Sofitel Berlin Gendarmenmarkt

Class: Deluxe

Style: Cutting edge

Rooms: 92

Berlin-Mitte is home to some grand and palatial hotels, like the old-fashioned Adlon and the stately Four Seasons. This upscale boutique joins the old boys on the Gendarmenmarkt (one of Berlin's celebrated squares) and has proved itself a worthy competitor, drawing guests who prefer a sleeker and more modern environment. The facade is a sort of Art Nouveau replica, constructed in 1981 by the East German government to house a youth hostel, but once inside there is nothing retro about it. This is modern boutique chic all the way, an understated and—dare we say it—Zen take on the modern luxury hotel. The look is more high-tech than the usual whitewash-and-wood boutique treatment, owing to futuristic lighting effects and lots of glowing green frosted glass. Some high-design hotels sacrifice substance in pursuit of style, but not so here — for this hotel to have a fighting chance against the Adlons of the world requires five-star service and facilities. Thus despite its emphasis on design, the Sofitel Berlin Gendarmenmarkt has both feet firmly in the five-star world, featuring such luxe touches as a spacious rooftop gym and, in some rooms, balconies overlooking the square. Service is definitely up to snuff, with a staff as efficient and accommodating (though perhaps not quite as buttoned-up) as those at the competition's hotels. This hotel's small size, though, makes for a more personal and intimate experience, and the mix of the best modern design with the kitschiest of Communist Party architecture is absolutely unforgettable.