Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe

Appearances can be deceptive, but pleasantly so: Although the Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe looks like a building from Dresden's Baroque era (or, in a pinch, from the 19th Century), it's actually a modern building behind a mock Baroque façade.

The Baroque-style exterior was designed to blend in with the historic Neumarkt and the magnificent 18th Century Frauenkirche, which is across the square from the hotel. Inside, however, the Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe is a comfortable, modern first-class hotel with 185 air-conditioned rooms and suites.

The hotel's location is  just a short walk from the Elbe River and the city's most important tourist attractions. Restaurants, cafés, and upscale shops surround the Neumarkt, and other amenities--including department stores and the Kulturpalast, Dresden's main concert hall--are on the streets between the Neumarkt and the Haupbahnhof or main railroad station, which is about 2 km (1.3 miles) away on foot, by streetcar, or in a taxi.

If you're hungry and want to remain on the premises, you can book a table in the Restaurant de Saxe or--during warm weather--on the Summer Terrace, which offers views of the Neumarkt and Frauenkirche. (The hotel also serves an excellent, if pricey, buffet breakfast.)

The hotel also has a bar, a wellness-fitness area with a spa program, garage parking for a fee, and services for business travelers. Rates are reasonable (as hotel rates in Dresden tend to be), and after staying at the Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe for two years in a row, I think you're likely to enjoy your visit.

For more information, or to book a room, visit the Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe Web site.