Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski

Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski

On Maximilianstraße, the boulevard King Maximilian II built in 1858 so Munich could welcome the world, the Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski still does exactly that: 297 rooms across six floors, some of them tucked into the original historic building, steps from the American Contemporary Art Gallery and the Munich Residenz. What sets it apart from other grand hotels on this street is the Resident Curator, Bastian Zimmermann, who has spent his career backstage in the city's cultural life and now opens doors no guidebook can: a helicopter ride over five royal castles with the Wittelsbach family's own historians, a painting session with Nymphenburg's porcelain makers, a tour of BMW's birthplace, or a guided plunge into an alpine river. Downstairs, the Jahreszeiten Bar has poured drinks since the early 1960s and now carries LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42.1, a privilege shared with only a handful of venues worldwide, while the Schwarzreiter Tagesbar keeps things regional and unfussy under chef Franz Josef Unterlechner. Rooms run from a 269-square-foot Superior, stocked with air conditioning, minibar and bathrobe, up to a 377-square-foot Signature Double, and the hotel's spa carries a sauna, steam room, indoor pool and gym. This suits a traveller who wants Munich opened up rather than merely shown to her, someone who would rather sit with a Wittelsbach historian than join a bus tour. It is not for anyone chasing minimalism or seeking distance from foot traffic, since the hotel sits directly on Maximilianstraße's shopping boulevard. Children under six stay free with parents, and pets under five kilograms are welcome for a fee. The hotel has been granting access to Munich since 1858. It has gotten better at it. On Munich's Maximilianstraße since 1858, the Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski pairs 297 rooms with a Resident Curator who arranges helicopter tours of royal castles and porcelain masterclasses with Nymphenburg's artisans, plus a rare LOUIS XIII cask at the Jahreszeiten Bar. It suits those who want Munich unlocked, not just visited.