It’s ‘show time’: Ruby Hotels arrives in Cologne, Germany

Exterior of Ruby Ella
730 565 Hamish Kilburn
  • 0
It’s ‘show time’: Ruby Hotels arrives in Cologne, Germany

Ruby Hotels, which shelters the well-known ‘lean luxury’ hospitality concept, has opened a 186-key hotel in Cologne.“Ruby goes Late-Night” is now the motto at Ruby Ella – and becomes the brand’s 11th hotel property…

Exterior of Ruby Ella

Ruby Hotels, the Munich-based hotel brand that first launched in 2013 with the innovative ‘Lean Luxury’ philosophy, led by hospitality pioneer CEO and Founder Michael Struck, has opened its first hotel in the city of Cologne. Ruby Ella, the 11th hotel of the Ruby Group ,designed by Matthew Balon, is located in a prime downtown location: the former Capitol area, famous for its rich history in TV studios and entertainment.

Lobby inside Ruby Ella in Cologne

Image credit: Ruby Hotels

The hotel group already has a strong portfolio in Germany, with properties in Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart and two hotels in Dusseldorf. In recent years, Struck and his team have been acquiring properties outside continental Europe, entering the UK hospitality arena with opening of Ruby Lucy on London’s Southbank. And the narrative continues to unfold… the brand is now expanding into Asia with the joint venture Ruby Asia, founded in 2018.

Inside Ruby Ella

The 186 rooms are spread over six floors and take guests into the legendary world of late-night shows, paying homage to Cologne’s status as the most important media location in Germany. The public areas with check-in, bar & café are located on the first floor of the impressive new building, which is ideally situated in the city centre on the Hohenzollernring and in the immediate vicinity of the trendy Belgischen Viertel. As in all Ruby Hotels, the Ruby Ella Bar is open 24 hours a day for Cologne locals and provides an enrichment on the Hohenzollernring nightlife mile. Where once iconic German hosts like Harald Schmidt and Stefan Raab offered late-night shows of the highest class, today the Ruby Ella Show presents itself. Large illuminated signs, a typical stage with talk show host desk & guest chair, a colourful mix of vintage furniture and quite a few props from the cult late-night show times of the 90s can be found in the public areas. Highlights include an original camera crane, the eight-meter-long “Show Time” vintage lettering on the ceiling and the show band instruments suspended in front of it. 

Bar at Ruby Ella

Image credit: Ruby Hotels

The centrepiece is the 24/7 bar with its quilted turquoise leather fronts that echo the typical look of old leather chairs and contrast excitingly with red marble and raw brass. Urban charm is provided by the open concrete walls that run throughout the hotel and rooms. These also show the typical Ruby signature: high open ceilings, fresh bright white, glass rain showers integrated into the room as well as wooden wall paneling and high-quality oak floors. The design highlight above each bed is the “Late-Night” moon lamp whose cable depicts the skyline of Cologne.          

The new building, set back in the quiet courtyard of the former Capitol, is located in the heart of Cologne. In addition to numerous restaurants and cafés, there are opportunities for shopping, as well as several cinemas and clubs, making the Hohenzollernring one of the most popular promenades, especially among young people. It takes five minutes by public transport from Friesenplatz to the main train station and 25 minutes to Cologne/Bonn Airport.            

The building, designed by architect Christoph Ingenhoven according to the highest sustainability standards, is impressive even at first glance. A particular eye-catcher are the almost 100 trees and shrubs planted in a staggered pattern on the hotel. The planting concept came from Swiss landscape designer Enzo Enea. Cologne-born Daniel Suré is taking over the management of Ruby Ella. The experienced hotel manager has already worked in renowned hotels in Switzerland and Germany. “The location of our Ruby Ella between the Belgischen Viertel and the Gerlingquartier is perfect for discovering the Cologne lifestyle on your own,” said Suré. Whether on a business trip or a city break, in just a few steps you’re right in the middle of the action.”

The hotel and rooms follow Ruby’s Lean Luxury philosophy: a location in the heart of the city, top design and high-quality amenities with the essentials, and remains an affordable option, by consistently dispensing with superfluous and non-essentials. “This works because, following the example of modern luxury yachts, we accommodate our luxury in a relatively small area and simply leave out non-essentials,” explained Struck. “We also organise ourselves with the help of our own technical solutions in a completely different way than is usual in the industry. We plan and build more modularly, centralise more strongly and automate consistently behind the scenes. This helps us to make a luxurious and unique hotel experience affordable for our guests.”

Main image credit: Ruby Hotels

Hamish Kilburn / 11.08.2021

Share

  • 0

You might also like

Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.