Although I’ve followed Rick Steves’ guidebooks for years in my travels, I must say that the hotel recommendations near the Frankfurt train station should be removed. I was just there in November 2023. Our friends stayed at the recommended hotel (which is nice) but the surrounding area is worse than described. I could have been fine if only seeing drug addicts shoot up in the subway was all. But we were aggressively approached by someone wanting to selling us drugs & saw a human bowel movement on the sidewalk during the short walk from the station to the hotel. I would say staying nearer Romerberg & it’s immediate outskirts, on the west side near the Messe Halle & shopping center, or on the east side near the Opera House would be much better. You can take the subway to all locations & still experience the city as a local.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
8942 posts
No editors from the Rick Steves' guidebooks have been to Frankfurt since spring of 2018, so the guidebook is woefully outdated.I have asked for someone to come here every year, like they used to, but it doesn't happen. I send updates as much as possible, but it isn't like they are paying me to do this.
It has always been bad down in this area, so I have no idea why Rick recommends any of the hotels here or to have his "walk" take you through the RLD. Why????
There are some nice places directly outside of the north side of the station, but not across the street. Covid made the whole situation worse though, and then they closed off all of the stairwells so they could do a complete upgrade on the station. All the junkies that used to hang out on those hidden stairs are all upstairs on the streets now. .
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Regardless, we had a wonderful time in your city & I wouldn’t hesitate to visit again. It was lovely & so much fun!
This was the only unpleasant experience & sadly that happens in every city. But as a woman who travels solo often, the hotel recommendations are not to be trusted. I contacted a couple of them near Romerberg mentioning Steves but was completely ghosted. So I’ll stick to the chains & avoid trusting Steves recommendations in the future.
Posted by
Baltimore
91 posts
I've been going to Frankfurt for the last 15 years my last trip being last May. There's no denying this area has gone downhill considerably just in the last 2 or 3 years. I would certainly go there again but would stay in another part of town next time as opposed to the side of the train station where I normally go. To anyone considering a trip to Frankfurt it's important to remember it's only a few square blocks that are like this. The rest of the city is well worth your time
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7299 posts
Ms. Jo, I've been in downtown Frankfurt just before the Pandemic and had a nice time. But the last time I slept in Frankfurt was 1987, in the then "CP Plaza" high-rise hotel, which was very comfortable. Is this (new name, new management, I think) still a nice business-hotel?
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
8942 posts
Tim, I have only lived here since 1986. I have no idea what hotel that would be. Maybe the Marriott? It used to be the only high rise hotel in Frankfurt.
Posted by
833 posts
It's in an office park in Niederrad, near the airport, CP = Crown Plaza.
Posted by
Southeast US
3847 posts
So I’ll stick to the chains & avoid trusting Steves recommendations in
the future.
My second trip to Europe was a 3-week trek through Italy. I looked at Rick's recommendations and then went to other sources to verify the recommendation. A number of them had marginal to bad reviews. I don't even look at Rick's books for recommendations for lodging.
Posted by
San Francisco
14507 posts
In Frankfurt I stay in one of the hotels opposite the train station, basically in the station area, on Post Strasse, always satisfactory, if not well worth it, if a bit more luxury is needed and at good cheap prices too.
I was there last summer, one of which I can count on always having vacancy in the summer, so no need even to reserve. I go as a walk-in.