Am Terrassenufer Hotel

Looks don't give away much from the outside -- the building is basically a concrete block -- and it's not particularly nice inside either, especially for a hotel that bills itself as a four-star property. Honey-colored panels line the walls, while unattractive forest-green floors clash with lime-green walls and cobalt-blue furniture. However, the Junior Suites are the most modern and attractive rooms on-site, and the restaurant is housed in a lovely dome room with panoramic windows that provide views of surrounding trees. An outdoor deck is also a pleasant spot. The hotel is popular with leisure travelers on a budget, looking to see the city more so than spend time in their rooms. Just be cautious of visiting in the summer months, as there's no air-conditioning and in-room fans are tiny. 

Located as a stand-alone building, the hotel has a rather lonely setting on its (sometimes busy) road. There's not much beyond a block of apartments immediately in the vicinity, so it's a bit of a walk to restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores, as well as any tourist attractions. That being said, many of the city's top tourist sights are within a 10- to 15-minute walking distance. The city's Inner Neustadt (New City), which is actually the Old Town, is about 15 minutes away on foot. Plus, it's set just a minutes' walk from the River Elbe's edge. 

The hotel's 190 rooms and five Junior Suites look out over the River Elbe or the Old Town (the higher up the floor, the more amazing the view). The dated rooms are decorated with blue accent walls, basic wood furniture, gray-carpeted floors, and generic artwork, but they're spacious. There are two major complaints from guests about the rooms in general: they can be noisy at night due to the hotel's positioning near the river, and the pillows aren't great. Not only that, but they're not air-conditioned, and although Germany isn't known as the warmest country, it can get southern heat waves late in the summer that leave common areas and rooms feeling intolerably hot. Guests have complained that the provided fan is ineffective for cooling the room -- to the point where some have left after a night.  Each room has a desk, small flat-screen TV, and mini-fridge, plus a tiny fan. 

Junior Suites, meanwhile, are modern and attractive, outfitted with more contemporary patterned carpet, leather headboards, fresh linens, and pops of attractive blue in chairs. These add separate living spaces and tea- and coffee-making facilities. Bathrooms across the board have a shower stall, wall-mounted hairdryer, and toiletries, though their quality (as well as those of the towels) are on the lower end.

Amenities are limited here, but an on-site restaurant is on offer. Breakfast is available for a separate charge, and although it's expensive, it's pretty good if you don't feel like scouting for your own location. The Pavilion restaurant, which is open to the public, is under a gazebo-light ceiling, though the evening menu is limited and, like the rooms, it's not air-conditioned. It has a welcoming outdoor patio area for warm nights that's popular for a nightcap. A basic meeting room and computer connected to the internet is available, as is free Wi-Fi throughout the property. Parking on the side streets is reasonably priced.