h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Right, I'm back.

You'll have to start booking rooms soon, as the big Maimarkt is due to start around the 24th and rooms will be in great demand then.

Hotel Central. On asking this morning, I was told the rooms are 70 Euros incl. breakfast. Shop around on the internet ( http://www.booking.com/hotel/de/central-mannheim1.de.html?aid=301584;label=mannheim-mlriH01dWPw3bVMtN49mxgS5220408751;sid=13551437ce2e8baa0a44199431efe3aa;checkin=2010-04-24;checkout=2010-04-25) According to this link, there is only one room left, for 59 Euros. The reception was modern, clean, quiet, friendly and well-kept. Plenty of rooms still free at the moment. Is for business people so has free w-lan. Two minutes walk from the station. Right on the main road, but the rooms face the back.

City Hotel, single room with breakfast 60 Euros, very near the station but a little weird. At least the chap at the desk was. It also had things falling off and lots of kitsch stuff standing around. Still plenty of rooms free for the 24th, according to the man on the desk, but only a few at reduced rates according to this:

http://www.booking.com/hotel/de/cityhotelmannheim.de.html?aid=301584;label=mannheim-mlriH01dWPw3bVMtN49mxgS5220408751;sid=13551437ce2e8baa0a44199431efe3aa;checkin=2010-04-24;checkout=2010-04-25




Kurpfalzstuben - also less than 5 mins walk from the station. Really cosy. The rooms might be "old-fashioned". 75 Euros with breakfast. Family-run and friendly. I particularly liked the look of the restaurant; it would be ideal to check in and eat straight away there.

Bed and Breakfasts: Have just phoned one, which I really liked the look of, but no one was there this afternoon. All single rooms taken!

"Goldene Gans" Very near the station. Sound-proofed windows, as long as you keep them shut! 55 Euros + 5 Euros breakfast. Has a restaurant.

You can also try "Basler Hof" or "Bismarck" Hotels - I didn't actually go into them, but they are very convenient, and decent-looking places. I had at first decided not to bother with them because I thought they were in the red light district, but they are aren't exactly. They're just convenient for the station and congress centres and probably aimed mainly at business people.

http://www.baslerhof.com/index.php?lang=3&idcatside=6

You can also compare prices here:

http://www.ehotel.de/IBE/City?sp=PSdistance%3DS25+km%2CSstart%3DS2010-04-24%2CSend%3DS2010-04-25%2CScurrency%3DSEUR%2CSprevPage%3DSSearchProcessingPage%2CScityDisplayName%3DSDeutschland%2C%2C+Mannheim%2CSroomCount%3D1%2CSrequestorId%3DSSEOX_T%2CSroomType%3DSSGL%2CSstars%3DS%2CSmaxResponses%3DS25%2CScity%3DSDeutschland%2C%2C+Mannheim%2CSpoi%3DF

I've been trying to find out if the prices include breakfast, but can't see it anywhere on that site. Hotel Luxa and Hotel Central would be a good address there, I think. I didn't get round to checking out the Hotel Luxa today, so I can't give a first hand account.


Oh - and in nearly all cases you have to reckon on 7-8 Euros a night for parking.

Do you all want to book your own rooms? I asked some if they would give us a reduction for a group booking, but no go! I would be happy to phone up for you if you would like me to book.

I just made mine (in the Kurpfalzstuben). Thanks for taking all this trouble TC

Thanks, TC. I think I can probably keep you suitably entertained talking about Mozart without doing any genning up.

I was afraid of that!

Of course, I found some suitable restaurants while in Mannheim today. The vegetarian one is fine, but only has small tables and is teeming with toddlers. They were really sweet, with their hand-knitted parents, but the small tables would break the party up rather.

Kurpfalzstuben, although possibly not the cheapest, was my joint favourite, with the Goldene Gans. But it's only for one night, so it's not that much of an issue, really.

Just booked mine at the Kurpfalzstuben too. Did it through the booking.com site.
Now all I have to do is get some train or coach tickets, and permission from my boss...

But it's in the weekend! Surely your boss has nothing to say. And if he or she does, you can claim that you will come back with plenty of statistics, so it is job-related.

I've booked into the Central Hotel.

Thanks, TC, for your help.

Yeah, but, if I'm going to go on a trip to some uncivilised land, I'd rather spend more than just a weekend there!
Hence the need for Boss's permission, for the days off I'm going to take *before* that weekend.

It's not uncivilised - we have Toy Box.

That's what I'm saying...

She's the one started it!

So Stunningfrenchie and Toybox are in the Kurpfalzstuben (on the left, as you walk from the station) and Wandrin' and Gnomon are in the Central (on the right as you walk from the station. Do I detect a significant division here?!!!

oh man, oh man, decision time.

Although I fear I'm down to 50% sure I can make it now

We'll come and kidnap you if you don't come

Can you make a detour via Sho's house, Toybox? She's not excused!

Of course I can

I'm not sure I can drag her to Mannheim if she doesn't want to*.

* or rather if she really can't ()

Sho you*must* come.

Oh, and SF, I didn't start anything, after all I didn't say I needed days off to go to an uncivilised country.

Ah, she didn't mean anything bad. After all, she's from the Ardennes, so she knows uncivilised

my biggest problem is going to be reserving a room
I'll see if I have time to phone around tomorrow - but as I don't use a credit card it might be a bit of a faff

anyway - I'll post the results.

Oh and i've changed my mobile number in case anyone has the old one. I'll work something out and let you know.