Excelsior Hotel Ernst
Cologne, Germany
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About the Hotel
Nestled among the church spires of Cologne, Germany, not far from the Rhine River, stands the exemplary Excelsior Hotel Ernst. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, this historic hotel, one of only a few buildings in these parts to survive World War II, has been part of the cityscape for nearly 140 years. Its luxurious rooms and excellent service have earned it both a loyal following and flawless reputation, as well as inclusion in Conde Nast Travelerâ€(TM)s Gold List.
Location
Excelsior Hotel Ernst
Trankgasse 1-5, Domplatz
Cologne, Germany
P50667
Nearest Airport: CGN
Features and Amenities
Reviews for Excelsior Hotel Ernst
Trying to sleep at a beer garden
It was like trying to sleep above a beer garden. Below our room in a gathering room, live music is still playing and it’s 12:50 in the morning. I thought I was supposed to be staying at the nicest hotel in Cologne. I would have been better off trying to sleep at the train station. Went down to the desk at midnight to see when it would stop. No luck with that.
Gregory W
Amazing hotel, even better views if you splurge
My family of three returned to this hotel for a one night stay. We wanted to hit the Christmas markets and do some shopping after a trip to Portugal before our flight home out of FRA. I booked a Junior Suite Cathedral view room; definitely not inexpensive but an amazing room with an even better view of the Dom. We arrived early in the morning and knew our room wouldn't be ready, which it was not. We dropped our bags and set out for some Christmas markets in surrounding towns. We returned to the hotel around 5:30, checked in and were given the key to room 301. This room is huge and amazing. They had the sofa bed made up for my daughter and there was a pair of slippers waiting for her. There is only one bathroom, but it is large and has a great shower. The sitting room is just enormous even with the sofa bed pulled out. The bell staff had delivered our luggage, which is always a welcome service. The highlight of the room is the view of the Dom, right across the street. That view is made even better with the three (yes, three) small balconies. The room temperature was easily controllable, the shower pressure was great, and the bed incredibly comfortable. We had drinks at the bar in the evening. The only minor ding I would give the hotel is that the service in the bar seemed a bit off compared to our two night stay in 2024 and I noticed they had replaced the elegant leather coasters with paper napkins. Not a big deal by any stretch, but a noticeable change to me. We had breakfast in the restaurant in the morning. It isn't the biggest spread that we had on the trip, but it is plentiful and has something for everyone as well as order off the menu egg dishes. Everyone that we encountered was excellent, helpful, professional and friendly. We love this hotel...absolutely love it. And we all agree that in all of our travels, the view from this room (the exact same room we had last year fwiw) is the best we have ever had. The convenience to the train station is also amazing; exit and you're in the hotel in an easy three minute walk (if you walk slowly). Thanks for a / another great stay!
MikesWanders - Charlotte, North Carolina
Hotel is good,but Restaurant Hanse Stube is not up to standards
Unfortunately , my dinner in the restaurant Hanse Stube was not nice. I am used to a top service in this restaurant but that is not longer the case.Not what you expect from a five star hotel.
erno k - Krimpen aan de Lek, The Netherlands
Truly vintage in the best way
meaning a traditional five-star with the genuine, rather than created, charme of times past - yet suitably updated. I stay here sometimes when in Cologne (it's not cheap but the premium is justified) exactly because I'm not in Chicago. And I ask expicitly for non-redesigned rooms because I want the Glanz der Adenauerära, yet I do need electricity outlets next to my bed. The Ernst delivers on all counts. I stayed here short notice the weekend before Totensonntag, when there should not be Weihnachtsmärkte open yet but of course there are, with masses of Dutch and other tourists and the Altstadt booked out. The Ernst provided a great refuge, and the room was really good - basically a junior suite, giant walk-in closet, 1st floor but to the courtyard with balcony, and as the Ernst has a genuine mezzanine, 1st floor is actually two floors up and what used to be the Beletage. First class marble lined bathtup, spotlessly clean. A certain minimalism, also with condiments etc., that I like. The free minibar is not minimalist though and I like this non-catchpenny gesture. Is everything perfect? Oh of course I have a list of possible improvements, but they would not detract from the rating, or the location, or the well-trained staff etc. Slippers are too small and a bit cheap, things like that - who cares, life is not perfect. And while the room was without breakfast, we wound up going there anyway for a business talk and it turned out well. Again, this was below 400 altogether, and that is what, at a time like this and for a place like this, it has to be. So, I'll be back and enjoy myself.
Aethelred - Cambridge, Massachusetts
not recomended place
truly intended to write positive things about the hotel—the excellent location, the quality of the rooms, and the overall impression. However, the experience at the hotel’s restaurant completely changed my view. What took place during that dinner made me feel that the hotel is not worthy of the compliments I had initially planned to give. The hospitality at the restaurant, in both my personal experience and in the way we were treated, was humiliating and degrading. It left us with a painful impression— not be truly welcome. The staff clearly had the discretion to seat us in the back room, isolated, like outcasts—giving us a disturbing and unforgettable feeling of exclusion.
EHUD-70 - Israel
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