Hotel Louis C. Jacob

Hamburg’s Hotel Louis C. Jacob is the best of two worlds: an immaculately well-preserved historical hotel that’s also assimilated the lessons of today’s boutique-influenced luxury hospitality, and subtly modernized along the way. It starts with a lovely pair of buildings, one on each side of the Elbchaussee, the picturesque riverside drive to the west of the city proper. And it continues inside, where the hotel’s 19th-century Hanseatic elegance remains in full flower; its collection of artworks alone would be enough for a small museum. Some of the rooms and suites face the Elbe river, others the hotel’s inner garden. And while they vary in size and layout, all of them are decorated in a mix of classic and contemporary styles. Though it’s no spa resort, the Louis C. Jacob does feature a wellness area, complete with a sauna, a small gym, and a relaxation room. Far more extensive are its dining and drinking venues: the gourmet Jacobs Restaurant, a wine bistro called Kleines Jacob, an indoor cocktail bar and lounge, and the lovely riverside Linden Terrace.