There are many and varied reasons to visit the Rhine city of Cologne – a sightseeing tour, the Carnival, a musical or a trade fair business appointment.

The city does its best to meet the overnight demands of its different guests. Whether you’re looking for a bed in a youth hostel, a cozy room with breakfast, a small hotel in the city center or a luxury suite in a five-star hotel, Cologne has a richly varied choice of places to stay.

Many new hotels have opened in recent years, mainly in the four- and five-star categories, such as the Hopper Hotel St. Josef and the Burns Art Hotel Cologne, both of which emphasize arty design as well as modern fittings.

But Cologne’s long-established hotels don’t need to be shy about being compared with their newer rivals. For example, the tradition-rich, family-run Excelsior Hotel Ernst right next to the Cathedral has offered its guests a luxurious stay with every comfort since 1863.

An unforgettable night is guaranteed in one of the city’s unusual hotels. Visitors can stay in a 130-year-old former water tower that belonged to the city of Cologne or stop at the Hotel Bristol antique hotel amid furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries, or they can succumb to the alternative charm of the small, somewhat hidden apartment hotel Marsil and rest in rooms with names such as Brombeer and Cognac.

Neighboring Bonn also has lots of good places to stay. The choice of more than 50 hotels is not as large as Cologne’s but there are outstanding overnight possibilities, such as the five-star palaces Kameha Grand Bonn or the Galerie Design Hotel.