5* Hilton Frankfurt Centre

If you’re arriving by train, you really couldn’t make things much easier. Motel One sits directly opposite Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, giving you S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams and buses practically outside — including direct airport connections and an easy ride across town to the gay bars around Alte Gasse. The surrounding Bahnhofsviertel is one of Frankfurt’s most international neighbourhoods, with a huge choice of Middle Eastern, Asian and increasingly fashionable restaurants mixed amongst its rather grittier edges. It won’t appeal to everyone, but it certainly isn’t dull. The hotel itself follows the familiar Motel One formula: comfortable, uncomplicated and usually reasonably priced, with a large lounge and bar downstairs. GayMapper tip: particularly handy for a short stay, an early train or anyone who values excellent transport connections more than having the gay bars immediately outside.

Motel One Römer puts most of the Frankfurt sightseeing you’ll actually want to do within walking distance. Römerberg and the reconstructed Old Town are just around the corner, the river and Museumsufer are close by, and Zeil shopping is an easy stroll in the other direction. The LGBTQ+ bars around Alte Gasse are walkable too, so you can head out for the evening without automatically planning a taxi home. Willy-Brandt-Platz and Hauptwache also give you plenty of public-transport options when your feet have had enough. Rooms are compact, as you’d expect from Motel One, but the lively lounge downstairs gives the hotel a bit more atmosphere than many budget chains. GayMapper tip: one of the easiest value choices for a first Frankfurt weekend, with sightseeing, shopping and gay nightlife all comfortably accessible.

Avani has one of the most useful locations in Frankfurt for LGBTQ+ travellers. The gay bars around Alte Gasse are just a few minutes away, Zeil is almost outside and Konstablerwache station is only around 200 metres from the hotel. That makes evenings wonderfully simple: you can walk to Switchboard, Bar Central, Lucky’s and the rest of the Bermuda Triangle, then wander home rather than trying to work out Frankfurt’s night buses after several drinks. The hotel has a contemporary, fairly relaxed feel, with a sauna and steam room if the previous evening was particularly successful. GayMapper tip: still our favourite Frankfurt all-rounder — especially if nightlife, shopping and easy public transport all rank highly on your list.

LUME occupies a group of handsome historic villas between the Hauptbahnhof and Frankfurt’s banking district, giving you something much more individual than the typical hotel around the station. The Bahnhofsviertel’s excellent international restaurants are close by, while the Main, museums, opera and central shopping streets are all easily walkable. Willy-Brandt-Platz provides quick U-Bahn connections when you want to head towards the Alte Gasse gay scene rather than walk across town. Inside, the design mixes 1950s influences with colourful Italian styling, while Le Petit Royal downstairs is also worth knowing about if a French dinner without leaving the hotel sounds appealing. GayMapper tip: a strong couples’ choice if you want boutique style and good food with the station nearby, but don’t need to sleep directly beside the gay bars.

25hours The Trip fits the Bahnhofsviertel rather well: colourful, international and a little unconventional. You’re only a few minutes from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, but the neighbourhood itself is worth exploring, with some of the city’s best Middle Eastern and Asian food, independent bars and plenty of late-night life. The hotel carries that international theme indoors, with rooms inspired by different parts of the world and a much more playful feel than the business hotels clustered around the station. There’s also a rooftop sauna and terrace with skyline views, while Bar Shuka downstairs is a good option if you don’t fancy travelling far for dinner. Frankfurt’s main gay bars around Alte Gasse are across the centre rather than on the doorstep, but the excellent transport from Hauptbahnhof makes getting there easy. GayMapper tip: a good choice if you want personality, great transport links and a lively neighbourhood around you rather than a conventional city-centre hotel.

Roomers is the Frankfurt choice for travellers who prefer their luxury hotels a little darker, sexier and less buttoned-up. The interiors are deliberately moody, and the Roomers Bar attracts plenty of Frankfurt locals as well as hotel guests, so evenings here don’t have to begin somewhere else. You’re just a few minutes from Hauptbahnhof and the Main, with the restaurants and bars of the Bahnhofsviertel close by and the Museumsufer easily walkable. The main gay scene around Alte Gasse is further across the centre, but trains and taxis make that an easy trip. The spa and rooftop areas give you somewhere to recover the following day, although Roomers has never really felt designed for particularly early nights. GayMapper tip: especially good for couples or a weekend with friends when you want the hotel itself to feel part of the night out.