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Arabella Sheraton Pelikan ( 909 30; pelikanhotel@arabellasheraton.com; Podbielskistrasse 145; r €119-155; ; 3, 7 or 9 to Pelikanstrasse) Fat beds with thick mattresses and plump cushions dominate the rooms of this luxury hotel, although the high ceilings alleviate any feeling of being cramped. Set on a redeveloped factory site in the suburbs, it feels like a hideaway village, with the renowned restaurant 5th Ave and Harry’s New York bar. There’s a fitness centre (free use) next door, too.

Kastens Hotel Luisenhof ( 304 40; www.kastens-luisenhof.de; Luisenstrasse 1-3; s from €167, d from €187, junior ste from €290, ste from €390; ) This grande dame looks pretty good in spite of being over 150 years old, possibly from the myriad of wellness offerings such as massages and its upper-level spa and fitness centre. Rooms reflect a timeless elegance, and prices vary according to demand, but are mostly below €200 for doubles in non-trade-fair periods.

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Eating

RESTAURANTS

Sonderbar ( 3365 9700; Raschplatz 6; mains €3.50-15; noon-11pm; ) This well-styled place has an assortment of Tex-Mex, Spanish and Italian snacks and mains, as well as oven potatoes in the upstairs, upmarket sports bar section (large screens). Downstairs is a lounge. It’s aimed at a business and pleasure crowd, and close enough to the station to duck into between trains.

Georxx ( 306 147; Georgsplatz 3; dishes €5.50-15; from 9.30am; ) Popular with business-people, office workers, shoppers, tired travellers and even an arty crowd, Georxx has pleasant outdoor seating in summer, a menu offering a taste for everyone (a bit of Asia, a bit of Europe etc) and good lunch specials (€8.50 to €12). Breakfast is a staple, and served until 5pm.

Spandau ( 1235 7095; Engelbosteler Damm 30; lunch special €6.50, mains €7.20-11.90; 10am-1am Sun-Wed, 10am-2am Thu-Sat; ) Retro-’70s Spandau in Hanover’s Nordstadt is more like Berlin’s Kreuzberg – a place where students from the nearby university and the local Turkish community rub shoulders. The menu is small-ish and features pasta, tofu curry and several more substantial meat dishes.

Mr Phung Kabuki ( 215 7609; Friedrichswall 10; sushi €2.50-6, mains €7.50-16; 11am-midnight Mon-Thu & Sun, 11am-2am Fri & Sat; ) Boats bob by on the water-based sushi train, but you can order all manner of pan-Asian and wok dishes at this airy, trendy restaurant with an enormous range of spirits.

Besitos ( 169 8001; courtyard, Goseriede 4; tapas €2-5, mains €8-16; from 5pm; ) Locals come to this warehouse-sized place to enjoy the city’s best tapas under high ceilings and the watchful eye of gaucho and matador murals on the Mediterranean-coloured walls.

Basil ( 622 636; Dragonerstrasse 30; mains €12-25, menus from €25; dinner Mon-Sat; ) These former stables to the north of town now house a fabulous fusion restaurant, with a high arched ceiling and pressed tablecloths. Imaginative concoctions, such as coffee-marinated duck breast with chicory and pear ragout, are served to an in crowd. Take tram 1 or 2 to Dragonerstrasse.

Hiller ( 321 288; Blumenstrasse 3; mains €6.20-15, set menus €16-20; lunch & dinner Mon-Sat; ) Germany’s oldest vegetarian restaurant is such an institution it even has its logo – a carrot – carefully embroidered onto every linen napkin. Despite the modern interior, with swirly green painting and mustard-coloured walls, the atmosphere is quite hushed and the food a tad old-fashioned. That said, come with an appetite if ordering a set menu.

Pier 51 ( 807 1800; Rudolf von Bennigsen Ufer 51; starters €9-13, mains €21-23; noon-midnight; ) One of Hanover’s loveliest restaurants, and very romantic at sundown, Pier 51 is walled with glass and juts out over the Maschsee. The menu is strong on fish, although you can also choose pasta or meat. In summer, there’s an outside ‘Piergarten’, decked out with the old-fashioned Strandkörbe (straw basket seats) that you see on German beaches.