Off into Hamburg, Ibis Budget St Pauli
More Pleasure, More Business
In this divided trip report
Part Two Onto Business
- Part One – The Pleasure
- Part Two – The Business
- British Airways Galleries South Lounge
- BA962 London Heathrow to Hamburg – Club Europe
- IBIS Budget St Pauli
- Crystal Cabin Awards Roundup
- Aircraft Interiors Expo – What you might have missed
- Back to Hamburg Airport, Hamburg Airport Lounge
- BA967 Hamburg Airport to London Heathrow – Club Europe
- Not going home in a hurry
- Compensation Fun, Games and Paperwork
- Life is in many parts
Into Hamburg and off to work
With me off the plane, I followed the crowd to immigration.
Off we go again.
This was done using the eBorders system and was cleared in seconds. With that formality done and dusted – I headed straight to the exit and straight to the S-Bahn station.
I ponied up for a day ticket and headed down to the waiting train.
What’s the term here… that’s rather good timing.
With that, the train started to whisk me towards Hamburg Hbf. It gave time for me to reflect, as well as check the schedule of the event and where I needed to be next.
As I said – I was in business mode.
Arriving at the Hbf, I changed from the S Bahn to the U Bahn for the short ride to Messenhallen. At this point, the journey becomes like muscle memory – as I know where to stand on the platform, I know where to head, I know to go.
Popping out a Messenhallen, I headed to the conference venue for a couple of sessions of the Passenger Experience Conference.
After a successful session or two, I spent time catching up with some of my fellow writers and journalists. From there it was time to really head to work – the Recaro stand to review the latest innovations in seating.
Dr Mark Hiller of Recaro introducing the Comfort in the Sky Recaro CL3710
Once that was done, it was time to head to my digs for this trip – and yes… it’s the Ibis Budget.
The DOM fair near St Pauli U Bahn station.
Ibis Budget St Pauli
I headed in the familiar surroundings of the Ibis Budget and was seen to within a few minutes (this being one of the cheap options near the Messe).
My details were checked, and I was welcomed back – as the receptionist recognised me from last year.
I also asked them to keep an eye out for my bag in case British Airways decided to deliver it that night… or not.
Going up (or down).
WIth the keys issued (yes keys. The annoying numeric pad to unlock the room is long gone). I headed up to the 6th floor to do two things.
- Edit
- Collapse
Sadly, I did number two more than anything else. Whilst it was 7 pm UK time, and 8 pm Hamburg time, my body clock was going “what is the actual time and why are you putting me through this hell of lots of time zone changes?”.
The bedroom – yes, it’s got the bunk bed still. Yes, it’s a proper bed. And yes, the mattress is a lot thinner than a Hyatt one
TV, power outlets and me not knowing what time it is.
The view from the stairway. I had views into people homes. Which is nice
I therefore promptly unpacked what I had, changed into something more comfortable, loaded a few images onto the laptop…
And after a few nibbles of snacks that I brought from Target (about 4200 miles west of where I currently was), I promptly fell asleep.
Yup. Jet lag had it with a hit with a lump hammer.
The shower around 6 am woke me up with a start, with the built-in soap dispenser. Thankfully, I grabbed an extra amenity bottle of shampoo from the Hyatt for just an occasion like this.
Sink, Soap and an iPhone. No – wasn’t water testing it.
As for the toilet – it functioned well. Even if you feel like you’re actually in the smallest room in the hotel at that juncture.
The one highlight was on Tuesday evening – when I spotted a purplish big suitcase in reception. And yes. British Airways managed to deliver my bag – just in time for the Crystal cabin awards.
The bag in reception. So large. So covered in stickers.
With a chance to get changed into something better, wear actual shoes instead of trainer, a fresh shirt and a dinner jacket…. It just completes the look a bit better.
With me not entirely awake, and with a 7:30 appointments (because that’s of course – the best time to have a press conference it seems), I skipped on breakfast, relying on coffee to keep me going.
Yes, not the best dietary advice, but coffee works when it needs to.
It was a case of rinse and repeat the next day, with the only day I got a lie in being the day of departure – Thursday.
As such on all the days – I didn’t have time to stop for breakfast. And whilst it would have been nice to, waking up in time can be a challenge first thing in the morning. Especially when fighting off jet lag, as well as trade show exhaustion.
And that’s a real thing when you have 7 halls of exhibitors to cover
Overall: The Ibis Budget St Pauli remains basic as anything, but with good customer service, clean rooms and reasonable Wi-Fi, it continues to be my go-to spot in Hamburg when trade show season drives the prices up sky-high.
And yes, I could go another ibis that was further away (for example, near the train station), and save money. But when your mind is in a set mood, it’s better to take the things you can appreciate in life. As well as the known certainties
Whilst it may not be luxurious – it is functional. And sometimes that’s all I need in a hotel room.
Next: The Crystal Cabin Awards
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Any innovations in seating that actually made economy seats more comfortable? It seems like every innovation just makes the experience worse. My wife tried slimline seats for the first time a few months ago, and asked me why her back ached after a couple of hours of flying.
“As for the toilet – it functioned well. Even if you feel like you’re actually in the smallest room in the hotel at that juncture.”
Heh…still positively spacious compared to the lavvies on 737-900s. I’m looking into a September transcon trip and actually favouring Spirit, because the “Big Front Seat” is pretty good value for money (I bought one TPA-LAS last year and was pleasantly surprised) and because it’s an A320.
This is one of those instances where Americans and the English are separated by a common language. To my American ears, it seems strange that you would put on a “dinner jacket,” especially in the morning. Again to my American ears, a dinner jacket is only worn on the most formal occasions and really only in the evening to a black tie event. I’m guessing that it’s not the same thing in the UK. Is a dinner jacket in the UK a sports coat in the US? Something else?