3 Best Hotels in Strasbourg, Alsace-Lorraine

Surrounded by canals in the heart of the quaint La Petite France quarter, this centuries-old former ice factory—replete with noble pediment and mansard roofs—is now a boldly modern luxury hotel, where Philippe Starck–inspired sculptural furnishings contrast sharply with the views of half-timber buildings and the roaring river from nearly every window. The preferred choice of Catherine Deneuve, Jacques Chirac, and Sting (to name a few) welcomes you with a spacious marble vestibule, vivid graffiti art, and Le Pont Tournant: an eye-popping modernistic restaurant done up in white, pinks, and reds (enjoy its summer tables over the torrent).

Opened as an inn in 1580 and restored to its former half-timber glory, the \"courtyard of the crow\" retains its Middle Ages facade, but its interiors are another story: luxe design, crystal chandeliers, period furniture, and colorful fabrics are the essence of modern style, sumptuousness, and comfort. Enter the courtyard—especially at night—and it is easy to imagine Frederic the Great (a visitor to the original hotel) and his entourage pulling up in a caravan of coaches.

With its 19th-century neoclassical façade, this hotel fuses historical architecture with contemporary design. The building housed the city's police station until 2009 and now has smart, spacious guest rooms decked out in mainly neutral beige tones with splashes of ochre and orange, all with gleaming bathrooms. The rooms overlooking the interior courtyard have more verdant views than those on the side and front. The airy, open-space lobby is a tea room, restaurant, and cocktail bar where the chic Strasbourg crowd likes to hang out.