Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nuremberg has style and an unbeatable location opposite the main train station. After staying there, I’d happily return—but I’d choose my room differently. One surprising problem with my standard room’s shower made me realize that an upgrade may be well worth the extra cost.
My experience with this hotel actually began before I arrived in Nuremberg, with a Marriott Bonvoy promotion that sounded perfect for my trip.
A Marriott Bonvoy Offer That Wasn’t So Simple
Before my trip, I received a promotional email from Marriott Bonvoy advertising an offer to book one room and get a second room for half price.
Coincidentally, I had an upcoming trip to Nuremberg and needed exactly two rooms. Perfect timing—or so I thought.
I followed the booking link in the promotional email, but I couldn’t find a way to book the advertised offer online. Rather than give up, I called 1-800-MARRIOTT. The agent was helpful and was able to make the reservation for two rooms for me.
There was just one problem. When the confirmation arrived, it showed the full rate for both rooms rather than a 50% discount on the second room.
I called Marriott again to make sure everything was correct. I was told to accept the confirmation as it appeared and that the discount would be deducted when I checked in at the hotel.
That didn’t leave me entirely comfortable, so I decided to contact Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nuremberg directly before traveling.
I’m glad I did. The hotel told me it couldn’t honor the promotion and to call the Sheraton. I called Sheraton, and they said they would honor it only if the second traveler was a child. Eventually, I accepted that answer. There comes a point when continuing to argue over a hotel promotion isn’t the best way to begin a vacation. This made me go back to Le Meridien and book two rooms, which I paid full price for.
More importantly, the experience taught me a useful lesson: if you’re booking a hotel based on a special promotion, particularly one involving multiple rooms, confirm the final rate directly with the property before you travel.
An email offer, a telephone reservation and even reassurance from a central reservations agent may not necessarily mean the hotel sees the booking the same way.
You Could Hardly Ask for a More Central Location
Once I arrived, one of the biggest advantages of Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nuremberg became immediately obvious: its location.
The hotel is directly across from Nuremberg’s main train station. If you arrive by train, you can walk out of the station and practically see your hotel waiting for you.
That location also makes the hotel extremely convenient for getting around Nuremberg. Public transportation is close at hand, while the historic Old Town is just a short walk away.
For me, this was one of the strongest reasons to stay here. Whether you’re spending a few days exploring Nuremberg or using the city as a base for traveling elsewhere by train, it is difficult to find a more practical location.
A Grand Hotel With Genuine Style
Location isn’t the hotel’s only attraction.
Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nuremberg has character. This isn’t one of those modern hotels where you could wake up and struggle to remember which city you’re in.
The property has a traditional European grand-hotel feel, and I liked that. The hotel has style, history and a sense of occasion that fits nicely with Nuremberg. Overall, I found it comfortable and well presented.
But then there was my bathroom.
My Standard Room Had One Big Problem: Getting Into the Shower
To be clear, my concern wasn’t really about the shower itself.
It was getting into it.
In my standard room, the shower was positioned immediately beside the sink. Because of that layout, the shower door could open only partially—I’d estimate around 40% of its normal opening. That left a surprisingly narrow space to squeeze through.
For a younger, smaller and fully mobile traveller, perhaps this would be nothing more than an inconvenience. But I found the arrangement difficult, and I would be particularly concerned about it for an older traveler, a larger person, or anyone who has difficulty maneuvering through a narrow opening.
I raised the issue with the hotel manager. The manager confirmed that the room was safe and met the hotel’s required standards. I have no reason to disagree with him about the room generally or the facilities provided.
Where we differ is specifically on the practical issue of access to the shower.
A bathroom can meet the appropriate standards and still be awkward for an individual guest to use. From my experience, the opening was simply too restricted to make getting into and out of the shower comfortable.
And that’s something you probably won’t discover by looking at a room description when making a reservation.
Then I Saw the Upgraded Rooms
This is where my opinion became considerably more nuanced.
I had an opportunity to look at upgraded accommodation at the hotel (the second room I booked), and the bathroom arrangement was completely different. The higher-category room I saw offered a much more complete bathroom with both a shower and bathtub. It appeared substantially more spacious and easier to use than the bathroom in my standard room.
Perhaps I had simply booked one of the hotel’s least expensive room categories, and one of us was lucky to be upgraded to the next category.
If that’s the case, this may be one hotel where paying extra for a Superior room or another upgraded category is worth considering.
In hindsight, I would have preferred to spend a little more and have the better bathroom.
That’s especially true for older travelers, larger guests or anyone for whom bathroom accessibility and space are important. I would suggest contacting the hotel before booking and specifically asking about the bathroom configuration in the room category you’re considering.
Don’t simply ask whether the room has a shower. Ask about access to the shower and whether the bathroom has a separate shower and bathtub.
Is Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nuremberg Worth It?
For me, yes—with a couple of qualifications.
The location is excellent. Being directly opposite Nuremberg’s main train station makes arrival and departure remarkably convenient, and you’re also within easy reach of the historic center and public transportation.
The hotel has style and personality, too. I enjoyed its traditional grand-hotel atmosphere, and I would consider staying here again. But next time, I would do two things differently.
First, if I were using a Marriott Bonvoy promotional rate, I would make absolutely certain that the hotel itself had confirmed the offer and final price before traveling.
Second, I would pay much closer attention to the room category.
My problem wasn’t with Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nuremberg as a whole. It was with the bathroom configuration in the particular standard room I occupied. After seeing the much better bathroom in an upgraded room, I realized that spending a little more could have significantly improved my stay.
So, would I return? Yes—but I’d upgrade.
For me, that’s the takeaway from Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nuremberg: a stylish hotel in a superb location, especially for train travelers, but one where choosing the right room can make a surprisingly big difference.
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