Round The World and other travel

May 2016: Hotel Reichshof, Hamburg

(Curio Collection by Hilton)

My base for five of the six nights that I spent in Germany during May 2016 was the Hotel Reichshof in Hamburg. My time there was split over two separate stays. The hotel could hardly have been more conveniently located for my purpose, being just steps away from the Kirchenallee exit from the city's main railway station. The Reichshof joined Hilton's 'Curio Collection' in 2015. Operating in a similar manner to Marriott's Autograph Collection, this arrangement allows member properties to benefit from Hilton marketing, while retaining a good deal of independence and - hopefully - their distinctive, non-chain character.

Both my stays took advantage of an excellent 'cash+points' deal. I was well treated as a Hilton HHonors diamond member, receiving a substantial upgrade to a junior suite on both occasions, as well as complimentary full breakfast each morning and a welcome gift on each of my two arrivals.

I absolutely loved the style of the place, evidenced by the art-deco splendour of public areas such as the lobby, bar and breakfast room. Both my rooms were spacious and comfortable and also featured large bathrooms. During the entire duration of my two stays (five nights in total), I never once heard extraneous noise from the corridor or from another room. Returning to the subject of character and house style, I was intrigued to see that all male staff in the breakfast room sported hats of various descriptions. A trilby seemed to be the most popular choice, followed by a flat cap. Both looked surprisingly good, if a little unexpected. I can't say the same about the one person who opted for a back-to-front, oversize baseball cap!

Having read of a host of teething problems suffered by this property in the immediate aftermath of its refurbishment the previous year, I was pleased to find that most of the identified issues appeared to have been resolved - pretty much all, in fact, with one glaring exception. Both of my allocated rooms were south-facing, and the air conditioning simply did not come close to dealing adequately with the build-up of heat caused by the warm, spring sunshine. It appeared that both units were under-specified for the combination of a large room and a south-facing aspect.

That important issue apart, both my stays were most enjoyable and, again subject to that one AC-related caveat, I would highly recommend this hotel.