The south end of Pragerstrasse is taken over by numerous business outlets and restaurants and there are no attractions in terms of art galleries, museums or architectural beauties. But anybody who arrives in Dresden at the main train station must necessarily pass through here to reach the Old Town where most sights are concentrated. As you exit from the station, you can't miss the huge Hotel Mercure on your left. A few steps further north, the corner building with the big glass display windows is Dresden's Tourist Office. Visible from here, on the other side of the square-like area are three identical high-rise hotels big enough to accommodate the population of a medium-sized village.
Constructed in the 1960s in the prefabricated concrete style and following the principle of "bigger is better," these three huge buildings were taken over by the Ibis Hotel chain and thoroughly renovated soon after the collapse of the German Democratic Republic. Hotel Dresden Koenigstein, conveniently located within walking distance of the train station and the Old Town is squeezed between Hotel Bastei and Hotel Lilienstein.
The hallway, formerly used by coach tour groups as a plain practical reception area began reinventing itself as an elegant and pleasant welcoming venue for business and independent travelers since the former East Germany opened up for tourists from the west. Adorned with comfy leather sofas and matching armchairs, it is an ideal place to sit over a cup of coffee. If you're craving for a snack and a good coffee on arrival, the adjoining restaurant-cafe that opens round the clock is definitely the place to be. The calm, relaxing and orderly atmosphere here is further enhanced by an aura of cleanliness and hospitality.
Within its massive structure, Hotel Dresden Koenigstein is spacious enough to comprise 116 small singles and 190 medium-sized doubles. All rooms restyled and refurbished with simple yet functional furniture have austere but otherwise excellent bathrooms with an automatically controlled hot water shower. A hot and cold air-conditioning system is standard in all rooms. Guests in Hotel Koenigstein are assured that anything faulty or malfunctioning will be amended within 30 minutes.
All this is obviously beneficial to guests who opt for Hotel Koenigstein for its easy accessibility and reasonable prices. However, there are a couple of disadvantages that may influence your stay here. One such disadvantage is directly concerned with the hotel's occupancy, which adds up to 452 guests when full. Don't ever dream of getting any personal attention or special consideration by the receptionists or other members of the staff. Though polite, friendly and helpful, they just don't have the time to answer your questions or give you the information you may require. A second disadvantage is the breakfast buffet for which you have to pay an extra 9 Euro. Though expensive, it definitely provides an endless profusion of tasty foods and hot drinks. However, if you walk further north on Pragerstrasse, you'll find breakfast restaurants that provide almost similar dishes for half the price.
