Motel One Köln-Neumarkt

Motel One has perfected the formula of design on a budget, and its Neumarkt hotel is one of the best-placed in Cologne. It stands beside Neumarkt, the big square that was once the city’s cattle market and is now one of its main transport hubs, so trams and U-Bahn lines leave from the doorstep in every direction. The rooms are compact but cleverly designed, with good beds, rain showers and a flat-screen TV; standard rooms are around 16 square metres, and there are also rooms of about 20 square metres with a balcony. The One Lounge, which serves as lobby, bar and breakfast room, takes its inspiration from Cologne Cathedral, with colourful glass mosaics that echo the stained-glass windows and room dividers shaped like Gothic arches. Prices are kept low by keeping extras optional, so you pay only for breakfast and parking if you need them. In Advent, the Markt der Engel Christmas market is right outside.

Location and getting around: the Neumarkt tram and U-Bahn stop is right by the hotel, the Schildergasse shopping street leads to the old town and the cathedral in about fifteen minutes on foot, and the Romano-Germanic Museum’s interim home in the Belgian House on Cäcilienstraße is close by. The Belgian Quarter’s cafés and bars are a short walk west.

Rooms: choose a balcony room if you want more space and fresh air, and ask for a higher floor or a room away from the square if you are a light sleeper. All rooms follow the same smart, simple Motel One design.

Who it suits: budget-minded couples, solo travellers, shoppers and Christmas market visitors, and anyone planning day trips, since the tram network and the main station are easy to reach.

Good to know: breakfast is an optional buffet, served from 6:00 to 10:00 on weekdays and from 7:00 to 11:00 at weekends and on holidays. The Contipark garage directly beneath the hotel offers guests a discount of a few euros per 24 hours when the ticket is stamped at reception. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out by 12:00.