The Best Boutique Hotels in Cologne

You’ll feel like you’re staying in one of Cologne’s renowned galleries at this luxurious design hotel. Qvest Hideaway, a 19th-century neogothic building in midtown, is filled with a museum-quality collection of designer furniture alongside artwork and photography by acclaimed local artists. There are 34 rooms and suites, each with a strikingly individual design. Highlights include an organically shaped Living Tower furniture sculpture by Verner Panton, the 6m-high (20ft) cross-vaulted ceiling, and a hand-painted medieval wooden ceiling dating from 1390.

Discover Cologne’s attractions from this centrally located hotel: Humboldt1 Palais is just 500m (1,640ft) from the cathedral and 450m (1,476ft) from the pedestrianised shopping district. The individually decorated rooms feature designer details, such as crystal chandeliers, quilted leather bedheads, and sumptuous black marble bathrooms. Enjoy a filling homemade breakfast buffet in the morning and drinks at the Humboldt1 bar in the evening, before unwinding in the sauna.

Holiday stays don’t get much more unique than this 12-storey hotel, in a historic brick water tower (built between 1868 to 1872). The lobby sets the scene with high ceilings, original brick walls and a cast-iron spiral staircase. There are 88 pet-friendly hotel rooms, each decorated in an elegant Scandi-chic style – think timber joinery and crisp white linens – and the 11th floor is home to an acclaimed restaurant, with a panoramic view over the city.

This four-star design hotel is the vision of artist and designer Heiko Nemitz, who created exclusive artworks for each room, the foyer and the stairways. There are 25 rooms in the new building, alongside 75 rooms in the old building, each featuring exposed concrete walls that lend the interior a gallery-like aesthetic befitting the steel sculptures and timber installations. In town for business? BURNS Art Hotel is ideally located opposite Cologne’s international trade fair centre, the Koelnmesse.

A stay at the luxurious Savoy Cologne is like stepping into a richly furnished cabinet of curiosities. There are 100 rooms, and each of the suites takes inspiration from a different part of the world – Venice, New York, Paris, the Côte d’Azur and Asia – with boldly coloured murals and artworks adorning the walls. The hotel also has a focus on wellness and many of the suites feature private whirlpools. Or head to the impressive spa for treatments like the Lomi-Lomi, a Hawaiian-inspired massage. The Mythos restaurant is as magical as the rooms, with floor-to-ceiling panorama windows that look into the garden patio alongside murals and artworks.

Infuse your stay in Cologne with a splash of colour at this hip creative hub, located in a 1950s rotunda. Designed by renowned design firm Studio Aisslinger, the interior was inspired by the retro-future aesthetic of the 1960s. But this is more than a place to stay: alongside the 207 rooms, there’s a buzzing cafe and co-working space, Restaurant NENI, and the Monkey Bar. The lobby is also home to the 25hours things shop, which sells a carefully curated selection of objects, from illustrated books and magazines to natural cosmetics by cult brands.

This boutique hotel is ideally situated near the Rhine in the old town, near the Belgian quarter and the most popular attractions. The contemporary rooms, including several family rooms with fold-out beds and kitchenettes, are decorated with bright or pastel artwork and furnished with queen-size box-spring beds. Get your day off to a good start with its filling vegetarian breakfast buffet, which offers a wide choice.

With just nine rooms spread over three floors, this highly rated boutique hotel offers guests unparalleled personal service. There’s a single room for solo travellers, double rooms, junior suites and a large family apartment, plus a substantial breakfast buffet featuring local produce. The hotel is conveniently located on a quiet street in the old town (Altstadt), near the city hall, just moments from the city’s impressive Romanesque churches and many of its most popular museums, including Museum Ludwig, which houses an impressive collection of works by Picasso.

This boutique hotel, in the middle of the LESKANPark commercial district, is ideal for business travellers. Each of the 85 simple rooms is inspired by one of the 86 districts of Cologne, and features a fun illustration on the wall. Seminar rooms in the neighbouring ultra-modern Deutsche Bahn training centre can be booked through the hotel, and there’s an affordable on-site bistro with a lunch menu of homemade classics, such as meatloaf with dark-beer sauce, peas, carrots, and mashed potatoes, or fillet of hake with Dijon mustard sauce, and potato vegetable gratin.

The interior of this design hotel, in an old paper mill in the vibrant Ehrenfeld district, is all slick black marble, exposed brickwork and edgy industrial lighting. Choose from either a Black Loft or Black Superior Loft studio, each of which features a dramatic black marble bathroom, soaring ceilings, minimalist artwork and monochromatic designer furnishings. The hotel is close to many of the city’s best restaurants and bars, as well as the popular Live Music Hall.