Luxstay Karben Neue Mitte - Self-Check-IN

We actually enjoyed this after an initially very frustrating”check in”. We had an apartment for 4 nights @ €110 per night. Apartment was clean and tidy and was excellently serviced during our stay. Apartment was not serviced Saturday or Sunday but the staff on Friday left us extra towels on Friday which meant we were fine. Very comfortable bed and a very generous and excellent bathroom. This is a self service check in establishment which relies on a computer to take the check in details and issue keycards. If this system malfunctions then there needs to be an infallible back up plan and process by which a customer checking in can get help. I don’t speak German as a day to day language. I have a bit but for the past 20 years I have never used it beyond ordering a beer in a bar or a meal in a restaurant. Suggestions: The check in terminal is nice and offers a choice of languages which prompt the client on what to do. If there is an issue it is not acceptable when an issue occurs for either the computer screen or the signage to refer the customer to “ Reception” where no reception exists in the building. There was a telephone number printed on the check in terminal. Nothing to say what it was for. When I called it at 17:45 I received a poorly recorded message in German only which I could not really understand beyond the piece that said they could only be contacted Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 18:00. The rest, whatever it was, was incomprehensible because sound quality was poor and the lady issuing the instructions spoke quite fast and indistinctly. I left a message in English with no real hope of being called. Bear in mind, I have a booking with you for 4 nights and have no idea what I am going to do as an alternative since the machine is refusing to check me in AND the message on the credit card reader is saying “Ausser Betrieb” which is suspect means out of service. I go online to the website and find another number. I call it. It is now 18:00. I get another recorded message only in German. I don’t understand any of it and I can’t replay it to hear it again to maybe figure out if anything can be done. Left another message. Now I am very worried. I call my wife who speaks German give her the numbers and ask her to call, listen to the messages and tell me if anything makes sense to her. She calls and wonderful news she gets an unbelievably helpful lady. I don’t know her name but she was great. She sends a colleague to the building to try to help. The computer is now saying I don’t have a reservation but between them they reassure us that does not matter and they can issue key cards as they can see the reservation. This does not prove as easy as we thought and we are due in a restaurant nearby for a family gathering. but, no problem, tell us where you will be and someone will deliver the key cards to you. And indeed that is what happened. So, all in all, I was very happy with the experience overall. I would just ask the oper

Hotel The room was spacious and well maintained. Location of the hotel is very convenient, in short walking distance from two supermarkets, a bakery, and the local train station with direct connection to downtown Frankfurt. Good, reliable, high-speed WiFi. This is more of a public service announcement for American tourists than a dig at the hotel as it's very common for German hotels: no air conditioning. We stayed at the end of June with temps in the mid 70s, and it was almost unbearable. No fans either, so opening the windows was the only way to get some relief but that wasn't a great option either as the hotel is very close to the train station and adjacent to a noisy street and shopping area. And the bed linens were very warm on top. But then again, no A/C is pretty much par for Germany, and they didn't advertise it in the room description. Just set your expectations right. A few more nuisances made our stay okay but not a great experience. In four days we went through more than 10 keycards. One didn't even last from the time issued to the time we reached our room door. And no, we didn't put them next to our phones. Parking is a hefty 15 euro a day (there's a parking lot across, which is free on weekends). There was an electric stove in the unit but not a more versatile microwave, which feels pretty much like table stakes. The towels felt worn and had a "softness" I'd expect at a low end budget hotel. All in all I wouldn't mind staying again in colder months but for the hot summer months I'll be looking for other options.