Clipper Boardinghouse - Hamburg-Holzhafen

As soon as I walked into this suite, I was amazed by the wonderful harbor view and spaciousness of the lodgings. The suite was very luxurious with a large sitting area, minimalist desk out of the way in the corner but still accessible, numerous seats, and an impressive retractable wall where the television was mounted. Because of this retractable wall, one can open up the bedroom to the sitting area for easy access, or keep it closed for privacy. I arrived before check in time hoping to leave my luggage, but they had the room ready for me already. The bathroom is very spacious with a shower and a separate tub. There is also a separate small WC in a different room from the bathroom with the shower, but both have toilets. The kitchen is small but offers all the amenities one might need, with two cook tops, Nespresso machine, kettle, small refrigerator, and dishwasher. One of the most impressive features is the harbor view, where one can watch a steady parade of enormous seagoing vessels glide by, and the view at night is even better. The location is very good, steps away from the Elbe and great options for dining and nightlife. The famous Shellfischposten and Köhlbrandtreppe are directly across from the boardinghouse. The promenade, U-boot museum, Alter Elbetunnel, and others are within walking distance. There is fine dining in several locations a few blocks west, and the Fischmarkt for a quick bite. Public transportation is accessible, although often requires climbing stairs. One tip is the 111 bus goes from Hamburg Altona Bahnhof to Grosse Elbstrasse a few blocks away from the boarding house. If arriving to Hamburg by train, consider going to Hamburg Altona instead of the Hbf and you won't have to climb stairs. Hamburg Altona is also an Sbahn stop which gives one access to other parts of Hamburg with just a few connections.

There was nothing to dislike about this suite. If I had to pick on something, the light switches were a bit strange and comprised of buttons. They did not seem to work properly all the time, but this may have been simply because I did not know how to use them properly. For example, it seemed at one point the air conditioning turned itself off in the middle of the night, making it uncomfortable to sleep until I realized and got up to turn it back on. There were strange devices on the wall in two places near the bathrooms. I could not figure out what they do. They looked like circular knobs to rotate with a switch on the side. The only thing I can guess about these is maybe some kind of variable sensor. I did not use the laundry facilities, but they are located in the basement and not in the rooms.

Wonderful light from the windows. Bathtub built for two. Great bed.

Incredible view and comfortable and spacious flat

It would have been appreciated to have a bit more coffee and tea available, as there were only two Nespresso capsules and no tea. A small courtesy kit would also have been a nice touch.

The room smelt bad.

The room’s smell.