This Hamburg Hotel Is A Quiet Luxury-Lover’s Dream

The Fontenay stands beside Lake Alster in all of her curvaceous majesty – a striking, futuristic structure designed by architect Jan Störmer with clean natural-feeling lines swooping in a figure eight pattern, almost like the lake itself. It’s what immediately sets The Fontenay apart from her surrounding Hamburg hotel scene: fresh and forward thinking yet firmly rooted in her surroundings. Olivia Emily checks in.

Hotel Review: The Fontenay, Hamburg

The Fontenay

STAY

Inside The Fontenay, Hamburg’s history of glamour immediately makes itself known: carpets are indulgently thick underfoot, while staff are keen to please and impress in any way they can.

Huge chandeliers and glass sculptures bounce light around the cavernous atrium, with its ceiling stretching all the way up to the top of the building. If you listen closely, you can hear glasses clinking at the bar upstairs.

A total of 130 bedrooms and suites are arranged around this nucleus, each a mini expression of the building as a whole: clean lines, natural tones and so much space – the epitome of quiet luxury. All are equipped with soothing bathrooms with all the mod-cons, squishy beds to sink into after a long day exploring. Many bedrooms also have balconies, which look towards the city or to the lake.

Parkview Restaurant

EAT & DRINK

The Fontenay is bookended by fine dining, Parkview the place to be for three meals a day, setting the scene at breakfast with a bounteous buffet of healthy tidbits plus hot dishes a la carte. And it’s over to the Atrium Lounge for show-stopping afternoon tea; come Christmas, this circular space is also home to a giant gingerbread house.

But the two Michelin starred Lakeside Restaurant is the jewel in the crown: a rooftop masterpiece boasting exquisite dishes by chef Julian Stowasser and his team, made all the tastier thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic views of the city.

Just one floor below is Panoramic View – the spot for aperitif and night caps, buzzing with locals and live music.

DO

It’s not only a restaurant crowning The Fontenay: a tempting indoor-outdoor rooftop pool sways atop the other half of the roof. Naturally it’s an oasis idyll in the summer months, but sunrise swims are such a treat come winter, with magnificent views of the horizon.

Some of the hotel’s best views, however, can be found at the other end of the spa: in the huge sauna. Floor to ceiling windows frame a far-reaching view of Hamburg, stretching right down to the harbour with the striking Elbphilharmonie opera house twinkling in the rising sun. It’s the perfect place to ease into the morning – or wind down following a day of touristing.

With the lake almost literally on your doorstep, you feel miles from a city of any kind, instead immersed in a the neighbourhood idyll of lofty homes and quiet streets, interrupted every 20 minutes with the rumble of the Hop On, Hop Off bus (worth the ticket to get your bearings). And yet, just a 20 minute lakeside stroll will take you right into the centre. This is where the magic happens, especially at Christmastime, with twinkling lights, bustling festive markets and rows upon rows of luxury brands boasting creative facades. Think Cartier, Tiffany, Bottega Veneta and so much more.

Strolling the city is easy as pie, while boat tours from the harbour delve into Hamburg’s history as a major port. Discover more in our full guide to Hamburg.

Elbphilharmonie

BOOK IT

Doubles at The Fontenay start at 320€ per night. thefontenay.com