Who's Going
Retired Couples, Foodie Weekenders, Hamburg Elite
Reason to Stay
Luxury Spa, Mature Decor, Gourmet Eatery
Hotel Type
Luxury Hotel
The story of Hotel Stadt Hamburg originates in 1869, as a family of Hamburg hoteliers descended on Sylt's Westerland to open a luxury inn for summertime Germans. Today the area is known for its sprawling sand dunes as well as the townhall and nearby casino that neighbor the property. Under the markings of the Relais & Chateaux brand, the owners offer a remarkably conservative island hotel known for its formality amongst a lobby of traditional Frisian decor of floral-upholstered settees, grandfather clock and ornate wallpapers that feel dated despite being brand new. A small fireplace lounge crackles with activity day and night as hotel guests mingle with visitors offer bottles of vintage wine. The service is spot on, including morning breakfast in the bistro to late-night dinner in the on-site gourmet restaurant serving specialties from herring and foie gras to grilled meats and lobster. The in-house spa, that includes the Shiseido Beauty Farm, is one of the best and most expensive on the island offering classic massage treatments, facials and body wraps.
The Room
Could someone please tell Agatha Christie to lay-off the decorating, or at least such the guest rooms appear at this beloved Sylt luxury hotel that never got the memo that floral love seats and heavy-swag curtains are no longer relevant in today's hotel world. Aside from the decor, it's hard to find much wrong with this German institution that runs like a finely-tuned Mercedes with uber-conservative owners that maintain impassable standards even if their decorating skills are questionable. Rooms are divided between a garden wing with canary-yellow color rooms and period furnishings. In the parent's house, located up a small staircase in the oldest part of the hotel, rosy wallpaper and bedding strikes a Victorian tone that's best skipped in lieu of the Park Villa with its more generous spaces and balconies of obstructed sea views.
Preferred Room
Park Villa
Special Features
Cooking Classes, Luxury Spa, Concierge
Amenities
Spa, Restaurant, Bar, Lounge
