The Westin Bellevue Dresden

Chose the hotel on the strength of my past (very positive) experiences with other Westin properties and was not disappointed.

Service was very good and courteous without being too much so (that would be when I usually start to really feel that they are going overboard and wish I was somewhere else instead), complimentary upgrade on arrival and room with the views right over the bridge and the historic town centre. Naturally, room had all the 5* amenities

Location is excellent for tourists with Dom, Semperoper and Zwinger only a short walk away.

The hotels scores well on the facilities front as well, where you have a choice of wellness/business/dining/drinking options to relax after a day's sightseeing. Me? I was mostly by the pool with a cocktail.

For food Canaletto was my favourite as I love Italian food.

Unique Quality: My top 3:

- Location and views
- Service
- Some of the best Bellini cocktails I've tried outside Harry's. Have consistently beaten some of London's top clubs on this score :)

The Bellevue is a modern 5 star 340 room hotel on the Neustadt banks of the Elbe, offering the famed Canalleto views from the riverfront windows and most every desired accessory including a large spa ( wellness center ) and the gourmet Canaletto restaurant. Location is excellent - just steps from Konigstrasse and Hauptmarkt and a short walk across the August Bridge to the center of touristic Dresden.

It was built in 1985 and redesigned in 1999, with recent upgrades to the more expensive suites. The standard rooms are relatively large but furnished in an undistinguished manner - could be a hotel room anywhere in the world. Similarly, the heavily marbled lobby with thick supporting colums in no way bespeaks Germany - just a big modern room with period furniture scattered around. Poppleman's Bar is a half level down and is a cozy well furnished area featuring live music and a reasonably lively crowd although probably very expensive.
Like everything else in this hotel, the Empire Room used for buffet breakfasts is large but unremarkable. Advertisements to the contrary, the riverfront beer garden was shuttered.

We were disappointed with the very friendly but totally unhelpful concierge staff - asked for a moderate decent restaurant, they suggested their extreme upscale Canaletto. Asking for other choices, they were only able to provide two other 5 star hotel restaurants, one 7 km out of town. On our departure, the staff got us a taxi to the main train station failing to mention that the trains also stopped at a secondary station just a 1/4 mile away.

On the good side, the room was large and immaculate. Not upgraded, it was cookie-cutter with an old TV. The bathroom was small but functional and spotless with plenty of marble and some nice accessories under the Westin logo. Discounted rates are available on multiple websites.

I was lucky enough to be invited to share a room with a friend n this hotel, normally way out of my price range so I don't even know how much it cost.

Only being able to compare with my usual cut price hostel stays, I can only say that to me it was amazingly luxurious. Best of all was the swimming pool and sauna. No doubt the hotel was fairly quiet so early in the season so it was no surprise that my friend and I shared the pool with just three or four other guests.

The saunas held their own surprises, especially for my American friend who until that point had not sat naked with strangers of both sexes in a confined (or any other) space! We realised too late that there is also an all female sauna too, and that the mixed one is the one that adjoins the male changing rooms. All part of the fun.

Unique Quality: Beautiful reception hall, fantastic pool and great sauna.

However, a word of warning. We only had a coffee in our room and a drink while we were waiting for our taxi back to the station and both times the prices we paid bore no relation to the price on the menu!! Surcharges are everywhere in the small print, and can easily double what you thought you were going to pay. This seems very petty when the hotel is already charging top price for its services. It left us with a bitter taste after an enjoyable stay, which was unfortunate.

Directions: It's near the river, across from the old part of the town. From the train station it makes sense to take a taxi, and if you can afford to stay here, then you probably will.

I just spent 3 days at the Westin Bellevue. By all appearances, this is a lovely hotel. However, the staff stole pain medication (Codiene) from my room leaving me to fly back to the U.S. in tremendous pain. When I reported this to the hotel, they suggested that my colleagues must have stolen it! My colleagues are professors at some of the most prestigious universities in the world-- I hardly think they need to steal pain medication. The young man argued with me, then gave me the wrong receipt as I left (complicating my reimbursement from my university). Additionally, I was locked out of the 'complementary' business center.

It's lovely, but there are many better places. Try the Maritim or the Hilton.

From the hotel you have to pass only the old classical Elbe bridge to be in the city center. So it is situated ideally only some hundred metres away from all the sight-seeing attractions in the centre.

Unique Quality: Closely to the old center of the city, only to cross the Elbe river.
Look for cheap special rates at www.hrs.com.

I did not stay here, but when I was lost and trying to find my hotel, I was glad to see the Westin, American owned I hoped.

They were very nice and helpful giving me directions and a Dresden city map.

Obviously, as a local I have not stayed here. But business friends of mine use to stay at this hotel and I always get enthusiastic reviews.

Although in the past focused on business guests and conventions they started to apply for private travellers recently. Packages available.

In 2004 they renovated the originally preserved Baroque townhouse which is included in the hotel (built by Pöppelmann, the Zwinger architect). It offers suites now with fantastic views, one of the two patios got a roof of glass.

They also did some works in the garden. Since spring 2004 they have a heated terrace/garden restaurant with maritime ambience called "Elbsegler". A good place for a nice evening with beer and simple but good food for reasonable prices.

Unique Quality: The rooms to the street are noisy, but most of the rooms to the river Elbe have the magical view of the silhouette of the old town with opera, castle, cathedral, Frauenkirche etc.

Very comfortable, very good Gourmet restaurant and café, nice garden. Central position.

Directions: Inner Neustadt, right by the river