Walk into Room 335 at the Hyatt in Mainz, and your eyes go directly to the view. Outside your wall of windows, your eyes feast on a broad expanse of the majestic, romantic, Rhine.
Decorated with a necklace of trees, the Rhine River is a constantly moving highway, where river cruises and coal barges slowly move back and forth, while seagulls dart down to the water to capture fish and then soar upward.
Just below your window you'll see part of the ramparts of the old city of Mainz, and a promenade that immediately invites you to join bikers, rollerbladers, joggers or just those who stroll along, to enjoy the breeze from the historic Rhine.
Inside your room is a showcase of modern German styling that's both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Restful neutral earth tones set the background for the sleek geometrics of a blonde desk, black leather chair and a mirror/tv combo that adds even more space to the already large room.
The bath, typical of so many high-end German hotels, is dramatic and sensual. The bath/shower area, for example, is separated from the rest of the ever-so- spacious bathroom area by a glass wall. Step into this area and you can take a shower from a rainforest-type showerhead while the water falls directly on the slate floor. It's an exhilarating feeling, as is soaking in the huge tub.
The entire hotel shows how, like many things in Germany, the old is combined with new high-tech styling, whether it is in the architecture, the avant-garde furnishings in the lobby, or the decidedly stylish cuisine that is served here.
I'd return to Mainz just to stay at the Hyatt, but lest you think that I'm not being an objective reporter, I'll tell you that I thought that the amenity bottles here are too hard and it's difficult to get the contents out. Other than that tiny detail, I have nothing but praise.