Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg

A three-hundred-year-old Baroque castle perched on a hilltop twelve kilometers outside Köln, which sets the scene nicely before you even check in. The interiors skip the period-piece aesthetic for polished, conservative luxury, so in-room Jacuzzis and DVD cinema systems are more the vibe than suits of armor. French fine dining at Vendôme, a spa, and a panoramic view of the city round it out. Michelin awarded it a Key.