Located on Hamburg’s Nikolaifleet waterfront, Sir Nikolai is sandwiched between the Altstadt (Old Town) and the up-and-coming HafenCity district to the south.

Designers FG Stijl’s interpretation for the 94-room property – in an old kontorhaus in the Old Town along the edge of the historic Nikolaifleet canal – is accented with plush fabric, terrazzo floors, Bohemian chandeliers and millennial furnishings by Minotti, Casali and Cassina.

Probably the hotel’s grandest statement is the library – really, a light airy conservatory in the courtyard with a retractable roof. Meanwhile, the house restaurant Izakaya is perfect for the lovely water views of downtown Hamburg, while admiring chef Hariprasad Shetty’s mod Japanese menu of oyster filo with oscietra caviar, and pan-fried sole with a piquant red chilli shiso salsa.