Hotel Ludwig - Cologne, Germany 

great find near the Hauptbahnhof
Posted: Tue, Oct 30 2007
A very nice hotel 3 minutes walk from the cathedral & train station. It's on the other side of the train station from the cathedral, so you look for the Breslauer Platz exit of the Hauptbahnhof. Brandenburger Strasse runs roughly parallel with the train, about 2 streets up. We discovered the Hotel Ludwig after a less pleasant night spent down the street (thanks to Michelin Green Guide), It was very pleasant--quiet, tastefully decorated (light yellows), off the beaten path despite being so near it. We got a double room on the top floor with a balcony (and a view of the cathedral spires more or less), a private bath w/shower, and a good breakfast for 105 euros. Really worth the slightly higher price (can't blame them if our dollar is saggy), and still 30 euros less than the Marriot around the corner. I suspect they aren't well known to Americans (though the very nice desk person spoke fine English).