Hyatt Regency Dusseldorf

Maybe it’s mostly Kraftwerk we’re thinking of, but it’s hard not to see Dusseldorf as something of a futuristic city. And if the future of big-brand luxury hotels looks anything like the Hyatt Regency Dusseldorf, then it’s going to be a fine future indeed. It’s a striking waterfront structure, a perfect complement to the contemporary architecture that lines the city’s Media Harbour, and it’s a good deal more alive, visually speaking, than your typical luxury hotel.

Don’t get us wrong — there are crazier boutique hotels out there, to be sure, hotels that can blow your mind with a single well-placed interior-design gesture. But there are an awful lot of very lukewarm luxury hotels as well, places that seem to have been designed by accounting spreadsheets rather than human beings. This particular Hyatt Regency combines the best of both approaches: enough inspiration to make guests feel that all-important spark of individuality, plus the hard-won consistency and flawless professionalism that the big chains practice so well.

The amenities, however, are perfectly predictable, and this is one area where predictability is not a bad thing. The rooms are perfectly comfortable and well organized for business travel, and the bathrooms are borderline indulgent, with walk-in rain showers and separate bathtubs. The restaurant and bar do a fair bit of local business, achieving the aim of mixing the hotel guests with the general public. And this being Germany, you can count on some highly developed wellness facilities: here the Rive spa is accompanied by a modern Technogym fitness center which looks out over Media Harbour.