Radisson Blu Schwarzer Bock Wiesbaden: an Excellent Choice for Layover near Frankfurt Airport

1. Idiots Abroad (the Sequel)
2. Barcelona: Russians, Strikes, Lingerie Billboards and Man Buns
3. Welcome to Mallorca! OK, Time to Leave
4. My quick taste of Andorra and France
5. Belarus: the More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
6. Our Magical Overnight Stay in Nesvizh Castle in Belarus, plus Visit to Mir

Last installment, y’all! So, after visiting Belarus, we had to go back to our normal life in US. But not before spending one night near Frankfurt airport in order to make the journey easier on kids. We could get a cookie-cutter type hotel, but what’s the fun in that? We’ve connected in Frankfurt before and stayed in a castle, which was quite memorable.

This time I wanted to use hotel points if at all possible, in order to keep the costs down. But I also didn’t want anything generic. Enter Radisson Blu Schwarzer Bock Wiesbaden

According to hotel’s website, “First opened as a bathhouse in 1486, the Radisson Blu Schwarzer Bock Hotel, Wiesbaden is the perfect choice for visitors who want to experience the city’s rich history and famed spa culture. Das Badhaus offers traditional spa therapies, drawing from the hot springs—unwind in the thermal spa, sauna or steam bath, or swim in the pool.” 

Sounds good to me! But what about rate via points? This hotel is definitely no bargain, and regular room runs at 44,000 points per night, business class at 66,000 points (the latter includes breakfast). Since we had five people, we had to get one of each in order to accommodate everyone. That means I spent 110,000 points. Gasp!

While this sounds like an insane amount of points to drop on only one night, I have zero regrets. Seasoned hobbyists know that Club Carlson points aren’t that valuable. It’s also important to keep in mind that I had accumulated this stash for around $140 via various promos few years ago. The most important thing is that this hotel made our short stay near Frankfurt memorable and relaxing.

The paid rate for a regular room during the summer is $160, $240 for business class. So, essentially, I  spent $140 and got $400 value in exchange. Pretty good.

Few reasons you may want to consider splurging points on this hotel: 

1) The city of Wiesbaden is a pleasant German town that is located about 30 minutes from FRA. Unless your flight leaves early, why stay in an industrial area near airport?

2) Free access to  thermal pool, steam room and sauna. The kids are allowed as long as they are supervised.

3) Amazing breakfast. If your family consists of three people and your kid doesn’t need a separate bed, I highly recommend you splurge on a business class room that costs 66,000 points per night. You get a bit more space, plus breakfast for everyone. All-you-can-eat buffet here normally costs 25 Euros per person ($30). So, by using an extra 22,000 points you will feed three people in style. A pretty good deal, especially if you have  a ton of Club Carlson points and don’t know what to do with them.

Be aware, the hotel charges 65 euros for a rollaway, but we  brought a self-inflating pad with us and requested an extra blanket (free).

Photos of hotel and city of Wiesbaden

The entrance to Radisson Blu Schwarzer Bock Wiesbaden

Fancy stairway (there is also an elevator)

Relaxation area on the second floor, fireplace is fake

Business  room

Lots of storage space

The view of the courtyard from our room

The spa area in the basement

Warm thermal pool was incredibly relaxing

Sauna, steam room, and a place to soak your feet

Enjoying breakfast with our daughter (my son ate a muffin in the room)

I loved the food presentation

How cute are those milk bottles?

There were  fresh pastries, eggs, meat, fancy cheeses etc. You could also order an omelet or poached eggs with ham at no additional cost. Everything was so delicious! My husband said it was the best hotel breakfast he ever had. And he is quite picky.

 I went for a walk by myself early in the morning and wandered around, watching the city wake up

The main square of Wiesbaden

Bottom line

We thoroughly enjoyed our overnight stay in Radisson as well as the city of Wiesbaden. This hotel is a unique jewel in Club Carlson chain, and definitely a worthy candidate for an overnight stay near Frankfurt.

It is a splurge, and I probably wouldn’t apply for Club Carlson Visa in order to stay in this property. But if like me, you happen to have a ton of Club Carlson points, consider using them here. And absolutely  splurge on a business room with complimentary breakfast. You won’t regret it, I promise.

Readers, I encourage you to treat yourself now and again. Not all of your stays have to be in category 1 or 2 hotels. You can let go of your points, it’s OK. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

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