Hotel Zeil in Frankfurt am Main

On the outside and in the reception area this looks like a lovely old-style German hotel. Unfortunately, my room, though large, was dim and dowdy with mismatched furniture dating from the 1930s to the 1960s. The bathroom was inconveniently shaped and it was difficult to get hot water out of the taps. The view was of cables, coiled wires and the metal fire escape. As in many lower-priced European hotels there was no electric kettle nor were there the little sachets of tea or coffee, etc. The lovely gentleman on reception, however, brought me an electric kettle which he said was the one used by staff but that they'd get another the next day. I sincerely hope they did because I wouldn't have wanted the staff to do without. There was a fridge but it didn't work - a brand new fridge was delivered with smiles all round late afternoon on the day before I was due to leave. The location was reasonably good, being in the heart of the CBD and on Frankfurt's modern main street and full of restaurants, cafes and shops. Most of medieval Frankfurt was flattened during World War 11 (the Zeil being one of the few buildings that remained), but tourists might prefer to stay in a hotel in the small area of the old town which has remained intact (about 15 minutes walk from the Zeil).