“Law and Justice” is the motto – perfect for the new Motel One on Kriegsstraße in Karlsruhe
Published in Badische Neueste Nachrichten by Arne Oest
Karlsruhe. Marvin Wertz enters the lobby of the newly opened Motel One on Kriegsstraße in Karlsruhe to escape the noise of the street. “The windows in the entrance area and in the rooms have quadruple glazing,” says the estate agent from Lindau on Lake Constance. They make a huge contribution to the hotel’s quiet and relaxed, feel-good ambience. Wertz is among the first guests at the establishment. The motel celebrated its official opening on Friday – a year later than planned. Over 50 chairs and sofas are arranged around tables throughout the lobby. The dark counter of the bar at the back lends the entrance area an opulent touch. But what makes it so special is actually situated behind: terms such as “StVZO” (German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations) and “BGH” (Federal Court of Justice) are displayed in three dimensional lettering on the wall, backlit in places. Above the counter, small pendant lights with black shades cast a pleasantly warm white light. Each Motel One hotel has its own motto. In Karlsruhe, it is “Law and Justice”. It is a nod to Karlsruhe’s nickname “City of Law” and its status as home to the state’s highest courts. As a guest, Wertz finds the bar area and the overall ambience of the hotel very appealing. He has already stayed in many of the 90 Motel One hotels dotted around Europe. The rooms all look similar, he says: light-coloured walls, a large double bed and a separate work area with a desk next to the bathroom. There is even space for biodiversity, with nesting boxes for birds and bats on the façade. “Five in total,” says one of the hotel receptionists. Single-occupancy rooms start at €89 per night. A slightly larger room with a balcony, breakfast, garage parking or a second person costs more and currently begins at €109. At present, the Motel One hotel group operates 94 hotels in 13 countries, most of them in Germany. This Motel One was originally slated to open in spring 2023. According to the hotel chain, the delays were due to the aftershocks of the corona pandemic and supply bottlenecks for materials, among other things.
