Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg

Though the Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg is perhaps not the most conveniently located hotel for doing business in Köln, there’s more to life than convenience alone. This three-hundred-year-old Baroque castle, on a hilltop in Bensberg, twelve kilometers from the city center, is close enough that traveling downtown is no great trial, yet just remote enough that its old-world elegance and immersive luxury make for something of a resort experience, the kind of escape that’s hard to come by in a city hotel.

The accommodations have been thoroughly renovated, and there’s little of the Baroque about the interiors; this is classic and conservative modern luxury at its apex. Those in search of historical authenticity are perhaps misplaced here, while those who appreciate the thoughtfulness of DVD home cinema systems or in-room Jacuzzis will be quite in their element in this hotel’s suites.

No hotel of this kind would dare do business today without a full-service spa, a fine restaurant or two, and a wine list in the low five digits. The Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg has all of these things, of course, including French cuisine at Vendôme (open Wednesday through Sunday) as well as lighter Mediterranean fare at Enoteca, and two bars. Chauffeur service and even a jewelry boutique illustrate the point that this is the high life, not least for its panoramic bird’s eye view of the city.