Best Luxury Hotels in Germany

This Relais and Chateaux property certainly ramps up the fairytale feel of the Black Forest. It’s like a picture postcard; a traditional mountain style chalet building, bursting with colourful floral window boxes. The food is simply divine – so much so, that it’s gained two Michelin stars – and is based on the Baden terroir with a focus on the elements. Chef Martin Herrmann is at the helm of the Gourmet Restaurant Le Pavillion and guests have the option to enjoy a unique and magical dining experience, served in a forest clearing. Classically decorated rooms with a regal air, have minibars, balconies and king-sized beds as standard.

Immerse in nature when you stay at this Bavarian-style property, a former equestrian centre set among the Chiemgau Alps. While its midcentury exterior is traditional, the design-forward interiors of this hotel boast brushed wood finishings, soft leather furnishings, burnished brass hardware from a local blacksmith and pieces from B&B Italia. There are three restaurants; the White Stag, the Hubertushütte and the artful two Michelin-starred es:senz by Chef Edip Sigl. Das Achental hosts one of the Leading Golf Clubs of Germany and a 2,000 square-metre wellness area with reclaimed wood, slate stone and Austrian stone pine saunas, and a classic steam bath.

Embedded into the medieval quarter of the city, this design hotel brings a blend of sleek modern lines and nods to times past. Owner Hans Georg Näder has brought his personal passions (art and travel) into the decor, with handpicked furnishings from across the globe and interiors by Anja Müller. The building’s original rustic timber beams and open fireplaces remain, creating a guest house feel, with 59 bedrooms, a restaurant, wine cellar and bar. Zum Löwen boasts one of the most inviting pools in the land with a naturalistic but dramatic lighting design. It’s part of the hotel’s spa, Bains Douches, along with a salt-lined room.

Standing right opposite the cathedral (and the station, making it handy for rail travellers), this five-storey 19th-century townhouse is a refined setting to relax after a day’s sightseeing. Unwind in the spa, or with a drink in the cigar lounge, to the sound of live piano music. Excelsior’s Michelin-starred restaurant Taku is a draw, serving an east Asian menu, plus you can sample French fine cuisine at Hanse Stube, take tea in the Winter Garden drawing room and dine al fresco in the courtyard. The hotel’s decor weaves together antique pieces with contemporary textiles, to a sophisticated effect.

This five-star urban resort is found on the Sonwik waterfront with marina views. Its highlight is a gleaming 2,000 m² wellness retreat – SPA Five Senses – spread over three levels with an indoor pool and an outdoor rooftop infinity pool for adults only, four saunas and a separate junior spa area for kids. This, along with multiple bedded suites, childcare, a kids’ kitchen and a games room, makes it a hit with families. While couples love the many wining and dining options. Bedrooms have coffee machines, and cosmetics by Team Dr. med. Joseph, plush textiles, knitted throws, Scandi lighting and herringbone wooden floors, for a retro-modern effect.

A longtime haven for artists and writers, this castle (a National Monument) was erected in 1916. Since then it has hosted a G7 summit as well as 220 annual concerts and literary events. The food offer is Michelin-starred with French and Japanese dining courtesy of chef Christoph Rainer at Luce D’Oro and many other eateries dotted around the expansive site. Deep in the Elmau Valley, Schloss Elmau now includes a newer wing, accommodating many of the suites, a spa, a yoga pavilion and a library. There’s also a kids club and a huge bookshop.

Stay just a little out of the city, in the standalone Germania Campus, a former brewery site, reimagined as a place to eat, drink and sleep. The Factory Hotel’s 128 56 metre square bedrooms and 16 suites are found in a new wing, providing peace and quiet away from the buzzier parts of the destination. Modern and minimalist with lots of concrete, polished steel and exposed brick walls, the warehouse architecture has been embraced. Guests can eat in the Dadi Brasserie or in the Spanish La Tapia bar, with breakfast taken in the Seaside, indoors or out.

Occupying a prime position overlooking Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin stands as one of Europe’s most storied and prestigious addresses. With 307 rooms and 78 suites, the hotel blends timeless opulence with contemporary sophistication, featuring polished wood, marble bathrooms, and views over Unter den Linden or Pariser Platz. A byword for luxury since its 1907 opening, the Adlon continues to set the standard for five-star hospitality.

The hotel’s dining portfolio includes the two-Michelin-starred Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer, serving contemporary European haute cuisine, Quarré for classic brasserie fare with a view, and Sra Bua by Tim Raue, fusing Asian and European flavours. The Adlon Spa by Resense offers a tranquil haven with a heated pool, saunas, and holistic treatments, while a 24-hour fitness centre caters to wellness enthusiasts.

Found in the town of Lyst, A-Rosa is especially handy for those arriving by ferry. Close to the beach’s dunes, it features a sheltered outdoor pool surrounded by loungers with sea views for glamorous summer days. At SPA-ROSA, six different saunas are infused with individual aromas, there’s an indoor pool and a programme of fitness activities. The Fish Club is the property’s urban maritime eatery, specialising in fruits of the adjacent sea and there’s a buffet restaurant. Sip on nutrient-packed smoothies at Vitalbar, cappuccinos in Life-Style Bar and late-night fireside cocktails in the Library.

Boasting a stunning lakeside location, the Fontenay is likely to appeal to people who have a flair for the flamboyant. This elegant and uber-luxurious hotel showcases plenty of dramatic features that really makes it stand out from the crowd. Guests will want to ensure that they choose one of the suites that looks out over Lake Alster and the spacious balconies that adjoin these suites are the perfect place to unwind after a day exploring the city. The Fonteray Spa is the ideal place to relax in style and guests will be able to make full use of the infinity pool, while this leading hotel is also famous for its excellent dining opportunities.

Foodies should book one of 50 rooms (each with adjustable mood-pad lighting) at La Maison, with its double Michelin-starred restaurant. Chef Sebastian Sandor offers frequently changing menus crafted from organic and rare ingredients at Louis. There’s also Pastis in the winter garden for food, where guests can tuck into bistro fare beneath stylish artworks and copper pan light installations. The seductive French redesign of the period building was carried out by CBAG.studio, with two wings (each with its own personality) added to an original mansion house — the latter housing the hotel’s suites.

This is the flagship five-star property of the Oetker Collection, an enchanting riverside idyll in pastoral surroundings. Many come for the huge Villa Stéphanie Spa & Wellbeing, located within the grounds that offer medical, as well as therapeutic treatments. A large pool overlooks the garden and plush rooms – many with balconies and terraces, all with pillow and blanket menus – are decorated to reflect the building’s 19th-century heritage. The dining offer is also a major draw, with Brenners Restaurant boasting two Michelin stars, Rive Gauche located in the park and The Wintergarten serving local cuisine.