In this three-part series, 1883 Magazine was privileged to embark on a four-day press trip exploring two fascinating cities in western Germany and France’s capital in November. Entitled Rhineland meets Paris, the renowned international hotel brand 25hours Hotels organised the trip in collaboration with Eurostar, Visit Düsseldorf, and Visit Köln.
With the Rhine, one of Europe’s major rivers, running through it, Düsseldorf is a metropolis with plenty of culture, stellar views, and history.
As the only German city with ‘dorf’ (meaning ‘village’) in its name, Düsseldorf exudes a quaint charm despite its population of over 600,000. There’s plenty to do in this city and 1883 Magazine’s Cameron Poole joined the start of the press trip for a day there.
After landing at Düsseldorf Airport for my first time on German soil, I felt exhilarated. The prospect of immersing myself in the culture, uncovering architectural gems, exploring distinctive hotels, and meeting new people on this whirlwind trip was nothing short of thrilling. After getting through the airport and catching the S11 train to Wehrhahn Station, my first port of call was dropping off my bags and meeting the group at the hotel. It was a chilly November morning but following a brisk ten-minute walk with my belongings, I found myself in front of the 17-storey hotel, located in Louis-Pasteur-Platz 1. It’s the centre of the up-and-coming Düsseldorf development Le Quartier Central. Embarrassingly, this trip did not just mark my first time in Germany or my first time in Paris, it was my initial introduction to the brand, 25hours Hotels.
Founded by Christoph Hoffmann alongside partners Kai Hollmann, Ardi Goldman, and Stephan Gerhard in 2005, 25hours Hotels is now part of the conglomerate, Ennismore. With hotels in 14 different destinations, from the Rhineland to the sunny, hot climate of Dubai, 25hours Hotels stands out for its extraordinary attention to detail. Each site is not only inspired by its location but also shaped by the art, culture, gastronomy, and stories of its surroundings. Without giving away too much in this first article, each 25hours Hotel also has a certain theme, a concept that runs throughout the whole building — each theme is creative, fun, and makes it come to life. Fantastic little touches can also be found at each hotel, like a free mini-bar in each guest room, high-speed wifi, and more.
When I stepped into the brand’s 25hours Hotel Das Tour, I met up with the group and exchanged introductions — whether it was the journalists or the PR team, everyone was so lovely and extremely accommodating. Especially as I was from the only English-speaking publication on the trip. We then enjoyed an insightful tour of the hotel, learning exactly what makes it special, and it really is quite something. As mentioned previously, each hotel has a theme and Das Tour’s concept is all a homage to the varying lifestyles and mentalities of the French and the Germans. The lobby itself is bright and airy, the stairwell has a structure reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower, and it also has a French-themed cafe, Cafe La Tour, a bakery that sells delicious pastries. A few short steps from the café, the reception area pays homage to the influential German electro-pop band Kraftwerk.
25hours Hotel Das Tour’s 198 rooms blend German engineering with French chic. If you decide to pick a German room, then you can expect an industrial atmosphere with darker colours, pop-art-styled artwork, and even a desk to work if you so need to. Whereas if you pick a French-themed room, it feels like you’ve stepped into a warm-coloured bedroom which is more relaxed and rustic with its influences and style. Again, it’s that attention to detail that makes each room come to life. The German rooms have little posters related to the culture such as the autobahn, whereas the French room feels more like you’re on a holiday in the South of France, there’s even a record player with a mix of French music. Das Tour perfectly lends itself to multiple stays so you can enjoy the benefits of both styles of room.
It also has a great range of amenities like a 25hours things shop in the lobby, which all hotels have, bikes for rent, sauna and gym on the 14th floor – there’s also a great bar which offers fantastic views of Düsseldorf, and an extremely brilliant restaurant but we’ll get to that in a bit. Following the tour, it was time to get out there and explore. Starting with a walking tour, the group ended up going to the metro as part of the tour. Metro stations aren’t particularly exciting, but the Wehrhahn metro line really is. Most stations are drab when it comes to decor, but the six Wehrhrhahn stops have been made into pieces of art. In a collaboration between a group of architects, artists, engineers, and the city’s authority, the underground tunnel was made into a “subterranean space continuum”. Each station has picturesque, geometric, sculptural, interactive and tonal elements created by different artists. The dark blues of Schadowstraße Station or the glossy bright greens of Graf Adolf Platz Station are a sight to behold when waiting to catch the metro.
Elsewhere on the tour as the heavens opened and it started to get bitterly cold and snowing extremely heavily, after passing a few different areas, we made our way to one of Düsseldorf’s most well known attractions, Rhine Tower. Built by architect H Deilmann between 1979 to 1982, the 787ft landmark can be found at the edge of the city centre’s southern district, right near Düsseldorf’s media and television stations. At the top of Rhine Tower you can enjoy panoramic views of the Rhine, town centre, the city’s oldest public park known as a hofgarten, and more. Amusingly, the one day we went to visit, the snow blizzard meant that the view was less than clear. Regardless, it was still an enjoyable visit. We then went for a charming walk around the city’s Altstadt (old town) which consists of around 260 pubs, restaurants and bars within half a square kilometre of land. There’s of course also shops, some museums and other things to see in the area. Make sure to try an altbier, the city’s traditional craft beer.
As the sunset, the group ventured back to Das Tour to enjoy its fantastic restaurant, The Paris Club. It’s so well regarded that locals and guests alike dine at the 114-seat eatery. With its high ceilings, glass-fronted shape and floor-to-ceiling nude artworks, The Paris Club strikes the line between high-class dining and a comfortable, sociable atmosphere with ease. The menu is seasonal and I undoubtedly had my favourite meal of the year there. It was a simple rack of ribs cooked to perfection. The Paris Club is a must-visit if you’re in the area even if you are not staying at the hotel.
After a satisfying meal, and a quick drink at the bar, I ventured to my dreamy “medium” French chambre as it was time to rest up for the journey ahead to Cologne the next day.
A “medium room” at 25hours Hotel Das Tour costs from £91 or €110 for a night.
To find out more about 25hours Hotels or Das Tour, visit 25hours-hotels.com.
Read part two – 1883 Travels to Cologne – by clicking here.
Words Cameron Poole
Thanks to 25hours Hotels, Eurostar Cycas Hospitality, and all involved.
You can view more photos below.
