Hotel Chassalla - Kassel, Germany     

On our trip to the Documenta in Kassel, we had the luck to find this hotel. It is rated 3 stars and more than fully deserves it. The rooms are simple but bright , well equipped with hair-dryer, satelltie televison, clock with radio ( a rarity today in hotels) and everyday a complimentary bottle of water per person. The breakfast buffet is very fine with much choice of different kinds of bread, and cheese, jam and sausages, of course cereals and so forth. You get a lot on information about the town with multikple flyers and the daliy newspaper as well as a free and unlimited access to internet in the dining room. Service is most friendly. The price, for all this hotel has to offer, is more than correct. To get downtown takes about 15 minutes by foot or 5 minutes per tram which stops at 2 minutes from the front door. The main railway station is on the same street, also 5 minuntes by tram. All in all an absolutely recommendable address.

Stayed 3 days here. Functional, youth-hostel-ish, but tolerable. It's just ... well ... in Kassel. Or, like Documenta 12, it's hugely disappointing. The common areas of the hotel felt like university halls, but there were (bizarrely ubiquitous) gummi bears on pillows, screwed-to-the-wall shower gel and quasi-aggressive/helpful staff. Nice Italian restaurant 'Solino' very near, and its very easy for the 1, 2, 3 tram and you can park your car for relatively easy escape from the city in the morning.