The Most Unique Hotels in Leipzig, Germany

A buzzy addition to the Leipzig hotel scene, Pentahotel is all style and even more substance. Past the flashy interiors, rooms are a welcome dose of calm – but opt for one of the pentaclub rooms if you can for deep-soak tubs. When peckish, the in-house restaurant serves diner-style classics. Here, a caesar salad or steak and chips is best chased with a signature cocktail. Bitter bull, anyone?

Built as a Neoclassical patrician palace, this grand building has housed Hotel Furstenhof since 1889. Behind the impressive facade, interiors are classic with ivory walls and velvet-clad furniture, and the rooms offer lovely heated bathrooms. But it’s the Mediterranean-style spa that is perhaps the most impressive feature. There’s a pool, saunas and treatment rooms to leave you feeling truly pampered.

As the name hints, Vienna Townhouse Bach is a homage to the German composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. The hotel sits in the oldest townhouse in the city and there’s a statue of the famed musician just across the street, honoring his time spent as the musical director of the St Thomas Church. Rooms here are musically influenced, too, with notes adorning the walls and lamp shades designed to look like wind chimes. Come morning, let the smell of freshly baked pastries entice you downstairs to breakfast.

The sister property of Vienna Townhouse Bach, Vienna House Easy is its younger, more Instagrammable alternative. Rooms are vibrant and fun, with feature walls and spherical fixtures – if you’re travelling with young kids, the family room will surprise and delight with an in-room ball pit and pod-like bed. The bakery-style restaurant downstairs is ideal for a quick breakfast – simply grab a Viennese coffee and a homemade cake and you’re on your way.

With a Wes Anderson-style facade, Steigenberger Grandhotel Handelshof was originally built as an exhibition building in 1909. Over a century later, in 2011, it was transformed into a luxury hotel. Plonked right next to Naschmarkt, the City History Museum and the Goethe Memorial, it’s primed for exploring, and inside, there’s a two-floor spa and beautifully appointed rooms with views across the city rooftops.

Leipzig’s status as a literary hotspot has inspired the Book Hotel, and the theme is seen throughout the building – from books stacked on shelves in the lobby and on bedside tables, literature-themed decor and armchairs with reading lights in each of the rooms. Thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows, the stylish rooms are flooded by daylight, unlike a stuffy library, and provide a view of the imposing ring building across the street. Room prices include a sumptuous hot and cold breakfast buffet.

In 1995, the Galerie Hotel Leipziger Hof opened in a landmarked Gründerzeit villa in east Leipzig. More than 350 authentic artworks clad the walls of the hallways and rooms, drawing their own share of visitors to the site. Owner and art collector Klaus Eberhard offers guided tours every Friday. Retro fans should request the GDR suite for an “ostalgic” stay in the midst of historic wallpaper, beige curtains and 1950s- to 1970s-style furniture.

Leipzig’s Baumwollspinnerei is a factory-turned-artist hub. More than 100 local and international artists have moved into the industrial complex and have opened their galleries, studios, event spaces and workshops alongside cafes and restaurants. Like the rest of the venues, Meisterzimmer has embraced the industrial charm to create four hip and funky apartments, all equipped with DIY and mismatched furniture. Here, drum kits have been repurposed as lampshades, and factory trolleys have been converted into beds – you get the idea.

Hotel Paris Syndrom allows you to sleep inside a modern art piece. The studio is part of Leipzig’s Gallery of Contemporary Art and was designed by the Taiwanese artist Jun Yang. His concept aims to re-interpret original art and design forms to create something new. The result is a high-ceiling room that features an eclectic assembly of replicas of designer furniture, a brightly coloured decor, pompous chandeliers and photographs of notable architectural landmarks.

Those travelling in style will love this high-end boutique hotel that occupies a 16th-century townhouse just around the corner from the Museum of Fine Arts. Each room and apartment has been individually decorated with a mix of antique and modern elements, creating a sense of style and personality. Think hardwood floors and high ceilings plus custom-made furniture and selected artworks. The regional breakfast of bread, honey, jam, eggs, regional cheeses and fruits is served in the ground-floor salon and can be booked for an additional fee.