The 15 Best Luxury Hotels in Hamburg

In Hamburg, a pool is not a given – not even at the big names. If you want to swim at a 5-star hotel in Hamburg, choose with that in mind.The Fontenay Hamburg · PoolThree hotels have a 20-meter pool. At The Fontenay Hamburg it sits in the rooftop spa and can be used indoors or outdoors, because electric doors open it up – with a view of the Alster. At The Westin Hamburg Elbphilharmonie it is part of the Heavenly Spa on the 6th floor of the Elbphilharmonie. And at the Conrad Hamburg it is the centerpiece of the Levante Spa in the Levantehaus.SIDE Hamburg · PoolFour more luxury hotels in Hamburg have indoor pools: at the Grand Elysee Hotel Hamburg, in the Elyseum Wellness & Spa, open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; at the SIDE Hamburg, with an indoor pool that is large for a city hotel, plus a Jacuzzi; at the Marriott Hamburg Hotel, with an indoor pool on the lower level that gets plenty of daylight through large windows; and at Le Méridien Hamburg, with a smaller indoor pool in the wellness area.

Two of the best-known 5-star hotels in Hamburg, on the other hand, have no pool. The Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Hamburg relies on its rooftop spa with saunas and steam baths, but no pool. And at the Hotel Atlantic Hamburg, the spa and pool are closed until spring 2028, as currently expected. If swimming is part of your trip, tell our travel advisors – and we’ll point you to the right address.

Many of the big spas in Hamburg’s luxury hotels are high up. At the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Hamburg, the Vier Jahreszeiten Spa & Fitness takes up just under 1,000 m² on the 5th floor: saunas, steam baths, a fireplace lounge, massages, facials, manicures and pedicures. It includes a roof terrace with a lounge, champagne bar, grill station and Strandkörbe, the classic North German beach chairs, with views all the way to the Elbphilharmonie; it is open seasonally and reserved for hotel and day spa guests.Grand Elysee Hotel Hamburg · SpaThe rooftop spa at The Fontenay Hamburg also measures around 1,000 m², with a pool, a large panoramic sauna, heated loungers and treatments. At The Westin Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, the Heavenly Spa covers 1,300 m² including the fitness area, with a pool, a relaxation area, several saunas and a steam bath. And at the Conrad Hamburg, the Levante Spa follows a longevity concept across 1,000 m², with a pool, sauna, steam bath, whirlpool and gym.

The Elyseum Wellness & Spa at the Grand Elysee Hotel Hamburg, a 5-star hotel in Rotherbaum, combines a pool, three saunas and three sun terraces with massages, scrubs and baths; the gym is open around the clock for hotel guests. The spa at the SIDE Hamburg brings together a pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam bath with massages and facials on 450 m². At the Steigenberger Hotel Hamburg, the wellness area is on the 5th floor, with a 90-degree log cabin sauna, steam bath, relaxation room and massage rooms; the gym next door has daylight.

And in HafenCity, the harbor sauna on the 6th floor of the 25hours Hotel Hamburg Hafencity is worth a visit – “rough and without frills”, with an outdoor cool-down area and free for hotel guests. Guests of the 25hours Hotel Hamburg Altes Hafenamt use it too; the sauna bag is available at reception.

The median price is 180 € per night – that is the price of Tortue Hamburg. The selection starts at 109 € at the 25hours Hotel Hamburg Hafencity and goes up to 630 € at the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Hamburg.

What’s included at all 15 luxury hotels: daily breakfast for two and an upgrade on arrival, subject to availability. At 14 hotels, early check-in and late check-out are possible subject to availability; at the Steigenberger Hotel Hamburg, late check-out until 2 p.m. is guaranteed. There is no minimum stay anywhere; the benefits apply from the first night.

With the hotel credit it pays to look closely, because some amounts are in US dollars and some in euros. 100 US dollars come with the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Hamburg and the Conrad Hamburg. At The Fontenay Hamburg it is also 100 US dollars for food and beverages on selected rates; from the Park Suite upward, another 100 US dollars is added for stays of at least two nights. Tortue Hamburg gives 50 € for room service and, in the suites, an additional 50 US dollars at the bar.Tortue Hamburg · Rooms & suitesPlus extras found only at individual hotels: two cocktails at Yakshi’s Bar at the east Hotel Hamburg (champagne cocktails excluded); a personal welcome letter from the General Manager at the SIDE Hamburg, with champagne and fresh strawberries in the suites; a complimentary minibar at both 25hours hotels; complimentary spa and fitness access plus mineral water in the room at Le Méridien Hamburg; and double Hilton Honors points at the Conrad Hamburg.

Points and status can be earned at 13 of the 15 luxury hotels, across six programs: Marriott Bonvoy with six hotels, ALL (Accor) and I Prefer with two each, plus Hilton Honors, the Leaders Club and H Rewards.

When it is at its best: from May to September, when DECK 4 on the Inner Alster and the roof terraces are open. When it is inexpensive: in January and February – the weeks with the lowest prices, when the spas of the luxury hotels really come into their own. When to book a 5-star hotel in Hamburg early: for the Hafengeburtstag harbor festival in May, the major trade fairs and the Advent weekends.

How long to stay: three nights – one for the Alster and the city center, one for the harbor, HafenCity and the Elbphilharmonie, and one for an evening at a Michelin-starred restaurant or in St. Pauli.