Radisson SAS Hotel Cologne

Decided to take advantage of cheap Easyjet flights to Cologne for Valentines weekend and after booking found ourselves guided to the Octopus Travel bit where we booked the Radisson SAS on a B & B basis. We arrived at Cologne/Bonn airport and got a taxi to the hotel. We were greeted by the porter who immediately took our case and helped us check in (just hand in the voucher printed off the web site). He (Dieter) then took us in the lift to our room and went through everything with us. Wow - what a hotel, what a room - it had everything and was absolutely spotlessly clean. White linen on the beds (which Dieter kindly linked together and remade) with brown velvet cushions and throws. There was air conditioning/heater with own control, electric blinds on the outside of the window, magazines on the table, loads of towels and an array of toiletries. Lots of clever lamps all over the place and a neat light next to the telephone next to the toilet!! A posh modern marble bathroom with 2 showers over the bath and a heated floor. The mini bar was well stocked and there were tea and coffee facilities. The usual hairdryer, trouser press, ironing board and iron and plenty of wooden coat hangers. The only TV in English was CTN News Channel, but there was the facility to check your bill on the screen. My hubbie was very impressed with the ice machine and electric shoe polisher on the landing near our room. Security was very good in that you needed your room card to get anywhere, including in the lifts.
We were well looked after by the staff despite BMW booking out the place for a huge conference.
We ate in the restaurant on the first night after lazing in the bar with a few Kolsh lagers. The food was simply divine. A little expensive but when you weigh up the cost of getting a taxi into the City, it was fair. All of the staff were polite, well dressed and only happy to help. As soon as you said "Hello" they spoke in English. As for the breakfast, well it took over an hour to eat. Buffet style (apart from the 2 chefs cooking omelettes to order), there was cooked food, cold meats and a huge cheeseboard, soft and hard boiled eggs, dried fruits and nuts to make your own muesli, cereals, yoghurts, every fresh fruit - prepared - you can think of, jams, toast, bread rolls, pastries and cakes. Fresh fruit juices. You were served coffee continuously and could laze over newspapers.
We didn’t use the sports facilities as we just didn’t get the time on our 2 night break but we did spend Saturday in the City centre. Perfect for shopping (including the shops underground). We found a huge department store similar to J. Lewis/Selfridges style where you can prop yourself up at a bar and drink Kolsh for €1 for 0.2l (how it is supposed to be drunk); ice cold. The cathedral (Dom) was magical and took ages to take in; quite eerie when the choir started singing spontaneously - we first thought it was a CD playing in the background. Truly amazing.
The Germans thought we had gone mad when we seemed to buy most of their stocks of Steiff teddy bears - they are very cheap over there and kids go around with them in their buggies like those TY things in the UK!!
This is the perfect retreat and so much cheaper than UK hotels. We reckon it cost the equivalent of £25 pppn - with Ritz treatment. We will definitely return in the summer with our son.
Did I mention the cleanliness?!? ...... we saw a lady at the airport on our return with a tissue cleaning a speck of dirt off of the floor in the duty free shop. Customs clearance ... everyone was checked over twice by very courteous guards. We can all learn a lot from the Germans.