Hilton Frankfurt City Centre
Within minutes of the main shopping district (Hauptwache) and attractions, Hilton Frankfurt City Centre is a solid option to consider for a base at Frankfurt. Not to mention if you are a Hilton Gold/Diamond member.
Hilton Frankfurt City Centre
Villa Kennedy Rocco Forte
Singapore Airlines Business Class: B77-300ER Business Class FRA-SIN
After an overnight stay at Frankfurt Airport, it was time to explore Frankfurt am Main proper.
Too used to Singapore’s simplified metro system, the one at Frankfurt took a while to get used to. Just one of them: there are too many different platforms! Pro-tip: download the RMV app, it will be your lifesaver.
Hilton Frankfurt City Centre: Booking
I spotted a great deal on Trip.com, and booked a base-level Deluxe Room at S$312 nett, after a S$100 promo code. It includes the following:
Complimentary breakfast
A dinner main course (worth about 30 EUR)
This was the best deal, compared to about S$350 onwards for the cheapest room rate (without dinner).
Hilton Frankfurt City Centre: Arrival and Check-In
After getting lost in some moments: I successfully reached Hauptwache station, which is within 5 minutes of Hilton Frankfurt City Centre. The entrance sign may not be that obvious it you are walking from Eschenheimer Turn, just continue to walk until you see a main entrance.
The lobby was nicely furnished, and houses the hotel’s main restaurant and bar.
Although I booked through an OTA, the hotel recognized my Hilton Gold status and upgraded me to the Queen Guest Room, which was located at a higher floor! Really appreciate it, and kudos to the Hotel Staff, who did not need to upgrade me but still gave me this benefit.
Hilton Frankfurt City Centre: Room
The room upgrade was really nice, as it looked new and nicely blended with furnishings which looked like from the Romantic Period, with modern features. The bed was overall comfortable enough, although surprisingly it is on the firm side, compared to previous experiences with Hilton hotels.
I especially liked the couch by the window side, which provided me with great skyline views of Frankfurt City and a glimpse of Frankfurt Cathedral.
The TV has quite a number of English channels, and the safe box is located right below it. There are plenty of USB charging ports available and near the bedside, which is always welcomed. This is usually seen in newer hotels, further adding points.
It is always reassuring when hotels provide alcohol wipes for their guests, which I greatly appreciate as I wiped down the controllers and table surfaces, especially important during this COVID-endemic time.
The mini-bar is located near the bathroom, and sadly has only coffee sachets and Eilles tea bags. The fridge was also fully stocked, albeit with a charge that is clearly displayed on the minibar counter. Some hotels don’t really specify the minibar prices, and it is good that they state it clearly in their rooms.
On to the bathroom, and it looked pretty nice! I especially like the gold finishes of the installations, giving it a rustic yet royal atmosphere. It has also a separated shower area (much better than the one at Hilton Frankfurt Airport) and a bathtub.
Surprisingly there was no rain shower in the shower area, which seems to be a trend in most German hotels. However, I had no issues with the water temperature and pressure, which were excellent.
One thing positive about Hilton hotels in Frankfurt is that they stock up plenty on bathroom amenities, which was were of Crabtree and Evelyn brands as per most Hilton hotels.
Hilton Frankfurt City Centre: Facilities
I did not use the facilities (and subsequently no pictures), but there is an Executive Lounge (closed during my stay), an indoor pool and a gym, which could be useful for guests for a much-needed workout during their stay.
Hilton Frankfurt City Centre: Dinner and Breakfast
I had my main course dinner at Hudson Yards Lounge & Dining, located at the ground floor (near the hotel entrance). The hotel mentions that the restaurant offers “a slice of New York with a Frankfurt twist.”, and I liked its cosmopolitan interior, and I reckon would be a good hangout for a dinner with colleagues and friends after work.
I got to pick any main course from the menu, and after significant hesitation (too many options!), I opted to go for a more local dish and selected the Veal Schnitzel with Cucumber Potato Salad and the famous Grune Sauce (apparantly it is one of the top must-gets from Frankfurt). Feeling an alochol craving, I also opted the Rose Apfelwein (Apple Wine).
Interestingly, they serve their alcohol with salted popcorn, which was a pretty nice appetizer. The veal schnitzel was not too dry and was pretty more-ish, but I have to say that the cucumber salad was not to my liking (it was too sourish, and cucumbers are one of my long-time foes). The Grun sauce matched the veal schnitzel perfectly. Overall, a nice dinner.
Breakfast was at PARK restaurant & terrace, just beside Hudson Yards Lounge and Dining at Level 1 lobby. I like this restaurant as it offers nice views of the nearby Bockenheimer Park.
The restaurant offers a range of Continental breakfast items buffet-style, with a made-to-order Eggs Station.
I have to say that Germany does their bread and pastries really well, not to mention that there are even pretzels!
I brought myself a Chocolate Marble Bread (forgot the German name), roasted mushrooms, hashbrown, Frankfurter Würstchen and an omelette which was served to your table. The waitress seemed to be shocked for a moment that I requested two cups of black coffee without sugar, which is what I required to fuel myself for the morning.
After a hearty breakfast, I took a half-day exploration at Palmengarten and Senckenberg Museum, which is within walkable distance but you can take the metro too. Both are highly recommended! But Senckenberg Museum awed me more with their diverse ancient fossils and full-bodied animal specimens, if you were to choose one, do go for the Senckenberg Museum.
Reaching back to the hotel with plenty of time left, I packed my luggage and checked out at 1pm. I then headed to my next hotel, which in my opinion is the highlight of the trip.
Conclusion
Overall, Hilton Frankfurt City Centre is a great base to explore Frankfurt am Main, and the new and nice rooms make it a viable option to consider for my next trip in future (especially since I have free breakfast courtesy of my Hilton Gold).
The Travel Duckie
An aspiring, ordinary individual (or bird) who yearns and enjoys travelling, while juggling full-time work. He is also a travel hacker who flies (not literally) way out of his obligations to uncover the best strategies and deals to maximise cost-effectiveness (or rather “cheapskate-ness”) to the maximum.
He hopes to document his journey through words, while maybe inspiring others to follow the path, and ultimately aims to be able to do this as a full-time passion.
-”Journey before destination. Enjoy the journey” - Brian Sanderson.
