As an unruly teenager from nearby Darmstadt, Frankfurt was my stomping grounds for many years. Actually, Mike and I moved here in 2001, but only for about a month before relocating to Berlin. We hadn’t been back to Frankfurt in ages, but decided to stay for two nights in the city, just to see what has changed over the years.
Despite there being a huge range of options, choosing a hotel for our stay in Frankfurt was pretty straightforward. A year ago, I had researched paternoster elevators, to see whether any were still up and running in Europe (yes, this is the kind of research I do). And I learned that Frankfurt’s Flemings Hotel has one, still in operation. So I reached out, and they invited us to stay for our two nights in the city. I didn’t tell Mike that I planned to ride the elevator over-and-over for hours, until after we had arrived.
The hotel is right in the heart of Frankfurt, just a short walk away from the Zeil (shopping mile). And a few minutes from there, you can walk to the Neue Altstadt, or New Old Town, to check out some of the city’s biggest attractions. It’s kind of a strange name, but it makes sense when you learn the history. The city’s original Old Town was reconstructed to reflect its former glory, officially opening in September, 2018.
In the New Old Town, you’ll find the Dom, the Römer Plaza, and by crossing the plaza you get to the Main River. Then after cross the Eiserner Steg bridge, which offers amazing views over the famous city skyline, you’ll find yourself in the authentic old town of Sachsenhausen (not a “new old” town!)
That’s a fun excursion trip, but you don’t need to wander even that far away from the Flemings to experience some of Frankfurt’s history. Right across from the hotel is a tower called the Eschenheimer Turm. Today, it’s one of the oldest unaltered structures in Frankfurt, still standing in its original location, and was once one of 60 towers that made up part of the long-demolished city walls.
History can also be seen in the hotel building itself. Built in the 1950s, the Flemings is one of the first high-rises of the city (though it pales in comparison to the height of modern skyscrapers), and is a beautiful example of Germany’s early post-war modernism.
Which takes us back to the reason we wanted to stay in the Flemings, to begin with. If you never encountered a pasternoter elevator before, it’s best thought of as a continuously running, vertical, human conveyor belt. The platforms don’t stop at each floor, so you just need to trust yourself, grab the handle, and step confidently into the cabin. But don’t worry too much, it moves pretty slow, and getting on or off isn’t exactly a thrill-inducing moment.
You might wonder whether you get flipped upside-down when you do the full paternoster loop, but the answer can be seen in this video. We’d also like to note that the elevator only runs during the hotel’s breakfast and dinner hours.
We absolutely loved our stay at this Flemings Hotel, and appreciated the history, location, architecture, interior design, as well as the wonderful breakfast on the top floor with amazing views over the city. And let’s not forget our incredible room, about which we had no complaints. We’d definitely return to this hotel, especially considering the affordable nightly rates. There are other Flemings Hotels in Germany, and one in Austria, and we’d like to check them out as well, because they always seem to be in interesting, historic buildings.
From our Travel Blog.
Flemings Hotel Photos
