Hamburg

In a grand 1897 building overlooking Aussenalster Lake, this upscale hotel is a 3-minute walk from the Gänsemarkt U-Bahn station and 2 km from the St. Pauli Piers.

Posh rooms offer Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and Blu-ray players, as well as minibars and Nespresso machines. Suites add living rooms. Upgraded quarters offer lake views.

There's a high-end restaurant, an art-deco bar and grill with a lake-view terrace, and a trendy Asian-fusion eatery, as well as a hip cafe, and an elegant old-world lounge serving afternoon tea. Other amenities include a spa and a gym.