Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [623]
Lübeck has two DJH hostels:
DJH hostel Vor dem Burgtor ( 334 33; www.jugendherberge.de/jh/luebeck-jh; Am Gertrudenkirchhof 4; dm under/over 26yr incl breakfast €18.40/21.40; early-Jan–mid-Dec; ) Huge, modern hostel popular with school groups, just outside the Altstadt.
DJH hostel Altstadt ( 702 0399; www.jugendherberge.de/jh/luebeck-jgh; Mengstrasse 33; dm under/over 26yr incl breakfast €19.70/22.70) Central hostel in the Altstadt. Not particularly new, but cosy and comfortable.
MIDRANGE
A unique way to absorb Lübeck’s history is stay in one of the restored Gänghäuser (mews houses) in the Stiftsgänge courtyards (Click here). These self-contained properties cost €50 to €95 per night for two people. The tourist office can help with bookings, but there aren’t many so reserve ahead (Click here).
Park Hotel am Lindenplatz ( 871 970; www.parkhotel-luebeck.de; Lindenplatz 2; s €59-99, d €79-130 incl breakfast; ) Inside a well-preserved art nouveau building, this small, intimate hotel has 24 low-lit, neutral-toned rooms that – like Lübeck itself – are ideal for a romantic interlude.
Hotel Lindenhof ( 872 100; www.lindenhof-luebeck.de; Lindenstrasse 1a; s €65-95, d €85-135 incl breakfast; ) Rooms at this family-run hotel in a quiet side street are small, but a healthy breakfast buffet, friendly service and little extras (such as free biscuits and newspapers) propel the Lindenhof into a superior league.
Hotel Jensen ( 702 490; www.hotel-jensen.de; An der Obertrave 4-5; s €75-85, d €93-115 incl breakfast) This old Patrizierhaus (mansion house) dating from the early 14th century overlooks the Salzspeicher across the Trave River. Alas, rooms aren’t as characterful as the gabled exterior suggests, with modern and comfortable if somewhat pedestrian furnishings. Beautiful stained glass and tiling, however, adorn its excellent regional restaurant, Yachtzimmer (mains €9.75 to €24.50). Ask about nearby private parking.
Klassik Altstadt Hotel ( 702 980; www.klassik-altstadt-hotel.de; Fischergrube 52; s/d €76/138, ste from €135; ) Each room at this elegantly furnished boutique hotel is dedicated to a different, mostly German writer or artist, such as Thomas Mann and Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as international luminaries like Denmark’s Hans Christian Andersen. It’s close to many of the city’s best dining options, but it also has a solid in-house restaurant (mains €11.50 to €14.50).
TOP END
Mövenpick Hotel Lübeck ( 150 40; www.moevenpick-luebeck.com; Willy-Brandt-Allee 1-5; s €112-237, d €154-274, ste from €240; ) Sure, it’s a chain with a concrete exterior so ugly it’s almost (almost) beautiful. But this hotel’s superior rooms are startlingly stylish and designer-looking in slate grey and burnt sienna tones with abstract works from local artists, while suites in plum and chocolate are stunning. Ordinary rooms are, well, fairly ordinary (if comfortable), but the location near the Holstentor couldn’t be more convenient.
Radisson SAS Senator Hotel ( 1420; www.senatorhotel.de; Willy-Brandt-Allee 6; s €131-179, d €142-198; ) The Lübeck option that really wows, the Senator resembles something from War of the Worlds with its three parallel rectangular wings cantilevered out into the Trave River. Plate-glass windows in the riverfront restaurant and the lofty atrium ensure front-row views of the old town (beautiful at night or in winter), while rooms are done out in Southeast Asian colonial style.
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Eating
Café Niederegger (dishes €2.40-11.60) Milky marzipan coffee, marzipan ice cream and a host of other sweet and savoury snacks and light meals are served at the cafe inside Lübeck’s marzipan centre (Click here).
Suppentopf ( 400 8136; Fleischhauerstrasse 36; soups €3.60-4.10; 11am-4pm