Renaissance München Hotel
The Renaissance Hotel is located in Schwabing at one of the big streets around the city center in Munich. The location is not bad, since you have a subway stop (Nordfriedhof) close to the hotel and a stop of the airport bus as well. If you arrive by car the location is also not bad, since you do not have to drive into the the city but could drive on one the circle around it.
The hotel itself is part of a bigger complex which also includes offices and apartments. In the middle of the building is a big courtyard. There are covered walkways through this courtyard, so one can reach the hotel quite good from the main road, since the driveway is a bit hidden and if there would not have been signs, one would certainly miss the main entrance.
The lobby of the hotel is quite small. There is not much space for guests waiting to be checked in or waiting for someone to meet. A few lounge chairs are available but that is all. The design is also a swing of the charming 80ies and definitively not something you can call modern. But that is the whole impression of the hotel.
The hotel has a Spa and gym in the basement. I had a quick look but I did not use it. The gym is very small with two treadmills in the entrance area and a few other machines in a nearby room. The equipment is very old I would assume looking on the treadmills they must have been from the time the hotel opened in the 80ies. The Spa had sauna, steam bath and a Jacuzzi.
Meeting room are available as well.
stays March, 19 2010
Arrival Date: 19 March 2010
Departure Date: 20 March 2010
Room type booked: Guest Room
Rate Plan: Weekend Rate
Room Number: 335
Room Rate: 78.00 EUR
Status of Guest Program: Silver
I took the airport bus from the airport to the hotel and walked the last meters to the hotel, which was easy to find. I used one of the covered walkways to reach the lobby.
One of the two agents working at check in was busy, but the other agent was available and checked me in. The reservation was already prepared and I had only to sign. The key(card) was given to me and I was also asked it I needed a map or further information. I was addressed by name and the check in experience was good, friendly and fast.
Usually I do not write about the hallways, but this time I have to. As I left the elevator I thought I were in a Renaissance in the US. The hallways are large and looked like in an not already renovated and refurbished US hotel. Making the hallways narrower would have meant bigger rooms, but that is another story. The floors are also not always on the same level, so there are ramps up and down and the ways from the elevator to the rooms could be
long.
The room was of the standard appearance of a hotel room. Entering the room one was standing in a small hallway. On the left side was the closet with iron and ironing board, no bathrobe and no slippers and also no in-room safe. On the right side was the bathroom with bath, toilet and sink.
The bathroom was looking really tired. I assume, it had not been renovated since the opening. The colour of the tiles was worse and showed its age. The shower curtain was luckily newer, but it would not be wrong to change it in the near future. The showerhead however was in a strong need of a replacement, since if was leaking and had limestone. Towels were provided for two persons and available in three sizes.
The room had a king bed on the right side. Two bedside tables with reading lamps on it. In one of the bedside table was a radio unit, but it did not work any more. A lounge chair with a small table was placed in front of the window, which could be opened. The was a sort of winter-garden, but it was not included in the room and it was not only not very clean but there was also a water damage at one of the walls. The room had no air condition and therefore
a “in-room air condition unit” was placed in the room near the winter-garden. I switched it on it since it was one of the warmer days in March and switched if off immediately since the unit was very noisy and you could only run it if you are not in the room.
A desk was placed in the corner of the room on the left side with a phone and a LAN connection and a reading lamp. LAN as well as W-LAN was available for a fee – again I did not get it, that hotels charge a fee for the use of internet and so once again I used my UMTS card in my laptop for the internet. Next to the desk was the TV on a sideboard. No flat TV, an old regular one.
The minibar was placed in the hallway and the prices were okay for a hotel like this.
The mattress was way too soft and from my impression also sags in the middle and was worn. I have not had a very good sleep.
The furniture in the room was okay, but of the style of the 80ies. There were a few scratches at the wall and stains in the carpet, visible, but looking in the age of the furniture this seems not too bad. But this leads to the question, when it is time to change furniture and renovate a hotel? From my impression one should consider it when the rooms are clearly out of style. One can design a room in a way that it is timeless, but this was not the
way at this place. The rooms were clearly out of style and in this case one should renovate them. The hotel was not much cheaper than the two Hilton Hotels which are renovated.
I skipped breakfast this time and also had no dinner, so I could not comment on the food at this place.
Check out was again fast and friendly and I mentioned that the mattress was too soft and also the showerhead. At least it was noted. I was addressed by name during check out and the folio was handed to me and I was asked if I needed a taxi.
Overall impression of this stay in short: Hardware worse but friendly staff. The location is not bad and even better than many of the down town hotels. The hotel itself is in an urgent need of a renovation. The gym is way too small and the machines are too old. The furniture outdated although not in bad shape. I will only stay there, if I am in the absolute need of exactly this hotel, there are many better places to stay in Munich.
