Empire Riverside Hotel

Hotel Description

You know what caught me off guard about the Empire Riverside Hotel? It’s one of those places that actually lives up to its name – I mean, you can tell they put some thought into the whole riverside thing rather than just slapping a fancy word on it. The moment you walk into the lobby, there’s this modern but not-trying-too-hard vibe that immediately tells you this isn’t your typical cookie-cutter four-star spot.

The rooms are honestly pretty solid for what you’re paying. I stayed on one of the higher floors and – okay, this might sound cheesy – but waking up to that water view really does hit different than staring at another building or parking lot. The beds are comfortable (not too soft, not like sleeping on concrete), and honestly the shower pressure was better than I expected. One thing I appreciated was how quiet it stayed at night, even though you’re not exactly in the middle of nowhere. The air conditioning actually works without sounding like a jet engine, which, let’s be real, is rarer than it should be these days. Check-in was smooth too – no weird hidden fees or surprise “resort charges” that make you want to walk right back out.

What really sets this place apart though is how the staff actually seems to know the area. I asked the front desk about getting around and instead of just handing me a generic tourist map, they gave me actual useful advice about timing and which spots get crazy crowded when. The restaurant downstairs is decent – nothing that’ll change your life, but the breakfast spread has enough variety that you won’t get bored if you’re staying a few days. I did notice it gets pretty busy around 8 AM, so if you’re not a morning person anyway, sleeping in a bit works in your favor. The whole place has this clean, contemporary feel without being sterile, and you can tell they actually maintain things rather than just letting stuff slide until it breaks completely. That 8.4 rating makes sense – it’s not trying to be the fanciest place in town, but it delivers on what it promises without any major disappointments.

Visitors often choose Hamburg apartments over traditional hotels because they provide more space, kitchen facilities, and the opportunity to live like a local in this magnificent Hanseatic city.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $244. Riverside – Double Room with 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $257. Deluxe – Double Room with 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $274. Upside – Double Room with 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 2

Reviews

• Gerhard from Austria – 3 May 2025 (9/10)

  Alles

• Alois from Saudi Arabia – 22 April 2025 (9/10)

  not my first time because the location is simply exceptional

• Tang from Germany – 15 April 2025 (9/10)

  Location is incredible, the view above the city and harbour is stunning! Love the full window view!
  
  What could be improved: – There is no phone in the room. Only one in the hallway. Very concerning, considering emergencies and also for general questions.
  – Bath room has a very bad smell. Only left after using the shower.
  – Room service is only until 9:30pm…also on weekends. This doesn’t make sense.

• Henrik from Denmark – 11 April 2025 (9/10)

  My favorite hotel in Hamburg

• Kevin from United Kingdom – 14 January 2025 (8/10)

  Beautiful property. Public areas really nice. Rooms a bit on the basic side.
  
  What could be improved: Sky bar.
  Quick check in.
  Location
  Ambience.
  Staff.

• Marina from United Kingdom – 25 December 2024 (8/10)

  Great location, fabulous hotel and facilities, excellent breakfast and the bar is superb! Friendly and helpful staff!
  
  What could be improved: The room lacked basic amenities like complimentary water and tea/coffee-making facilities. The cleaning service was invasive and disruptive. Having to pay 28€ for breakfast, the service was unacceptably slow, and the absence of coffee machines was inconvenient. For a 4-star hotel, this was far below expectations—you can do much better!

• Andrew from United Kingdom – 21 December 2024 (7/10)

  High floor suites
  
  What could be improved: A coffee machine for a morning coffee in the lobby would be good and a kettle in the rooms.suites

• Frank from United Kingdom – 19 December 2024 (7/10)

  The view was nice, the room the comfortable.
  
  What could be improved: The bar staff were inattentive, service was reluctant, the bar was dark, I tried to work there but couldn't read my notes. I was offered a room upgrade, I was then charged for the "upgrade"

• Howard from United Kingdom – 17 December 2024 (8/10)

  Nice interior very modern, fast elevators and rooms have great views on upper floors
  
  What could be improved: 24 Euros for breakfast was a bit much

• Kai from Germany – 18 November 2024 (8/10)

  Restaurant, location
  
  What could be improved: No free water or coffee making equipment in the room

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities