For the ultimate escape, experience Chanel designer Karl Lagerfield’s 5-star Schlosshotel im Grunewald palace, located in the upscale Grunewald district on the outskirts of Berlin. There’s something imperial about this magnificent 1914 mansion, designed as an urban escape removed from Berlin’s chaotic city center. Formerly owned by a wealthy lawyer to Kaiser Wilhelm II, the hotel’s modern facelift was supervised by designer Karl Lagerfeld in the early 1990s. Guestrooms are simple yet masculine, tastefully decorated in shades of greys and discreet colors, while the hotel’s public spaces go all-out in opulence and extravagance. Enjoy a session at the relaxing in-house spa and Turkish baths, and an elegant dinner at Vivaldi restaurant surrounded by high, gold-painted ceilings--where you’ll feel as though you’re dining in the midst of a richly decorated ballroom. The more casual Le Jardin restaurant offers simpler fare. Located 30 minutes drive from Berlin’s city center, Schlosshotel im Grunewald is the perfect luxurious city escape. €€
