Hotels in Frankfurt/Main

No WiFi on trains or buses. Even difficult to log on in the International train to Amsterdam which we got to the airport. Shops close on Sundays in Germany so check first before you try to visit any place that charges admission, as it might be closed. We went to Heidelberg on Sunday as cafes, bars and souvenir shops are open and that was all we needed. No map on the wall on the buses, so you better know where you are going, or ask plenty of people. Sachsenhausen is the restaurant district but if you just want to go to a bar, be prepared for the fug once you open the door. If they don't serve food, then smoking is allowed indoors. Yeuch! Even in the restaurants, once they stop serving food, the ashtrays come out. Food and drink is quite reasonable compared to Irish prices. Try the Appfelwein. I asked for mine to be warmed which was lovely as it was like mulled cider without the spices. Lovely local red wine is a must try. Large glass is about €5.90 The train fare from the Airport to Frankfurt Hauptbanhoff is €4.65 single fare, and not €2.60 as stated in Booking.com's travel guide. That latter figure is the minimum fare within the city. We ate at Atchel, the No.1 German cuisine restaurant in Frankfurt. Good hearty food. Some very strange starters to be seen eaten by regulars, such as raw mince with a raw egg, onions, capers and gherkins all mixed together and eaten on bread! Not served in summer, I wonder why? :-) Great buzz in this restaurant, and as everyone sits at trestle tables, people are inclined to start conversations with their fellow diners and we even ended up swapping addresses!

We arrived via Frankfurt/Main Airport on Christmas Eve, and our son, from the UK met us. We had Christmas Eve in the Sheraton @ Frankfurt/Main, and enjoyed a wonderful Christmas morning breakfast. We even received a Christmas card from the staff at the Sheraton!!! The Terminal 1 area has great food options, car rental agency, shops, stores, boutiques. Great airport!!! We also had coffee in the cafe's, and found the staff to be extremely friendly and welcoming!!! We left the Sheraton after our Christmas breakfast in a rental car, which we rented from Europcar right in Terminal 1, and traveled an hour north to visit family who live in Wetzlar. We returned to the Frankfurt/Main Airport to return the car and to stay one final night in the Sheraton Hotel which is in Terminal 1. Our adult children flew out immediately after breakfast on the 30th, and my husband I flew back to the Middle East. What a memorable time!!!

The Xmas market was highest on my list, but Wagner's in Sachsenhausen, for Schweinshaxe mit Bratkartoffelen, was a close second. The shops are wonderful and the restaurants superb. Kleinmarkthalle is worth a visit - the stalls are so colourful. The U-Bahn is incredibly easy to use, and because Frankfurt is quite small, you can get anywhere in no time at all. Instead of the tour buses, take the Ebbelwoi Express tram to see the city. It takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to get round and see the main places of interest; there is no commentary but you get a bottle of apple wine or apple juice and a Bretzel thrown in. The carriages are painted in all colours and the lighting makes you feel like you are in an old-fashioned theatre - the low-level music played on board is old-style music hall lieder from way back when, and it all creates a wonderful atmosphere. A weekend isn't enough - you'll need at least three whole days, certainly when the Xmas market is on.

We travelled for the Christmas Market. Clearly the largest and best one I have ever been to. However, even though there were plenty of Police around, be aware of the many dodgy characters that loiter around anyone who remotely looks like a tourist. Having grown up in Germany, It was a trip down memory lane for me, in relation to the food. You name it, we tried it. We just seemed to eat our way round Frankfurt. The public transport is brilliant with the Underground, overground, Trams buses and taxi's, getting places was never an issue and alot of the places are all within easy walking distance from each other. We would probably avoid flying in to Frankfurt Hahn Airport. It may be the cheaper option, but a two hour coach journey after the cattle market attempt to get a seat, whatever the time of day, we would not put ourselves through again. When we flew out at night, everything was shut - not that it's the biggest airport in the world and has limited facilities.

The best place to eat was der fette bull, highly recommend it and they also have English menus. If you are looking for something cheap try, thia thong, also has English menus. If you want a night of drinking try the irish bar in sauchenhausen. The main tower is amazing and cheap at only €6.50 The trains, S and U are amazing and fast and convenient. The movie theater plays English movies every monday and you have no idea what is playing. I would avoid the red light district for ladies especially alone. Also everything is closed on sundays so be prepared to do nothing on that day! The bridge just outside the old town is something you have to see, i saw padlocks with loves dating back to the 90' and probably further back.

We loved the old buildings next to the very modern ones, we enjoyed the Christmas Markets with the smell of gluehwein..We had meals in traditional 'gaststuben' like the "Steinernes Haus" near the Roemerplatz where specialty dishes from the Frankfurt region were on offer. We mainly got around by foot and had no trouble finding places. We stumbled upon a large flea market alongside the river Main which was interesting to look at. There is nothing we would do differently if there was a next visit.