Rocco Forte Charles Hotel

Location Tranquilly sited by the old botanical gardens, a two-minute walk from Munich's main rail station, the Charles is a 45-minute (€10) ride on the S-Bahn from Munich airport; taxis cost around €40 and the 27km ride takes between 40 minutes and an hour.

Ambience Despite being new, this eight-storey hotel perfectly encapsulates the Deco period. Blonde sycamore and warm cherry wood abound. Paintings by Franz von Lenbach add local favour to the slightly bland 'international luxury' feel.

Guestrooms 160 rooms with 40 sq m, 27 suites and a 185 sq m presidential suite. All rooms have a relaxation area and large fatscreen TV; some have French-style balconies overlooking parkland.

Service Brilliant! Faultless doormen, very pleasant front desk staff.

Can I work here? Broadband connections in all rooms (costing €20 a day), plus Wi-fiin all public areas. Underground parking complements seven meeting rooms seating up to 60 guests.

Can I live here? The Davvero restaurant offers Italian cuisine while the entrance lobby culminates in a bar that epitomises the interwar years – clubby yet not stuffy. And perfectly congenial for a last puff – Bavaria's smoking ban begins 1 January 2008.

Worth noting The economics of Munich are robust compared to Berlin, so rates are high – from €390 to €2,220 for a deluxe suite. RL
Sophienstrasse 28, Munich, Germany, D-80333
+49 (0) 89 544 5550
www.roccofortecollection.com