Kameha Grand

There aren’t enough adjectives to describe the sensory feast that is the Kameha Grand – the stunning wing-shaped building by Karl-Heinz Schommer and the cutting-edge interiors by superstar designer Marcel Wanders leave jaws permanently dropped. It’s intended for that most desirable demographic, the hipster business traveler, and as such it’s anything but corporate — thanks to Wanders it feels a bit like a living Dalí painting. On the other hand it’s in many ways just as sober and practical as you’d expect a German hotel to be — with a geothermal power plant in the basement, the Kameha Grand is just about emission-free.

Though the stylish and generously spacious standard rooms are certainly nothing to complain about, the Kameha might best be experienced from the suites, where Wanders is allowed to really cut loose. They’re designed after various themes, which are exaggerated to semi-ironic (yet still functional) effect — the “game suites” are all play, the “workaholic rooms” ultra-efficient office spaces, and the “ladies suites” are ultra-feminine, with extremely flattering lighting.

If you can ever pull yourself out of your room, the rooftop infinity pool with its edge vanishing into the nearby Rhine is a must. Some of the most breathtaking views of Bonn are available from any of the spa’s glassed-in yoga or sauna rooms. And by now variety is what you expect from this place; the restaurants and bars include a French brasserie, a sushi bar, cocktails and wines aplenty, and even a selection of rare and exotic coffees and teas from around the world. It’s anything but traditional, but it just might be the model of the modern grand hotel in the post-boutique era.