View from the Room: Cologne City Mediapark - Premier Inn hotel
The best Premier Inn in the world
I didn't expect to be pleased to see a British hotel chain in Germany. When I travel, I want to immerse myself in the local culture, although I always smile when I see homegrown brands like Costa, Lush and Body Shop. Now, we have Premier Inn in Germany, and they certainly don’t create them like this back home.
The interiors paid tribute to the building’s history, featuring classic 50s armchairs and rounded-edge wardrobes reminiscent of the 30s.
Best of all -and I truly mean the pinnacle of the experience - was the preservation of the old-style moving office lifts. The paternoster lifts are doorless and continuously in motion, so you never have to wait. So efficient. Unfortunately, these lifts were securely behind locked doors, and I lingered for a bit, hoping to see someone from the office side of the building use them. I would have loved the chance to ride one!
I learned that the Saturn Building, which houses the hotel, was constructed in just 135 days in 1925, although there were some stoppages, making the total construction time over 15 months. It was the city's first skyscraper and one of the earliest in Germany.
For a brief period, its proper name, the Hansahochhaus, was the tallest building in Europe. It is a stunning sight to behold, and it feels like a privilege to be in a historic building exactly 100 years after it opened.
After discussing the architecture and interior design, the functionality of the hotel room during our two-night stay seems almost secondary.
Suffice to say, the room was incredibly comfortable, spacious, and filled with light. The fantastic wardrobes facing each other, along with a shared mirror in between, offered ample storage space that could accommodate us for a week. The bathroom was large and modern, while the bed was as comfortable as the chaise longue. There were bedside tables on both sides, and additional storage was available in a cupboard topped with a beautiful round light.
We went out, so we didn’t participate in the supplementary breakfast served in the lobby area, which was next to a fantastic, colourful lounge with plenty of comfy sofas surrounded by books.
The room includes several amenities: a kettle, a safe, a low unit for unpacking your luggage beside the desk and chair, and a TV mounted on the wall opposite the bed. The bathroom is well-equipped with plenty of quality towels and full-sized toiletries. In line with Premier Inn's policy, there are additional pillows available to ensure a comfortable night's sleep, keeping with Premier Inn’s promise.
The highlight was definitely the classic mid-century chairs; they made the space feel like home.
June 2025
