Reviewing Frankfurt

1. Favorite neighborhood

I enjoyed Ostend, which is still a little rough around the edges. The port area has a lot of industrial wasteland, but there are also good restaurants and cool bars. In a way, it reminded me of Berlin, but cleaner.

Sachsenhausen, with its cafés and nice family-run hotels, is also charming. I really liked the eateries around Textorstrasse and Schweizerstrasse.

2. Favorite three hotels.

The family-run Hotel am Berg was the most memorable. It’s an uphill walk from the station, so I was a little grumpy and sweaty when I got there, but the hotel was definitely worth the effort. The proprietor completely restored it after the war proprietor, and his daughter runs it today. Each room is uniquely decorated with original furniture from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s.

The 25 Hours Goldman was also fantastic. It has free bike and Mini Couple rentals, plus fun, quirky décor. And the staff was genuinely friendly without trying hard.

In the hostel category, all three properties that I reviewed offer a good price-to-quality ratio, but I’d have to favor the Frankfurt Hostel for its cheery and large singles with private bathrooms.

3. Budget tip. (When to book your hotel, best time to visit, how to save...)

I have one thing to say: Avoid trade fairs! Hotels in Frankfurt are surprisingly affordable, with doubles as low as €40... unless there is a trade fair going on. Many hotels are known to jack up the rate sixfold, turning reasonably priced budget accommodations into horribly overpriced rip-offs. So check the calendar before you plan your trip.

Also, as in all business-oriented cities, summers and weekends yield the best deals. Check out our Frankfurt Hotel Overview for more information about when and where to book.

4. How did you get around?

I used the city’s clean and efficient public transit to get around everywhere. Also, at one point I had a bike for an hour before the rain storm sent me pedaling back in torrential pour. (Check out EuroCheapo’s guide to Getting Around Frankfurt to learn about the city’s public transportation and bike share program.

5. How did you get there?

I took an early morning train from Berlin. As I booked way in advance, I only paid about €20 for the high-speed train. Go to www.bahn.de, click on Sparpreis-Finder and let the Web site find you the best fare.