Holiday Inn Express Stuttgart

[docjames]

Holiday Inn Express - Stuttgart

Recent 3 night stay (Wed/Thur/Fri). Good rate booked on holidayinn.com (Total EU295 for the three nights, Advanced Purchase including breakfast for two - friday was about EU10 cheaper than Wed or thurs). All rates come with breakfast (there's basically Flex or AP (-10%) only). Purpose of trip was leisure (visit porshce and mercedes museum, plus shopping at metzingen for mrsdoc).

Easy to get to from the airport (5 mins max) - we had a hire car, but they also run a shuttle bus. Located at the end of a main road, but well insulated (no road noise or indeed noise from corridor / lift area or other rooms). About 15 mins drive into the centre of stuttgart. Had parking for EU7/night, but there was (quiet) street parking available so we didnt pay for parking at any stage. Five-ten minute walk to a small town with a modest selection of restaurants - we tried to eat at the pub the checkin agent recommended, but it was full on the wednesday night, and when we tried again on Friday, it was almost deserted so we gave up, and ended up eating in another pub that was excellent ("Paulaner" brewery - sponsored FWIW). Didnt try dinner at the hotel.

Room was very new, clean, tidy (as with the whole hotel), but the rooms were small, no cupboard for clothes, no porters etc. Looking at the emergency exit map on the back of the door, every room there is identical. The bathroom was big enough, with good shower (no bath), clever door design to separate the toilet off from the shower area (door either closes off whole bathroom from room, or closes toilet off from shower/basin area). Bed was double only (not queen) but we did know that when we booked and was quite comfortable. Basic amenities, two towels, showercap, toothbrush, that's it. TV had plenty of channels in english incl bbc world, cnn and movies.

Beer was about EU3 from the hotel bar, but i wouldnt call it a great atmosphere (really for just a quiet beer before bed, not for highlife!). Decent on price though. Got a complimentary welcome drink (I think it was meant to be one only, but the bartender who doubles as the checkin agent after about 9pm gave us two when he served us the drinks we ordered so that was good).

Breakfast was usual european continental breakfast - no hot options at all (even by order) - only hot item hard hard boiled egg. But tasty, refreshed regularly (much better than the QC!). Pretty good considering it was included in the price.

Checkin and checkout very efficient, no waiting. English newspapers in breakfast dining room - managed to get one on the thursday and saturday morning, but there were none there on the friday.

Two computers with (slow) free internet access in foyer.

Overall, I'd happily stay here again without hesitation - for the price it was way worth it, especially if you have a car, but even without, there's a train station a five minute drive up the road. Perhaps it wouldn't be so great to have the 5 minute walk in winter. For reference, the non-express holiday inn in the centre of stuttgart was about 50% more expensive on the wednesday and thursday, and about 20% more on the friday). This hotel would be ideal if you want cheap, clean, basic accomodation that's a bit better than a formule1, especially if you have an early departure for the airport, or meetings at the messe (exhibition centre) which is co-located at the airport.

Happy to answer any other burning questions.

 

[russianrob]

Thanks Doc.
How convenient was it to get to the museums from there?
and how did you enjoy both of them?

 

[docjames]

Hi redroo.

Pretty easy by car, although I noted both had U-barn (train stations) nearby - in the case of the Porsche museum, directly across the forecourt! IIRC the MB museum also had tram route access nearby too.

Porshce museum was about a ten-fifteen minute drive down the motorway, whereas Mercedes is more down a main local road (so seemed closer to the "cbd").

Both museums were fantastic but quite different. The Porsche museum seemed to be just a collection of random cars without telling as much a story as I would have thought (but interesting nonetheless). The Mercedes museum did a much better job of telling a history of the car, and linking the progressions of models to timelines (world events etc).

FWIW, mrsdoc was a bit over the Porsche one quite quickly, but was much more interested at the MB one. Oh, and the cafe at the MB one was not as good as the cafe at the Prosche museum. We did Porsche in the morning, had an early lunch at the Porsche museum (which was not unreasonably priced btw), then did the MB in the afternoon. It seemed to work well that way, but we could have got away with starting a bit later and thus pushing lunch closer to 1pm than 12pm and skipped the coffee and cake at MB.

If you're a car guy or gal and are in southern germany, it is well worth doing (both). When we finished in Stuttgart, we headed to Munich on the A8 which was very easy but didnt have time to see the BMW museum (which i've been to before) as we were at Oktoberfest and visiting friends. It would be quite easy to manage to do those three plus Audi factory, plus get a run on the autobarn all within two days.

Another member here (Febs) had a somewhat similar itinery recently (I stuffed the meet-up plan actually so apologies to Febs!) so hopefully he'll post up his thoughts too. I believe he also managed Nurburgring (which we didnt have time for either unfortunately).

If you want more info, either ask away or I'm happy to PM too.