Koenigshof, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Munich

Our take

Old Munich money stays here — and they've been doing so for decades. Planted steps from Karlsplatz, Koenigshof trades on impeccable service, a Michelin-starred dining room that earns its stars without theatrics, and rooms that feel like they were furnished by someone who actually has taste. The clientele knows what it wants and so does the hotel. If your checklist includes a rooftop pool, a spa, or anything resembling a resort footprint, redirect immediately. This is a city hotel in the purest, most uncompromising sense — and that's precisely the point.