Radisson Blu Hotel, Berlin

Class: Deluxe

Style: Modern design

Rooms: 427

On paper it sounds a bit odd, but we assure you that in person, the world’s largest cylindrical aquarium is truly a sight to behold. Located in the lobby of the Radisson Blu in Berlin Mitte, the 25-meter AquaDom is filled with a million liters of sea water, and is home to more than two thousand tropical fish. And though it may not quite support the hotel’s claim of an “ocean view” for the inward-facing guest rooms, one would be hard pressed to imagine a more striking sight when waking up in Germany’s land-locked capital city. Fortunately there’s more to this hotel than just the AquaDom. The Radisson Blu (formerly SAS) hotels are a shining example of what a chain hotel should be: efficient, comfortable and design-conscious, they’re each a bit different, with an identifiable personality — from the shrine to Danish modernist interiors that is the Copenhagen branch to the futuristic and slightly bizarre surrealism of the Berlin Blu. Guest rooms are spacious and modern in design and material, slightly edgy yet warm and welcoming. Most rooms overlook the city or the river Spree from private balconies, and some have views of the sea life inside the aquarium. Downstairs there’s a fusion restaurant, a wellness center, extensive conference facilities and two lounges, the AquaLounge and the Atrium Bar. And the life aquatic isn’t all there is to see: the Berlin Cathedral, the Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz and the Friedrichstrasse are close at hand. The lively Hackesche Höfe district is nearby, offering a wealth of restaurants, shops and nightlife options, and just across the Spree are the museums of Museum Island.