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The “Four Seasons” has overlooked the Inner Alster lake since 1897, and for Hamburg's merchant class it functions as something close to a civic institution — the place where business is conducted, alliances are forged, and the city's self-image as Germany's most elegant metropolis is quietly reinforced. The hotel was built by a partnership of Hamburg shipping magnates, which tells you everything about both the city and the hotel's sense of purpose. 156 rooms, the Haerlin restaurant (two Michelin stars), and a terrace overlooking the Alster that on a fine day rivals anything on the Mediterranean.
Go deeper...
Historic Hotels Then & Now — Eleven rooms and a fortieth birthday
Merian — Why it was called all four seasons
Cosmopolis — Haerlin, Thekla, and Hamburg's living room