Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [540]
Hotel Wiehberg ( 879 990; www.hotel-wiehberg.de; Wiehbergstrasse 55a; s/d €72/87; ; 1 or 2 to Dorfstrasse) Modernistic and evoking a ‘Zen’ feel, this hotel makes excellent use of natural lighting and shadow and even features low Japanese-style beds set on rails. These are designed for trade-fair guests who want to share rooms without getting too snug. If guests do get snug, though, they can push the beds together. The hotel’s in a leafy residential neighbourhood.
Lühmanns Hotel am Rathaus ( 326 268; www.hotelamrathaus.de, in German; Friedrichswall 21; s €76.50-85, d €120, ste €150; ) Posters from the nearby Kestner Museum adorn the halls here, and the rooms themselves are tastefully decorated with liberal use of reds, blues and black, as well as the occasional bit of original art. Although the hotel’s on a busy street, double-glazing keeps noise at bay.
Schlafgut Hotel im Werkhof ( 353 560; www.hotel-schlafgut.de; Kniesestrasse 33; s/d €82/118; ; 6 or 11 to Kopernikusstrasse) Located in the Nordstadt in a former lift factory (remodelled along ecological principles), Schlafgut has a bright, open and colourful feel, along with a 1970s retro breakfast room. Rooms have conveniences like large writing surfaces and high-speed internet through the power socket – but bring your own cable or you’ll need to buy one from reception for €5. There is wi-fi in the foyer.
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ALL THE FUN OF THE TRADE FAIR
Coming to Hanover for a trade fair (Messe)? You’re part of a time-honoured tradition. The first export fair was held in August 1947 in the midst of all the rubble from WWII. As most hotels had been destroyed, the mayor made an appeal to citizens to provide beds for foreign guests. The people did, the money came and it’s become a tradition; about a third more beds are available in private flats at fair time (the only time they’re offered) than in hotels.
The pre-eminent fair today is CeBit, a telecommunications and office information gathering that organisers claim is ‘the largest trade show of any kind, anywhere in the world’. It’s held every March and during the dotcom boom of the late 1990s had as many as 800,000 attendees. (More recent shows have attracted smaller crowds of around half a million visitors.) Another biggie is Hannover Messe, an industrial show in late April.
The Messegelände, the main trade fairgrounds, are in the city’s southeast, served by tram/U-Bahn 8 (and during fair times 18, both to Entrance Nord) as well as the S4 S-Bahn, and IC and ICE trains. Tram/U-Bahn 6 serves the eastern part of the fairgrounds near the former Expo site.
During major fairs there’s a full-service tourist office at the airport and an information pavilion at the fairgrounds, in addition to the main tourist office (Click here).
Pressure on accommodation means you really need to book ahead – and be prepared for phenomenal price hikes too. Indeed, some visitors choose to stay instead in Hildesheim, Celle (both of which up their own prices during these times) or even in Hamburg, and commute.
As a first step, the website www.hannovermesse.de has full information in English. To organise a private room or hotel in Hanover, call 1234 5555.
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Loccumer Hof ( 126 40; www.loccumerhof.de, in German; Kurt-Schumacher-Strasse 14/16; s/d €99/129; ) Some of the stylish and well-decorated rooms here are themed by nations (‘Australia’), elements (‘Air’) and feng shui. Others are low-allergy, and the artwork (not for sale) is by the owner-manager, who has put together possibly Hanover’s most interesting hotel. As well as these walk-in prices, rates are often one-third less for advanced booking.
Hotel Alpha ( 341 535; www.hotelalpha.de; Friesenstrasse 19; s/d/tr/apt €99/132/139/145; ) Situated at the end of the street away from the red-light clubs, this pleasant hotel has an assortment of sweet and quirky statues and