This is where I will be staying for the first 4 nights of my Europe trip. The first 4 out of 44 nights that I will be spending overseas. While I might have stayed in plenty of hotels back in Singapore during this period, it is still exciting to be doing so as a proper trip and not a staycation. Bonn was never on my to-do list or list of places that I would like to go. I was flying into Frankfurt and I have to be in Belgium five days later. I was in fact planning to stay a day or two in Frankfurt to check out the market. However, the rates were super expensive for my date of arrival and seeing that I am arriving late in the evening, I was not prepared to spend that amount of money. After checking out Hilton properties nearby, I was considering, Mainz, Cologne and Bonn. Train routes going forward were not ideal for Mainz and I have already been to Cologne, Seeing The World In Steps always strive to visit a new city. This is how Seeing The World In Steps made it to Bonn, a riverside city in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
It was a pretty last minute booking. I got it at around 130 Euros a night including the city tax for the King Guest Room. With making the booking via Citi Prestige, that brought down my nightly rate to 97.50 Euros. I will be staying for 4 nights. Citi Prestige 4th night free benefit is easily the most worth it card for hotel stays, especially if you are travelling frequently. This is also the reason why I often choose to do 4 night stays in each city. I will be doing a separate post to share more on the Citi Prestige benefits. After comparing the points required for redemption, I will be better off paying cash. I value Hilton points at 0.5 cents USD. Furthermore, currently Hilton is running the Power Up promotion which is more rewarding for cash stay. I earned a total of 16,714 points from this stay. That is like a 4-night stay that I could redeem for in Bali. Points earned are still based on the 130 Euros nightly rate. I was pre-upgraded before my stay to a King Deluxe Room with River View. That is a two-tier upgrade. Hilton Bonn has a total of 252 rooms and suites spread across 8 categories.
| Rooms |
|---|
| Guest |
| Guest with Courtyard View |
| Deluxe with River View |
| Two Queen Deluxe with River View |
| Family Connecting Room |
| Junior Suite |
| Suite |
| Tower Suite |
Checking In
I arrived closed to midnight given the number of transfers needed for me to get to Bonn from Frankfurt. I came via train to the Siegburg/Bonn Station then took tram number 66 where it stop just on the main street. It was then like a 2 mins walk to the hotel. The location is great and you can walk to all places in the city centre from the hotel. A walk to Bonn HB will be around 10 mins. The hotel was buzzing despite the late hour and the bar which was by the lobby was packed to the brim. I was warmly welcomed by the associate who thank me for being a Diamond member. Check in was prompt and fast, I was given information for all the facilities and this included the breakfast timings. I just have to show my vaccine cert to complete the check in given Germany current regulations.
While the hotel doesn’t have a lounge, they do provide some drinks vouchers for Diamond members. It might be little but still a nice touch. You could use them at the bar or just grab some stuff from the counter nearby. The hotel is mainly separated into two different wings. One on the left which is the west wing and the east wing on the right.
King Deluxe Room With River View
I was assigned a room on the 4th floor on the west wing. I was given the best available room and was assigned a river view room on the 4th floor by the west wing. The King Deluxe Room with River View would have cost me 163 Euros if booked directly. I do have to say that the common areas and the rooms here are pretty dated. Clearly in the theme of the older Hiltons. It felt “homely” I guess. I think I am just happy to enter a clean and comfortable room after being on the road for more than 22 hours.
Upon entering, you can find a short entranceway. On the right side of the wall, you can find some hooks. This is the typical scene in a European hotel since there will be coats and jackets, especially when you are travelling over the winter season. Great place to hang your outerwear to grab it just before leaving your room. Then on the right, you can find the controls for the heater. You can manually adjust it if you want warmer temperatures. The bathroom entrance is also here which I will come back to it in a short while. Further ahead, you can find a full-length mirror installed by the wall. A feature that I greatly appreciate especially in this season when you can check out how you look after putting on your coat before leaving the room.
The wardrobe is rather basic in comparison to my hotel stays recently but still sufficient. Inside you can find a safe, a hairdryer, the good kind and an ironing set. Plenty of hangers can be found.
Open entering the main area of the room. You can see the entire room. Alongside the wall, you can find a work desk. On it, you can find a Nespresso coffee machine with 2 capsules provided daily. You can also find a desk lamp which provides some extra lighting in the room. Outlets are readily available here and it’s a nice place to work from.
On the table you can also find a bottle of still water, they are not replenished daily but can be requested from the staff. The best piece of furniture in the room can be found here. The office computer chair was a gem to work and sit on. It offers awesome back support! The wifi was sketchy at times over here.
Just next to the bed you can find a side table as well as an armchair. Perfect to have some additional seating besides the office chair or the bed to chill or sit upright when you are looking for a balance between full-on flat and upright to work.
The king size bed can be found in the middle of the room. While it looks plain and normal. The bed is super comfy and I had a good rest. It is slightly on the softer side. I also appreciate that it is an actual king bed rather than one that is being combined by two twin beds which is super common on this side of the world. The pillows were great but not amazing. At least, they didn’t turn to mush on impact. What I didn’t like wes the quilt which was two single size ones rather than a full king size but I will just put that down to a culture thing. By the side of the beds, you can find nightstands. One side of it came with an alarm clock. Switches for the lights are conveniently located here. However, one major flaw is the lack of power outlets which is kinda the basic 101 for hotel rooms. I got to be creative and I’m able to unplug the socket for one of the lamps to use it.
Facing the bed was a cabinet chest and a TV placed on top of it. The TV is definitely in need of an upgrade. This seems to be something from the previous era! They do have a nice selection of Cable TV Channels.
Underneath the TV you can find some packaged tea and a kettle. There is also a mini-fridge that is provided for your use. It is kept empty given the hygiene concern these days.
The next day, I realised that there is actually a patio. It is too cold to be useful in this season. It comes with a table and 2 deck chairs. You can see the Rhine river from here. Do note that it is easy for others to see in your room and not private. Do keep the ledge secure and the curtains drawn if you want some privacy.
The bathroom look like it’s something from the 90s! It’s so typical Hilton and not in a good way. It comes with a standing shower and tub combo which is way past its time. While it isn’t ideal, the half screen is much better than shower curtains which can be pretty disgusting especially in times like this. No dental kits are provided. Only basic toiletries are provided and as per the norm, they are from Crabtree & Evelyn. Daily housekeeping is provided at the hotel now. To sum it up. The room needs a renovation, like, right now!
Gym
The hotel has a fitness centre which is located on the same level as the restaurant, level -1.
I check it out briefly although I didn’t partake in any. The only exercise I do is walking all around and saving money on transport. The Gym is open 24 hours. No reservations have to be made and you just have to check in with the front desk before using and they will check on the occupancy before issuing you with a special key card to access the facility. It is a sufficient space with all the necessary equipment that you might require.
Pool
It is certainly a treat to have a pool in a European Hotel and one that is heated and indoor which you can use at all times of the year. The pool is open from 5am to 11pm daily. The pool was decent. It isn’t fancy or huge but great if you would like to get some laps in. I got a brief look during my stay and same as the above, you do not have to make any reservation but just check in with the front desk if you will like to use it and they can check on the current occupancy.
Breakfast
Breakfast is served at The Grill, the hotel all-day restaurant. Breakfast service starts from 6.30am to 10am daily. Similar to rules in Germany, you are only allowed to dine in the restaurant if you are fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID within 6 months.
If you would like to have breakfast sent up to the room via room service you can pay an extra 4 euros tray charge. I was warmly welcomed by the staff who were excited. I went down super early the next morning given the jetlag. I was also famished since it has been pretty long since my last meal. It managed to get some pictures of the empty restaurant and the buffet in the morning. Oh yes, buffet! You heard me right! Abuffet is available and I missed it! It’s almost 2 years since I last had a buffet. The restaurant has a nice view of the river as well. Let me share some pictures of the buffet. You just have to practise some social distancing and wear a mask, gloves while you are at the buffet line. The selection is pretty good and Germans sure know how to whip up a feast for Frühstück. The staff are attentive and polite. They clear off dishes regularly and offers refills for drinks.
Being in this part of the country, there is a huge selection of pastries and all sorts of bread that you can imagine.
Accompanying it are tons of jams and spreads. Notwithstanding, a giant tub of Nutella that will mak any grown ass kids squeal!
Opposite it is there are some cereals as well as the juice and drinks counter. You have orange, apple juice and even prosecco. It ain’t Dom Perignon but that is still rather nice if you do enjoy a glass of bubbles with some egg benedict. I do have to say that the breakfast here is one of their strong suit here at Hilton Bonn!
The pastries are flaky and fresh and I love the hot dishes. Eggs, bacon, pancake and of course sausages. This is after all Germany. You can also order cooked to order eggs from the kitchen like Eggs Benedict or an Omelette. The omelette is really good! Awesome and you should order it while you are here! Piping hot and cook to order. This is one of the best egg dishes I had!
Later on, I had the Eggs Benedict! It’s as good as one that you get from an All Day Breakfast Cafe outside! Runny eggs, amazing hollandaise sauce, paired it up with some crispy bacon and toast to soak up all the goodness. I do wish that the selection for the breakfast change a little day to day.
Excellent service by the staff here. Breakfast was a treat! Up to this moment when I am already 7 hotels in during this Europe Trip, the breakfast here still remains the best I had up to date.
Kennedy Bar
The hotel bar is open from 6pm to midnight. The bar is just located by the reception and next to the entrance. This is where you can redeem your free drink. The drinks are given in the form of cards where you can exchange them for cards.
There wasn’t really a menu but you can choose from 3 types of house wines, 2 types of beers, soft drinks or water. Nice touch for elite members since there isn’t an executive lounge here. It is not a lot but I appreciate the gesture from the hotel.
Conclusion
It’s a dated property and rooms are definitely in need of a remake like yesterday. Service is excellent and the staff are very professional and well trained. I had a comfortable stay and for someoene who is inclined to Hilton hotels, this is still the place to stay at. The location is great and the breakfast is certainly a highlight. I might not be back in Bonn again but if anyone wants, this is a good choice or a good alternative to staying in Cologne. Next up, my thoughts on Bonn and Konigswinter! My 97th and 98th Cities! I am slowly inching towards my big 100!
Seeing The World In Steps 
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