Best Luxury Hotels in Germany

On a hillside offering impressive views across the city, this baroque castle is a truly grand setting for your stay. Several centuries old, it has period features as well as contemporary luxuries like in-suite jacuzzis. Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg boasts a two Michelin starred restaurant, Vendôme, by Chef Joachim Wissler, as well as the Mediterranean eatery Trattoria Enoteca and Restaurant Jan Wellem for your breakfast buffet. There’s also a 1,000-square-meter 4 Elements Spa, a swimming pool and a chapel (if you fancy tying the knot while you’re here). And there’s a 72-par golf club just minutes away.

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.

Embracing the island’s traditional style, this Severins Resort boasts the longest continuous thatched roof in Europe. Perched right on the Wadden Sea in the town of Keitum, it’s popular with families; Severins has a kids’ club and welcomes pets, providing their own concierge, an outdoor pet shower, bowls and beds. The boutique hotel offers 10 bedroom categories, five apartment houses and two restaurants: Tipken’s and Hoog, as well as a bar, a Smoking Lounge and a Wine Cellar. A ​​2,000 m² spa comprises treatment suites, a fireside indoor pool, five themed saunas, a fitness suite and a cafe.

Book one of 60 bedrooms (all with balconies) at this oceanside, family-run residence. It has a nautical vibe; some spaces have porthole-style windows, the colour palette is evocative of sand and sea, and floors have been engineered to look like ships’ decks. Hotel Am Meer & Spa has a pool, a fitness centre, an infrared cabin, three saunas and treatments using Clarins and Ligne St Barth products. The bayside Meerbar restaurant has lovely views, as does the rooftop Blue Moon Lounge. And wherever you are in the building, you’re only ever steps from the beach, where you can recline on a hotel lounger.

Far enough from the centre to afford peace and quiet, yet near enough to walk into the town, the Grand Hotel is well set up for travellers seeking to unwind. Some of its 127 rooms and suites have balconies, all have forest or sea views, minibars and robes. Book Thai massages and Ayurvedic treatments (which use oils and herbal remedies from India), join a medically designed fasting programme, take a yoga class, swim against the current in the indoor pool, or take little ones for a dip in the children’s pool. The hotel offers dosha (Ayurvedic) and diet-friendly meals in the main restaurant to complement the wellness programmes.

Found in the district of Zeil, JW Marriott’s location is ideal for those wishing to indulge in some retail therapy, as well as being under half a mile away from historic attractions. Its design has been inspired by the concept of mindfulness, encouraging a meditative ambience. Its restaurant, Max On One, has an open show kitchen, while its Ember Bar & Lounge is the place for a quick snack or some caffeine. Serene, modern bedrooms provide floor-to-ceiling views across the city’s skyline. And there’s a Fitness First gym and pool for those wishing to take some exercise (available to those aged 14 and over).

Dating back to 1876, this 303-bedroom hotel spread over six floors is somewhat of a grande dame in the city. A fountain outside and a gleaming lobby with chandeliers inside, greet arriving guests. The Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof’s Restaurant Francais is Michelin-starred, with a terrace open during warmer months, plus there’s Breeze by Lebua serving Pan-Asian food, a cigar lounge, a cocktail bar and a further restaurant, Hofgarten. The in-house spa at the five-star residence is huge, with a private suite for couples, a hammam and a fitness area. Its central location ensures all the major sites are walkable.

Built at the turn of the 20th century, this lakefront property is ideal for those wishing to sail, hit the beach or play golf at the nearby Benniksgaard Club. Independently owned, it features individually designed rooms – some with balconies and water views. Dine on the terrace at sunset as you watch passing boats and tuck into French-style cuisine from chef patron Eicke Steinort (who previously worked under Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester). Guests can also feast on seven and eight-course tasting menus with Der Steinort, a culinary journey offered at its signature restaurant, The Stone Palace.

A hotel inspired by the bathing culture of the Orient, Vitalhotel Alter Meierhof is an indulgent and pampering experience. A huge heated indoor-outdoor pool provides views across to Denmark; there’s also a tepidarium, meditative sauna, aroma and steam baths, rasul and hammam ceremonies. The ambience and decor in the property are deeply elegant, with its 54 bedrooms created in a country house style. Breakfast in the gourmet brasserie, which also serves homemade patisserie in summer on the beach terrace. Grab a healthy lunch at the spa’s Vitalbar. Dine on modern French dishes at the two Michelin star Meierei Dirk Luther, or at the Spanish-themed Bodega, by night. And finish your day with a fireside nightcap in the lobby bar.

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.

Right next to the Central Station and steps from the Messe Exhibition Centre, Courtyard by Marriott is especially convenient for those on business or travelling for an event. The property inhabits the Lloyd building and includes original artifacts of the North German Lloyd from 1913. However, it’s been a hotel for just over a decade now, lovingly resorted and rising five stories with 158 bedrooms (all of which have crisp linens, thick mattresses, custom comforters and fluffy pillows). Lloyds is the on-site restaurant, there’s a bar, a grab n’ go market and a fitness centre that’s open 24 hours a day.

Perched on the river bank in the new Weser district, the Steigenberger Hotel accommodates 137 bedrooms including two suites and two family rooms. A waterside terrace and the bistro are charming places to dine, although a short walk along the promenade will also give you an excellent choice of eateries. The hotel is close to the Coffee Quarter, the GOP Varieté-Theater and a 15-minute stroll to the Old Town. Its entire seventh floor is given over to the wellness centre, where you’ll find a steam bath, the bio sauna and a Finnish sauna with far-reaching views.