Review of Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski, by Kayt Sukel

First impressions matter - and you'll find your first look at Munich's Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski, especially as you enter its old world lobby with its season-themed stained glass skylight, will be one that truly amazes. Your complimentary impression will no doubt continue throughout your stay. This 303-room historic property in the heart of Munich advertises itself as the perfect blend of trend and tradition, and I'd say they've got it spot on.

In terms of location, you can't find a more esteemed address in Munich. Walk out the front doors and you are right on Maximilianstrasse, the finest shopping street in Munich. In only a few minutes, you can find yourself in the Marienplatz, the Residenz Museum or that perennial favorite, the Hofbrauhaus. The hotel is ideally situated for any city activity.

Once you've exhausted yourself with shopping or singing along with the Hofbrauhaus's Oom-pah-pah band, the Vier Jahreszeiten's Well Seasons Club can help you relax. It has a heated indoor pool, sun terrace, small fitness room and Finnish sauna. You can also treat yourself to a massage or assortment of other beauty and spa treatments.

An older property, you'll find that no two rooms at the Vier Jahreszeiten are alike. But the hotel does manage to offer an astonishing 11 room and suite categories - and, despite any differences, all will charm with their elegant, clean decor. The most basic is the single standard room measuring in at 20 square meters. Slightly larger, the double standard can accommodate two persons and even a small baby cot if needed.

For individuals looking for a room in the most historic part of the hotel, the superior room offers more legroom as well as high ceilings and spacious bathrooms. My favorite room category was the Deluxe: recently renovated, this category presents large, gorgeous rooms with a Renaissance theme as well as flat-screen televisions and decadent marble baths. Hard-core road warriors will no doubt revel in the Executive rooms, which give more than enough space to live and work.

If it is a suite you're after, you have plenty of choice there, too. Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski offers Junior, Deluxe Junior, Superior, Executive and Deluxe Two Bedroom suites as well as the one-of-a-kind Presidential and Ludwig suites - each more luxurious than the last. But whether you are staying in a standard room or the Presidential suite, you can expect high-speed internet, choice of pillows, mini-bar, your choice of newspaper and the famed Kempinski brand of service.