Whenever a hotel has a replica model of itself on the stairwell, you can safely expect something pretty special. Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten has been offering something pretty special since 1897. Situated beside the swoonsome Inner Alster Lake, everything about the place drips class: La Belle Époque elegance combined with Old Money luxury.
First and foremost, this is a seriously beautiful hotel. The lobby alone is a knockout, all chandeliers and columns and shiny marble floors. Next door you’ll find the Wohnhalle, nicknamed Hamburg’s living room, a stonking affair of red velvet furniture and oil paintings that whisks you back to another century while you enjoy afternoon tea.
There are multiple restaurants – more on those below – and each one is uniquely gorgeous. Whether it’s the wall mural in Grill or the seasonal statuettes in the triple Michelin-starred Haerlin, serious, serious work has been put on here. Incidentally, the name Vier Jahreszeiten literally translates as “four seasons”; save that little tidbit for when you wish to look smart.
The Fairmount Group acquired the hotel in 2013 and committed to a period of serious renovations – with spectacular results. Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten has won multiple awards in recent years, including Best Hotel in Germany and Best City Hotel in Europe. It isn’t hard to see why. Let’s take a tour, shall we?
Food and drink
Grill
OK, strap in. We’ve got some ground to cover. The flagship restaurant is naturally Haerlin, one of only two restaurants in the city with three Michelin stars. (Now there’s a gourmet weekender.) Head chef Christoph Rüffer has been in situ for more than 20 years. The menu is classical yet creative, the setting borderline regal. For many people, it’s not a case of dining at the restaurant because it’s in the hotel but staying at the hotel because it houses the restaurant. Again – three Michelin stars.
Grill would be a worthy headliner in any other hotel. As the name suggests, meat and fish are the specialities here. It’s a beautiful, theatrical restaurant, its Art Deco stylings a tribute to legendary Rhenish architect Emil Fahrenkamp who designed the original interiors in 1926. My steak tartare was essentially created in front of me: a tray with multiple sauces and condiments came out, all of which were mixed into a big bowl and combined with the meat itself. Brilliant!
Seasons Bar
There’s more. Downstairs you’ll find Japanese restaurant Nikkei Nine, an immensely stylish space that feels almost like a luxury nightclub – indeed I’m told it can get quite lively as the hours wear on. A sizable buffet breakfast is served at Café Condi – a la carte options also available – while the aforementioned Wohnhalle will do you afternoon tea in a space straight out of a country manor. You could do a decent foodie tour of Hamburg without ever actually leaving the premises.
Finally, I must mention the Seasons Bar, apparently the smallest in Hamburg. It somehow managed to span two floors despite being the size of a broom cupboard, allowing you to feel extremely Humpherey Bogart while you look over the lake and dream of lost loves. Get this: you can smoke inside (woo!) yet somehow the bar doesn’t smell of smoke due to the absorbent walls. All the flavour, none of the stink!
How are the rooms?
Ideally, you want a room with a view over the lake; quite the accompaniment to your morning espresso. Indeed, my stay coincided with the cherry blossom festival – Hamburg has a lot of festivals – and I was able to enjoy the fireworks with a glass of champagne from the balcony. Pretty damn cool.
The decor is typically classy, all expected mod coms are present and correct. Flatscreen TV, Nespresso machine, bathtub and extremely large and comfortable bed. There are also blackout blinds that transform the place into a crypt: being disturbed by the morning light will not be an issue here.
Room keys come with an absolutely gigantic metal keyring in the shape of a J. Not an issue if you own a handbag or backpack; slightly more cumbersome if you’re heading out in jeans. I confess to removing mine for the duration of the stay but hey, it’s all part of the fun.
And there’s a spa?
Relaxation room
Yessir! There’s a spa on the fifth floor, complete with steam room and sauna. Private treatments can be booked, naturally.
There’s also a large and incredibly cosy relaxation space; work up a sweat and then chill by the fireplace with a herbal tea. Alternatively, there’s the option of the rooftop if you wish to vibe with a view.
And the city itself?
Hamburg is easily one of the coolest cities in Europe. Your exploration can begin a minute’s walk from the hotel by taking a boat across the lake – Linus the concierge can sort tickets. X can sort tickets for everything; he also presented me with a very useful map spotlighting notable attractions in the city.
Hamburg is famous for its fish sandwiches. I ate little else during my time in the city: special recommendation for Fisch & Co, Brucke 10 and Kleine Haie Grosse Fische in St Pauli. The first two are within walking distance of the hotel, the latter in the vibey area of St Pauli a ten-minute Lime Bike away. (Lime Bikes are big here.) The fried fish at Fische & Co takes the top prize.
You must visit the Miniatur Wonderland, a truly remarkable miniature recreation of multiple European cities that feels almost as sprawling as the continent itself (albeit considerably smaller). From the moment I saw tiny race cars speeding round a tiny Monte Carlo, it was obvious I’d stumbled upon something pretty special. I allocated two hours and it wasn’t even nearly enough.
There are no shortage of adventures to be had in Hamburg. You'll just have to drag yourself away from the hotel to find them.
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Neuer Jungfernstieg 9-14, 20354 Hamburg, Germany; Fairmont Hamburg
