The Charles Hotel, A Rocco Forte Hotel

"A striking change from the Baroque grandeur of central Munich, the Charles looks like a sculpted white seashell set on the edge of the Old Botanical Gardens. Although it has 160 rooms and a sleek contemporary design, it’s a friendly place that channels the cozy inn-keeping style of Central Europe while at the same time providing au courant amenities such as a small but excellent spa and gym. There’s also Davvero, a very good Italian restaurant. Large, plush rooms are done up with thick camel-colored carpeting, cream walls, moss-green cut-velvet armchairs and tweed sofas, and sixties-style geometric-motif throw pillows. French doors open onto a balcony with wrought iron railings and superb views of the city, lighting is intelligently controlled by bedside switches, and bathrooms have deep tubs and walk-in showers, as well as heated floors and towel racks. Though it’s clearly aiming at an upmarket business clientele, the Charles pulls off the signature Rocco Forte Hotels feat of being equally appealing to leisure travelers."