle, one of Germany’s largest art museums, is only a couple of blocks away. It’s a similar distance to the Außenalster and Binnenalster, two artificial lakes that are a great spot to take in the scenery, relax and enjoy the neighborhood.
Old Meets New
The hotel itself is tucked off the main street, Glockengießerwall, with the lobby entrance sitting on Ferdinandstrasse. There are old and historic buildings all around the hotel. Directly next door is an evangelical reformation church. So there’s no need to worry about any loud parties (at least from the church).
The Barceló Hamburg is a juxtaposition to those historic buildings. The hotel is a large, imposing modern building on the outside. A large revolving door welcomes you to come inside. And that feeling continues once within the walls of the hotel.
Industrial, high ceilings and a huge lobby with no dividing walls add to the overwhelming feeling. The hip, modern style is all about hanging out. Maybe you’ll have a drink or a meal at the lounge, B-Lounge, wine bar or restaurant, 1700, at the back of the lobby.
Book at room at the Barceló Hamburg!
The Room
The rooms, or at least the room I had — what the hotel calls a “superior room” — was nice. Although narrow, the room is of a decent size for an urban hotel. Without being repetitive, the room layout is very modern. The shower is integrated into the room’s living space. The main frosted glass wall of the shower serves as a divider from the bedroom’s living space. But the toilet room (WC), which is tucked beside the bathroom sink, is more like a cell for solitary confinement. The “room” is small, dark and features an odd “window” at ankle height on the non-locking pocket door.
Perhaps the best part of the room is the floor-to-ceiling windows the entire width of the room. Luckily, as I was there on a Friday and Saturday. This meant the workers in the office buildings across the narrow street were mostly long gone. But it’s a quiet spot to enjoy, especially in a busy city.
Getting There
As I mentioned before, the Barceló Hamburg is extremely convenient if you’re using public transit. The Hauptbahnhof is only a short walk away and allows you to easily connect to long or short distance services.
Photos of exterior and interior of hotel are courtesy of Hotel Barceló Hamburg. View from room is my own. This review is unsolicited. This post contains affiliate links.