Hotel Gutenberg

Hotel Gutenberg is housed in a beautifully restored 17th-century building on a scenic street in Strasbourg’s historic center. The dull brown-and-white walls of the lobby and reception area give the false impression that this is a boring business hotel. However, the rest of the property has attractive, colorful interiors, with bright-blue and red banisters on the staircase, and accent walls in the hallways painted in vibrant colors. The breakfast room adjacent to the reception area is spacious and bright, with stylish low-hanging lamps, purple chairs, and colorful abstract art on the walls. Hotel Gutenberg is popular with couples on vacation and business travelers visiting the European Parliament and other EU institutions in the city.

The location of Hotel Gutenberg is hard to beat, right in the center of the city and within walking distance of major tourist sights, shops, cafes and restaurants. The Strasbourg Cathedral is just a two-minute walk away, and it's visible from some of the guest rooms. Many of the city’s tourist sights are within easy walking distance, including the Grande Ile, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, just a four-minute walk away. The Place des Halles shopping complex is a 10-minute walk away, and the main train station can be reached in 15 minutes on foot. Strasbourg Airport is a half-hour drive from the hotel. 

All of the guest rooms at Hotel Gutenberg were renovated in 2012 to a high standard and have a fresh, contemporary, minimalist style. Accent walls painted in pale or bright colors contrast sharply with the stark white of the bed linen, headboards, and other walls. Sleek furniture and fun details such as bright pink or red desk chairs, glow-in-the-dark nightstands, and colorful abstract artwork on the walls add a youthful feel. As a tribute to Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, each bed has a white headboard with raised white lettering. All rooms have flat-screen TVs and air-conditioning units, which are reportedly noisy. Rooms facing the street can pick up street noise, especially on weekends, and some are located just above a nightclub. The rooms looking out on a courtyard are quieter. Some rooms have balconies with scenic views of Strasbourg Cathedral.

Standard Rooms are cozy but can feel cramped, and many are located on the top floor, which has sloped ceilings that may be problematic for tall people. Guests with heavy luggage or accessibility issues should avoid this floor because it's only accessible via a staircase. (There's an elevator, but it only reaches the fourth floor.) The higher-category Privilege Rooms are more spacious and particularly bright thanks to their floor-to-ceiling windows. These rooms also have electric kettles and free bottled water. The bathrooms in both categories of room are modern and impeccably clean, but not very spacious, and the bathrooms in the Privilege Rooms are only moderately bigger than their Standard Room counterparts, which have shower/tub combos, toiletries, hairdryers, and magnifying mirrors. 

Apart from free Wi-Fi available throughout the hotel, Hotel Gutenberg has limited amenities. There's a 24-hour drink service through which guests can order drinks to their rooms. The business center is just a computer with Internet access located in the reception area. There is no on-site parking, but staff can direct guests to a paid parking garage nearby. A buffet-style Alsatian breakfast, which includes locally made jams, bread, and cheese is available for an extra charge. Luggage storage is available free of charge.