420 Best Hotels in Germany

In a prime location in the center of the Altstadt, this architectural gem dates back to 1276. The rooms occupy 7 half-timbered buildings set around a quaint courtyard.  

For solid comfort and a picturesque, central location, the Sternhotel is tops—and their weekend rates are a bargain. Rooms are in a Danish-modern style.

Standing commandingly on the water's edge fronted by its own boat pier, the Strandhotel (Beach Hotel) Löchnerhaus offers wonderful views of Switzerland over the lake and exudes a retro Riviera feel. Fresh lake fish figures prominently on the menu of the restaurant, as do the island's famous vegetables. Most rooms have lake views; those that don't look out over a quiet, shady garden.

Opened in 2018, this boutique hotel offers three restaurants, several stylish cocktail bars, and 128 individually designed rooms with a French touch in a great location. Tortue is located right at the heart of Hamburg close to the canals and welcomes its guests in an immense brick building from the nineteenth century. More than a hotel, Tortue is also one of Hamburg's gastronomic hotspots. The restaurants, which include a brasserie and a sushi bar, are located in the hotel's inner courtyard and offer the possibility of outside seating.

Its central location (a five-minute walk from the Kurhaus, Old Town, and shopping district), particularly friendly and helpful staff, and affordability make this modern hotel an excellent choice. Terra-cotta and beige tones and parquet floors lend the rooms warmth, and although they are small, rooms are well maintained and cleverly designed for maximum use of space. The gourmet breakfast buffet includes excellent bread from a very good local bakery, high-quality coffee, and homemade fruit salad as well as gluten- and lactose-free products.

The grand old lady of the Baltic Sea, the neoclassical 19th-century Kurhaus Binz is reviving the splendor of times past, when Binz was called the Nice of the North. The four-star Kurhaus is right on the beach, with a breathtaking sea view from most of the spacious and elegantly furnished rooms. The huge Egypt-themed spa and wellness area is a real treat.

This upscale spa town can be an expensive place to stay, so the first German outpost of the affordable TRIBE hotel chain makes for a welcome sight. Check-in takes place at digital counters, though a human is available if any issues arise. Inviting guest rooms with jewel-toned curtains, furniture, and carpets are compact but practical, though they lack desks since guests are encouraged to work from the lively communal co-working space on the ground floor. A 24-hour gym opens onto a terrace for relaxing after your workout. Though there’s no restaurant, a bar in the lobby serves up drinks, and Baden-Baden’s restaurant scene is a short stroll away.

One of Sylt's loveliest old thatch-roof apartment houses, this is a quiet alternative to the busier main resorts in Kampen and Westerland. The Ulenhof has four buildings 850 yards away from the beach in Wenningstedt. The larger apartments, for up to five people, are a good deal. A separate bathing facility offers a huge wellness area with two saunas, a pool, and a Tecaldarium, a Roman-style bathhouse.

Housed in a former airport hangar in the Stuttgart suburb of Böblingen, this hotel offers rooms that have either an automotive or flight theme. In the special themed rooms, chairs might be made from vehicle passenger seats, night tables are stacked hubcaps with glass tops, beds have the front of a Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, or Jeep as a footboard. There’s even one room designed to look like a car wash, and the breakfast buffet is served on the back of a vintage Chevrolet pick-up. The V8 Hotel is connected to other retrofitted hangars containing luxury car and vintage car dealerships and the see-through glass garages of collectors of both, called MotorWorld.  Commuter trains between Stuttgart and Boblingen leave several times each hour and take 21 minutes. And it has expanded to a second building.

The friendly, family-run hotel is high on Petrisberg hill overlooking Trier, not far from the amphitheater and a 20-minute walk to the Old Town. The individually decorated rooms have solid-pine furnishings and fabulous views of the city. In the evening, you can sit down for snacks and good local wines in the pub.

This impressive skyscraper, a nod to the Waldorf's original New York location, has a chic art deco look, a suitably glamorous interior, and Germany's first Waldorf Astoria Spa complete with indoor pool.

What used to be Europe's tallest water tower is now a stylish 11-story boutique hotel that was recently renovated and reopened in late 2021 as part of Hilton's Curio Collection. Rooms are done up in a contemporary fashion, and some duplex suites offer cathedral views.

The eight spacious rooms at this welcoming guesthouse are all individually decorated with a winning mixture of contemporary and antique furnishings and thoughtful touches such as fresh flowers and an honor bar. There are also three holiday apartments for larger groups. The traditional wine estate S.A. Prüm is also home to state-of-the-art cellars and an attractive vinothek for cellar tours and tastings, as well as a stunning dining room and an idyllic patio facing the Mosel and the vineyards.

A great deal of love and thought went into transforming this old family hotel into six apartments just outside the center of the town; all are well equipped, individually decorated, and carefully maintained. Relax in the courtyard or peaceful Mediterranean garden; during wine season, regular wine tastings from their own winery are offered in the Vinothek or in the garden. Free Wi-Fi and parking are available on-site.

The beautifully decorated, modern guest rooms are named after famous vineyards in Forst, and six have balconies—the Pechstein room is particularly nice. You can enjoy excellent wines in the tasting room, beneath a shady pergola in the courtyard, or in the privacy of your room (the refrigerator in the breakfast room is stocked for guests). The pubs in Forst's Old Town are a three-minute walk away.

This wine estate offers attractive lodging options for groups: four suites that sleep from one to four people, plus a suite of four rooms that share a single bath and must be booked together; all look out to a courtyard full of oleanders, palms, fig trees, and nesting swallows. There are concerts and picnics in the garden, courtyard, and vaulted cellars. You can also taste the Fitz-Ritter wines and Sekt (sparkling wine) in the sophisticated wine bar and shop.

Rooms at this cheerful guesthouse in the middle of vineyards are airy and furnished mostly in pine; all of them have splendid views of the countryside, which you are invited to explore on bikes that you can borrow. The guesthouse is next to the Karst family's wine estate, and tastings and cellar tours can be arranged. There's also a good on-site restaurant serving local produce.

A refurbished brick warehouse has been turned into a sleek, family-run hotel with an excellent wine restaurant. The retro-modern rooms are large and comfortable with all the standard amenities. The wine bar in the basement is worth the trip for the uncomplicated but excellent fare, highlighting local and sustainable ingredients. The lobby hosts a self-service wine bar with 20 local wines accessible with your room card. 

Exposed beams, stucco ceilings, warm wood furnishings, and individually decorated, comfortable rooms are all part of this hotel's charm. The restaurant has art deco touches, and its creative menu changes seasonally, but fresh fish—especially salmon—remains a highlight year-round. The proprietor is a wine fan, and the extensive wine list reflects it (restaurant closed Monday)

Those who like downtown Frankfurt will appreciate the Westin's location, just steps from the famous Zeil shopping street, plus all the features of a high-end chain hotel, including a fitness room, spa, pool, and sauna. Re-opened in 2022 after an extensive renovation, each room has a Westin Heavenly Bed (they're also available for your dog). There is an impressive collection of museum-quality vintage cars in the lobby, and in an unusual retreat from the public areas, where smoking is forbidden, a swanky cigar lounge. Four restaurants, including Sushimoto with a Japanese menu, are on the premises. 

This large hotel in a renovated East German building has a great location at the corner of Friedrichstrasse and Unter den Linden. Rooms have mustard-color floral wallpaper, easy chairs, and the trademark Heavenly Bed found at all Westin hotels. The inner courtyard view is of an attractive garden area with an unusual Dragon House conference pagoda. Soundproof bay windows make for a good night's sleep in any room. The marble-and-brass lobby is light-filled and enlivened with a piano and guests taking a coffee break at the sofas.

The 23-story building may raise a few eyebrows as it stands on a slight elevation and is not the shapeliest of the Munich skyline, but what goes on inside, however, is sheer luxury. Guests of the top four floors, part of the Westin Club, are treated to snacks, drinks, and a fantastic view of the city and the Bavarian Alps from the private top-floor lounge. There are several spots within the hotel to eat, including Paulaner's Wirtshaus, which has a beer garden. 

This first-class hotel hides behind a rigid gray facade dating back to the early 19th century, but the interior is surprisingly open and airy, with skylights and a posh lobby. The rooms have elegant cherrywood Art Deco–style furnishings. Downstairs, the Bierkeller, a cavernous 17th-century room with vaulted ceilings, is a trendy nightspot.

This hotel is a modern property with winning amenities and great hospitality at an unbeatable price. The high-rise hotel doesn't look appealing at first glance, but the spacious rooms (featuring many extras such as a baby bed, satellite TV, and a work desk) are furnished in bright colors and ensure a most pleasant stay. The biggest attraction, the hotel's Vital Spa, is a huge wellness facility. The hotel is situated on the grounds of a huge waterpark making it great for families.

The star on the Baltic Coast is this huge, modern resort, comfortably residing on a peninsula between the yacht harbor, a sandy beach, and the port entrance. Setting a new standard of luxury in the region, the smartly designed Hohe Düne offers maritime-themed rooms and suites with names reminiscent of ship quarters, such as "Boatman's Cabin" or "Captain's Suite." A real catch is the spa, taking up a full three floors with a pool, several saunas, and plenty of massage rooms.

Housed in a historic villa that's an easy walk from the Schanzenviertel, this friendly, modern little hotel attracts a young, cosmopolitan crowd, families, and business travelers. Guest rooms can sometimes be on the small side, but they are all tastefully outfitted with wooden shutters on the windows and black slate in the bathrooms. Despite the minimal style, the hotel has an obvious warmth; staffers are helpful, and there are special rates if you're under 27.

Individually furnished rooms lend character to this historic hotel, whose ivy-covered facade, with its characteristic steeple, hasn't changed much over the centuries. Built in 1605 and incorporating 13th-century Gothic foundations, the building was an important staging point for Germany's first postal service. The restaurant (closed Monday and Tuesday) is rustic in an uncluttered way; people travel from afar to enjoy the rack of lamb. Some rooms are furnished with Bodensee antiques and brightly painted rustic wardrobes. Try to book Room 23 or 13: Both have semicircular alcoves with armchairs and windows overlooking the marketplace.

This charming "Moselromantikhotel" comes with friendly service and a splendid terrace overlooking the Mosel. Some rooms have a balcony facing the river, though rooms at the back of the hotel are quieter. In addition to arranging wine tastings and hikes in Calmont, Europe's steepest vineyard, the staff can also help you plan fishing trips and lunch in the vineyard of hotel owners the Saffenreuther family.

The "Red Bear" claims to be the oldest inn in Germany, with its history traced back 50 generations and documented in a book. Dating from 1311, the inn retains its individual character, along with a cellar displaying its 700-year-old foundation open to the public interested in seeing part of the original inn. Like most of Freiburg, the original building was destroyed in World War II; the new building maintains a historical facade that betrays the comfortable lodgings and excellent dining option inside.

Directly below the castle, this is one of the town's oldest inns, family-run and with updated, airy rooms that are tidy and comfortable. Geraniums flower most of the year from its balconies. The two restaurants here both have sturdy, round tables and colorful frescoed walls and offer an extensive menu of regional dishes.