22: Ten of the Best German Hotels in .NET

Creating QR Code 2d barcode in .NET 22: Ten of the Best German Hotels

gourmet restaurant in Heidelberg Those in charge have thoughtfully taken care of every detail in this service-oriented hotel See the Heidelberg map on p 339 for the hotel s location

In 2002, the readers of Cond Nast Traveler voted the family-owned and -operated Der Kleine Prinz, Lichtentaler Strasse 36, 76530 Baden-Baden ($$$ $$$$; % 07221/346-600; wwwderkleineprinzde), the best hotel in Germany Named for the children s book character created by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Der Kleine Prinz (The Little Prince) occupies two turn-of-the-century mansions Each of the large, high-ceilinged rooms is furnished differently, with hand-chosen furniture and accessories Personalized service is the hotel s strong point The rates include a superlative breakfast buffet and afternoon high tea Free Internet use is another amenity In the restaurant, you can dine on superbly prepared French, regional, and seasonal cuisine The same impeccably high standards prevail in the small, sumptuous Hotel Belle Epoque ($$$ $$$$; % 07221/300-660; wwwhotel-belle-epoquede), the family s sister hotel located just a block away and created from a villa built in 1870 See the Baden-Baden map on p 324 for each hotel s location

Walk out of the train station in Cologne and you stare up, mesmerized, at the enormous cathedral, one of the architectural wonders of Europe You can see the cathedral from some of the rooms in the grand Excelsior Hotel Ernst, Trankgasse 1 5, 50667 Cologne ($$$ $$$$; % 0221/2701; wwwexcelsiorhotelernstde), founded in 1863 The exterior looks a bit unassuming (it s a protected building, so the facade can t be altered), but walk inside and you ll be bowled over by the refined elegance of the place The lobby and public areas are gleaming and elegant with marble floors and beautiful finishes Guest rooms are spacious and beautifully appointed, especially those in the newly refurbished Hansefl gel wing Bathrooms throughout are large and luxurious, but the bathrooms in the Hansefl gel wing are truly astounding, with big marble-clad tubs and huge rain showers The hotel s small fitness center has a whirlpool and steam room, and guests have free access to a business center with computers and high-speed Internet service The Hanse Stube restaurant is one of Cologne s top gourmet restaurants, Taku is one of the city s best Asian restaurants, and the breakfast buffet (this is one of the few luxury hotels that includes breakfast in the room rate) is sumptuous Hotel Excelsior Ernst really stands out for its incredibly friendly and helpful staff (the hotel has one of the highest staff-to-guest ratios of any hotel in Germany) They make you feel most welcome, without a hint of snobbery See the Cologne map on p 369 for the hotel s location

The Grand Hyatt Berlin, Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 2, 10785 Berlin ($$$$; % 030/2553-1234; wwwberlingrandhyattcom), eschews traditional design and offers instead a hotel that is excitingly modern and wonderfully comfortable Located smack-dab in the center of all the action in the new Potsdamer Platz area, it s close to everything in western and eastern Berlin you can walk to the Philharmonie and Kulturforum museums or be on Unter den Linden in minutes This big hotel, built in 1998 with 342 rooms, is sleek and glamorous throughout, with a feng shui sensibility and a refreshing lack of froufrou The large rooms have beautiful wood finishes and marble-clad bathrooms designed to be a spa-like part of your room, with soaker tubs and separate shower areas The rooftop pool and spa area is one of the finest in Berlin, offering great views and exceptional facilities (including an icecold plunge pool that looks like a giant stainless-steel wine cooler) Restaurants include the outstanding Vox, for European cuisine and sushi (described in 11); Tizian, for international classics; and Mesa, for casual tapas See the Western Berlin Accommodations and Dining map on p 118 for the hotel s location