

This is my review of the Casino Esplanade in Hamburg. For more information on this casino, please click here.

Hamburg is one of the richest cities in Germany. This is a lot due to the fact that the port of Hamburg is the second largest port in Europe. The port in Hamburg has for years served as Germany’s gateway to the world and still plays an important factor in the economy of the city. The Casino Esplanade in Hamburg is a clear manifestation of the city’s wealth.

The casino is located in the University District, close to the Opera and is very easy to access by public transportation. It also offers privet parking for those arriving by car. When we arrived, several luxury vehicles were parking in the casino’s parking lot. What really caught my attention, though, was the Porsche Taxi parking just in front of the casino. The only Porsche Taxi in Hamburg, according to the guy at the front. The casino is located in a unique old building which makes a very elegant, aristocratic, first impression.

We received a very friendly welcoming, as is usual in all German casinos. In the gift shop opposite the reception desk, I saw a really nice key neck-strap, with green and red roulette numbers and I just had to get one for myself and a friend of mine, a kindred spirit who also loves playing casino games. We then paid the 2.5€ entrance fee and stepped inside.

Dress code Casino Esplenade Hamburg

It is good that I looked for the dress code on the casino’s website before my visit. The dress code for men is semi-formal and jackets are mandatory in the live games area. However, I saw quite a few players with jeans and a polo shirt under their jacket. The dress code in the slots area is more relaxed.

Slots at the Casino Esplanade

The slot area is located on the ground floor of the casino, directly behind the reception. It is separated to a smoking and a non-smoking section and both offer a large variety of slots as well as quite a few electronic Roulette stations. There is an elegant bar with very nice staff in the slot casino. A cashier is also conveniently located in the slots area. We saw mostly 5 reel video slots. I saw here for the first time the Stargate slot machines, in which players can role-play by choosing their favorite character from the famous TV series. The Casino Esplanade participates in the “Casinos Hamburg Jackpot”, which offers a combined jackpot of all participating branches. At the time of our visit, the jackpot stood at approximately 55,000 €. I liked the atmosphere in the slots are; a large space, high ceilings and a combination of red and black designs all combine to create a relaxed and elegant atmosphere.

Live Games Area

The live game area is on the scond floor of the casino. You can take the majestic, white marble starcase up; or you can take the elevator. Upon descending the elevator, to the right, is the main hall, were the live games take place. The room resembles a ballroom, very spacy with high decorative ceilings and is definitely one of the nicest rooms I have seen in German casinos. Smoking is not allowed in the main hall. In the rear, there is a lovely, large rooftop-terrace, with a beautiful view of the radio tower, were smoking is allowed. There is also a smoker’s bar to the left of the elevator, but it feels a bit isolated from the “action” and no games are offered there.

The Hamburger Esplanade casino has managed to connect the past with the present. The past resides in the building itself; the old walls, the decorative ceilings, the French doors to the rooftop terrace etc. The interior design, art on the walls and game tables are new and modern. The combination is fantastic and created a very nice ambience. The bar next to the exit to the terrace completes the overall picture.

As we walked in to the live games area, we counted 5 Roulette tables in operation, 4 with a minimum of 2 € and 1 table with a minimum of 5 €. The maximum bet is 3,000 €. One of the tables was designed such that players could seat around it and the croupier used a long rake to sweep the chips off the table. There were additional 4 closed Roulette tables.

The player community here was very diverse. There were Oriental, Indian, Middle Eastern and European players at the gaming tables. The international atmosphere added to the whole experience in the casino. Drinks and Cocktails are served at the game tables.

In addition to Roulette, there were other tables in operation at the time of our visit: one Blackjack table with a limit of 10 € and an Ultimate Texas Holdem table with a minimum ante of 4 €. I went to buy some chips. The same as in Casino Duisburg: three percent fee for paying with a credit card. After I shared the chips with my girlfriend (last time she paid), I harried to the Casino Holdem table to test my luck. My girlfriend was in a rush to get to the Roulette tables.

I was so excited to start playing, that I looked neither left nor right. Only after a while, I noticed the beautiful Chinese ladies seating next to me on both sides (they seemed to me to be related, another lady who I thought was their mother also sat at the table). I focused on the game. The lady to my left seemed to be very frustrated with my game, and from time to time she volunteered her advice.

It was the first time I played Casino Holdem and it was obvious that I am a beginner, if only by the number of questions I asked. It took me 30 minutes to lose all my chips, and so I went to look for my girlfriend. She was having a great time, and informed me enthusiastically, that she is high in the plus, and decided to raise her bets. I thought to myself that it is a wrong move, but, in light of my shameful performance at the Holdem table, I said nothing.

Before leaving, I gave another look to the Blackjack table. The stakes were 10 – 400 €. Aside from one German player, the table was firmly in Arab hands. One of the players was not wearing jacket, which tells me he is a regular in this Casino.

Poker Casino Esplanade

There were three tables in operation. A cash game was taking place with a limit of 2/4 and 5/10. The table stakeholder is the 100-fold small blind, so 200 euros at the 2/4 tables. Buy in is 100 times the small blind, makes 200 Euros on the 2/4 tables.

The poker players were a very mixed crowd, from young “reach-kids” in jeans and a T-Shirt to older Middle-Eastern businessmen.

Conclusion Casino Esplanade Hamburg

The Casino Esplanade seemed to have caught up nicely with modern casino business, which seems to be well appreciated by the clientele. The casino gets high point for its service-oriented staff. Definitely worth a big detour!