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Hotels in eastern Germany are up to international standards and, due to economic subsidies in the 1990s, often far outshine their West German counterparts. In the East it’s quite normal to have a major international hotel in a 1,000-year-old house or restored mansion. Smaller and family-run hotels are more charming local options, and often include a good restaurant. Most big hotels offer special weekend or activity-oriented packages that aren't found in the western part of the country.
During the trade fairs and shows of the Leipziger Messe, particularly in March and April, most Leipzig hotels increase their prices.
This historic, classical hotel, once the haunt of European nobility and intellectual society, continues to be a luxurious gem in the heart of Weimar—it's one of Germany's finest hotels. Tolstoy, Liszt, Schumann, Turgenev, and others once stayed at this former Russian city palace, whose (partly historic) rooms are decorated today with antique French tapestries, linens, and furniture.
The historic Elephant, dating from 1696, has long been famous for its charm—even through the Communist years. Book here (well in advance), and you'll follow the choice of Goethe, Schiller, Herder, Liszt (after whom the hotel bar is named)—and Hitler—all of whom were guests.
This simple guesthouse offers a standard German village lodging experience. The breakfast buffet is filling and plentiful, perfect for fueling up before a day on the Malerweg and other surrounding trails.
In the heart of the Andreasviertel, this family-run boutique hotel offers understated but elegant rooms. The suites are equipped with a kitchenette.
The name says it all: this hotel is an homage to Napoléon, whose troops occupied Görlitz, and it's a splendid departure from a typical hotel because of its large rooms, some with kitchenettes. Located slightly behind the Marienplatz, the Bon-Apart's real draw is the antique-meets-modern interior design.
This centrally located hotel contains Italian-designed rooms bathed in red and yellow and arranged alongside a garden courtyard.
Located on the ring between the Dom and the Market Square, this pleasant hotel is an interesting mix of medieval house and modern interior. The rooms are nicely appointed with exposed woodwork and marble bathrooms. The cozy restaurant offers down-to-earth regional cuisine
\nThis hotel is all modern, designed by Italian interior architect Denis Santachiara, and is decorated with more than 600 works of art by Dresden-born painter and sculptor A. R. Penck.
One of the most intimate first-class hotels in Saxony, the Bülow-Residenz is in a Baroque palace built in 1730 by a wealthy Dresden city official. Each spacious room has thick carpets and mostly dark, warm cherrywood furniture as well as individual accents and modern amenities. Afternoon tea here is a quietly dignified institution.
The city's best hotel is also its most modern accommodation in antique disguise, a mansion dating to 1528, offering guest rooms with wooden floors and thick ceiling beams that are sparsely furnished with modern, dark cherrywood furniture.
A few steps from the central train station, this hotel is primarily geared to the business traveler; though the modern rooms may lack some character, the warm service and exceptional bathrooms make for a pleasant stay.
A former 19th-century exhibition hall houses one of the finest hotels in Saxony. The hotel, directly in the center of the city, is the perfect place to relax and enjoy a refined spa experience. The modern rooms are insulated from the busy city bustling around it. The shower walls are inscribed with passages from Goethe's Faust.
A refurbished brick warehouse has been turned into a sleek, family-run hotel with an excellent wine restaurant. The retro-modern rooms are large and comfortable with all the standard amenities. The wine bar in the basement is worth the trip for the uncomplicated but excellent fare, highlighting local and sustainable ingredients. The lobby hosts a self-service wine bar with 20 local wines accessible with your room card.
