Altstadt / Maximilianstrasse

Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich

★★★★★

The Vier Jahreszeiten, the Four Seasons, is the classic grand hotel of Munich, and one of the oldest in Germany. It opened in 1858 at the wish of King Maximilian II of Bavaria, who wanted a noble hotel on the new boulevard he was building, the Maximilianstrasse, and for more than a century and a half it has hosted royalty, statesmen, artists and film stars. It joined the Kempinski group in 1970, and today it remains the address of choice for travellers who want tradition, polished service and a location on the city's most elegant street. Maximilianstrasse runs from the National Theatre and the Residenz to the Isar, lined with luxury boutiques, galleries and theatres, and the hotel sits right in the middle of it, a few minutes from the opera and Marienplatz. The press kit lists 305 rooms and suites, 245 rooms and 60 suites, in a classic style of rich fabrics and antiques, and the top-floor Royal Wing, which can be combined into a vast private apartment, includes the Ludwig, Maximilian and Theresien suites, among the most opulent in Germany. The heart of the hotel is the lobby, with its glass dome that bathes the room in golden light, where afternoon tea is served. The Schwarzreiter restaurant, on the ground floor, and the more casual Schwarzreiter Tagesbar, open daily until late, are the main dining rooms, both restored with care, including a frieze of Nymphenburg porcelain; the Jahreszeiten Bar is an American-style bar with a menu organised around the four seasons. On the top floor, the spa, with a heated indoor pool, sauna, steam room and gym, opens onto a large roof terrace with views across the city. Rates are at the top of the market, but the combination of history, location and service is hard to match.

Rooms and style: the Vier Jahreszeiten is traditional rather than trend-led, with classic rooms in warm colours, marble bathrooms and many antiques, and the suites are some of the grandest in Munich. Rooms facing the Maximilianstrasse have the boulevard view; rooms on the courtyard side are quieter. Service is attentive in the old-school manner, with a concierge team who know the city intimately and can secure opera tickets, restaurant tables and private tours.

Eating, drinking and relaxing: afternoon tea in the domed lobby is a Munich ritual, open to non-guests, and the Schwarzreiter Tagesbar is a stylish place for a light lunch or a late drink. The Jahreszeiten Bar is classic and cosy, and the rooftop spa and its pool are a calm retreat after a day of palaces and museums. Breakfast is generous and served in elegant surroundings.

Location: the hotel is perfect for culture lovers. The National Theatre and the Residenz are two minutes on foot, Marienplatz about five, the Hofbraeuhaus a little further, and the English Garden and the Eisbach surfers about fifteen minutes north via the Hofgarten. The Lehel quarter and the Isar riverbanks lie at the eastern end of the street, and tram 19 runs along Maximilianstrasse to the main station. The main drawbacks are price and, for younger travellers, a classic style that some may find formal.