Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [609]
ST GEORG
Arcotel Rubin (Map; 241 9290; www.arcotel.at; Steindamm 63; r €125-270; ) Privately owned Austrian chain Arcotel has arrived in Hamburg in style at this snazzy hotel. Done out in gleaming Middle Eastern marble, cherry-coloured carpets are woven with the names of Hamburg landmarks, while the smallish rooms are dominated by giant, circular red-leather ‘sunset’ bedheads. You can work off the exquisite home-baked pastries at its authentic Viennese coffee house (7am to midnight) in the high-tech gym.
The George ( 280 0300; www.thegeorge-hotel.de; Barcastrasse 3; s incl breakfast €139-209, d incl breakfast €146-216, lunch menus €14.50, dinner mains €17-38; ; Lohmühlenstrasse, Uhlandstrasse) The concave caffe-latte-coloured facade of this design hotel, built in 2008, might be austere, but, inside, every one of its 125 rooms has individual wallpaper, and all come with free DVD rental and iPod docking stations. You can recharge yourself at the on-site spa, the classical Italian restaurant, DaCaio, the stately book-shelf-lined British-themed bar, or rooftop terrace with stunning lake views.
Hotel Atlantic (Map; 288 80; www.kempinski.atlantic.de; An der Alster 72-79; s €270-370, d €300-500, ste from €500, breakfast €33; ) Imagine yourself aboard a luxury ocean liner in this grand 252-room hotel, which opens onto Holzdamm. Built for cruise passengers, it has ornate stairwells, wide hallways and subtle maritime touches. Suites – including BMW and James Bond suites – are a big leap up from the standard accommodation. Significantly cheaper rates are often available online.
SCHANZENVIERTEL & ST PAULI
East (Map; 309 930; www.east-hamburg.de; Simon-von-Utrecht-Strasse 31; r €155-420, breakfast €17; ) Even those who’ve seen a few design hotels in their time will be impressed by East. The walls, lamps and huge pillars of this hotel’s public areas emulate organic forms – droplets, flowers, trees – giving it a warm, rich and enveloping feel. Floors are themed by plants and spices, and rooms have open bathroom areas, divided by flowing curtains. Its wellness centre, Japanese garden, and sunken restaurant Click here are equally stunning.
Empire Riverside (Map; 311 190; www.empire-riverside.de; Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 97; r from €159, breakfast €18; ) This glittering glass edifice rose from an old brewery site in the rejuvenated Hafenkrone (harbour crown) precinct in 2008. Sparing splashes of colour brighten its restaurant, bars, and streamlined rooms (many of which take in the twinkling harbour lights).
ALTONA
Gastwerk Hotel ( 890 620; www.gastwerk.com; Beim Alten Gaswerk 3, Daimlerstrasse, Altona; r €136-181, ste €192-370, breakfast €18; ) Fashioned from a former gasworks, warmly coloured furnishings and quirky touches like the huge milling chute above the bar offset the exposed steel, concrete and brick at Hamburg’s original design hotel. Located in a suburban business park, the place feels a little stranded, but it’s fine if you have your own car or just want to cocoon. Catch bus 2 from Altona to Stresemannstrasse.
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EATING
Unsurprisingly, seafood is this port city’s strong suit, with everything from traditional regional specialties to sushi.
The city centre is (with a few exceptions) a culinary desert, but Schanzenviertel, the Port and Speicherstadt, and the Elbmeile teem with local and international eateries.
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City Centre
Café Paris (Map; 3252 7777; Rathausstrasse 4; mains €5.50-26; from 9am Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat, closing times vary) Within a spectacularly tiled 1882 butchers’ hall and adjoining art-deco salon, this elegant yet relaxed brasserie serves classical French fare like croque-monsieur