Eurostars Grand Central

Some days only the most vivid purple will do — so goes the approach to design at Eurostars Grand Central. We heartily agree: some days, as when you’re busy with nonstop meetings in one of Europe’s industrial capitals, you need to know there’s no beige awaiting you, but rather a downy red throw and vibrant, orange-accented bathroom.

The Spanish Eurostars group brings a bit of that country’s creativity and joy to all its properties, and the Grand Central is no exception. Here, calm exuberance is anything but an oxymoron. The lobby’s floor, with its dark and light squares, is so polished, you can check your reflection while checking in; the floor also echoes the hotel’s façade, itself patterned with shiny rectangles. In most rooms, a semi-opaque wall separates the bathroom from the sleeping area, opening up what might otherwise be a small space. Furniture upholstered in black leather and throw pillows made from silver velvet make the extra-large beds’ brisk linen even more appealing — after all, the point of any good hotel room is to let you get a good night’s sleep.

The restaurant serves both Spanish and international dishes (this same split occurs on the wine list), but many guests prefer a pint, pretzel, or pig knuckle at nearby Augustine-Keller, Munich’s famed biergarten. Some will even take the tram further into town. Back at the hotel, the indoor pool is enticement enough; other options for using your bathing suit include a Turkish bath, sauna, and hot tub.