Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [539]
The winged angel Waterloo Memorial you see south of the Altstadt and west of the Neues Rathaus commemorates the German forces who fought at Waterloo.
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Festivals & Events
The annual Maschsee festival, which includes drinking, performances and an enormous fireworks display, runs annually in early August.
Each year in summer pyrotechnic experts stage a handful of shows at the international fireworks festival and competition at Herrenhäuser Gärten.
People also come to Hanover from afar for the Enercity Swinging Hannover international jazz festival, held over two days around Ascension Day in May/June.
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Sleeping
The tourist office books rooms for a €2.50 fee. Prices given here are those outside trade-show periods. During shows, they can double, triple and even quadruple. Check on the city website (www.hannover.de) or better yet ask the tourist office directly to ensure you’re not unintentionally arriving during a trade-fair period.
BUDGET
Campingplatz Arnumer See ( 05101-3534; http://camping-hannover.de; Osterbruchweg 5, Arnum-Hemmingen; adult/car €6/4, tent €5; ) In a pleasant leafy lakeside location south of the city, this extremely well-equipped camping ground has a playground and separate areas for tents and caravans. Take bus 300 to Arnum Mitte, from where it’s a five-minute walk. By road, take A7 south to Laatzen, or B3 from Arnum, and follow the signs.
DJH hostel ( 131 7674; www.jugendherberge.de/jh/hannover; Ferdinand-Wilhelm-Fricke-Weg 1; dm under/over 27yr from €23.90/26.90; ; 3 or 7 to Bahnhof Linden/Fischerhof) This huge, space-lab-like structure houses a modern hostel with breakfast room and terrace bar overlooking the river. It’s only a short walk from here to the Maschsee.
GästeResidenz PelikanViertel ( 399 90; www.gaesteresidenz-pelikanviertel.de; Pelikanstrasse 11; s €46-69, d €66-89, tr €92-109; ; 3, 7 or 9 to Pelikanstrasse) Upmarket student residence meets budget hotel, this well-managed complex alongside the Arabella Sheraton has a wide range of very pleasant Ikea-ish rooms, some split over two levels. Long-term stays for seven days or longer are excellent value.
City Hotel am Thielenplatz ( 327 691; www.smartcityhotel.de, in German; Thielenplatz 2; s €58.50-68.50, d €77-87; ) This very central ‘budget boutique’ beauty has a reception and bar opulently re-styled with red leather seating, black-and-white leaf-patterned wallpaper and lots of wood laminate. Most rooms have been renovated, all in a 1950s retro look, with a choice of wood laminate or carpet. There is wi-fi in the bar downstairs.
MIDRANGE
Hanns Lilje-Haus ( 124 1698; www.hanns-lilje-haus.de, in German; Knochenhauerstrasse 33; s/d from €66/82, breakfast per person €8; ) Though Church-owned, this hotel is fine about unmarried or gay couples staying; decorations are neutral, but rooms are large and make interesting use of space to create a bright and pleasant atmosphere.
Hotel Stella ( 811 2050; info@stella-hotel.de; Adelheidstrasse; s/d €64/84; ; 1, 2 or 8 to Schlägerstrasse) Pleasant if unspectacular, the Stella is a small hotel with a big heart and decent-sized rooms in a quiet residential street. It’s handily located on urban transport to the trade fairgrounds, but still close to the centre.
Hotel Königshof am Funkturm ( 339 80; www.koenigshof-hannover.de; Friesenstrasse 65; s €59-94, d €89-114; ) Quirky religious statues and ethnic sculptures (plus an old Mercedes with Jesus in front of it) greet you in the foyer here. This rambling abode has ‘economy’, ‘comfort’, ‘business’ (with balcony) and ‘deluxe’ rooms (with sofa), decorated attractively with bright furnishings and subtle Toscana tones. The location is reasonably safe, but this is a red-light club district.
City Hotel Flamme ( 388 8004; www.city-hotel-flamme.de; Lammstrasse 3; s/d €69/99; ) Most of the 24 rooms of this attractively mural-painted hotel-Pension