Lübeck: Where to stay

Hotels

Lübeck and its beach resort of Travemünde rack up more than a million hotel nights per year, so book ahead when you come to visit--especially during summer, special events, or the Christmas season.

During our stay, we had a large, comfortable, and pleasantly old-fashioned room at the TOP CityLine Klassik Altstadt Hotel in the town center. The 40-bed hotel occupies a converted mansion on Fischergrube, about a 15-minute walk from the railroad station and within a few blocks of Lübeck's most important churches, museums, and shopping.

We also inspected the Hotel Excelsior, a very comfortable three-star hotel midway between the railroad station and the Altstadt. The Excelsior is a good choice if you have heavy luggage or an early train departure. Guestrooms range from singles to quads, plus a three-bedroom apartment for large families or small groups.

The four-star Radisson Blu Senator Hotel is handy for guests with cars. The 224-room hotel faces the harbor and the old town from its waterside location just west of the Holstentor. The hotel has a pool, pets are welcome, and parking is available for a daily fee.

For more listings, see:

•  Booking.com: Lübeck

 (Booking.com is our hotel partner, and it's the No. 1 secure reservations service in Europe. The company has nearly 30 million listings in 229 countries, with more than half a dozen offices in Germany alone.)