chandana samaranayake

The hotel is located in the middle of Little Tokyo in Düsseldorf, within walking distance of the main train station. The entrance to the hotel is on the side. The lobby is very elegant and the lobby bar is well stocked. The first room we were given, on the 2nd floor, was horrible - stains on the carpet, old, and run-down. The drain in the shower cubicle had a problem, so when my girlfriend took a shower, the whole bathroom flooded. The maintenance guy couldn't fix it, so we were offered another room. There was no transfer assistance offered - we had to pack up, bring the bags down to the reception to get the new key, and drag our bags up to the new room. The new room on 3rd floor was newly renovated and modern. The room was the same class as what we had originally booked - so that meant the hotel had a better room when we checked in, but chose to give us the old, grimy room. That is not good service. When we checked out, the computer system was down, but as I had paid in advance, it was not a problem. However, I received an email later reminding me to check out. When I called the hotel, it just went to voice mail. However, that problem seems to have solved itself. In summary, this hotel is worth the money if they give you a good room, and the location is excellent.

My colleagues from the Sweden office booked this restaurant for a business dinner. It was an easy walk from First Hotel G, where I was staying (next to the train station), and was quite easy to find. The ambience was very nice, although a bit loud because it was full. The wine menu had a good selection, and the food, which we pre-selected, arrived fast. I had the beef carpaccio with truffle mayonnaise and fried Jerusalem artichoke for starters, and it was nicely balanced. The Hake fried in butter that I ordered for the main course was delicious, and cooked to perfection. The staff was friendly, multi-lingual, and very helpful. I recommend this restaurant.

The Landvetter airport is small, and located about half an hour from the city. On arrival, the luggage service is fast, and directions to the belt are clear. Finding the way to the taxi stand is not that easy, and at peak times, there is a long wait in the freezing cold for taxis. It is more convenient to order a taxi using a well known ride share service while waiting for luggage. For departure, the taxi stops at a distance from the terminal, and you need to drag your bags across sand, gravel and mud. Don't arrive earlier than 2 hours before the flight, because the baggage self check in only opens two hours prior to departure. Security check is smooth and efficient. The toilets are very clean. There is shopping available, at exorbitant airport prices. There are many dining options, and a Priority Pass Lounge with a nice buffet. I removed one star because of the baggage self check-in not being open earlier.