In the first flush
Munich has seen something of a transformation in recent years – this is now less a city of pretzels, steins and oompah bands than one increasingly associated with the type of urban design more usually linked to the German capital Berlin. Leading the charge is The Flushing Meadows Hotel & Bar, which opened last year near the banks of the River Isar in the bar- and restaurant-heavy district of Glockenbachviertel. Home to 11 loft studios and five penthouses, each individually decorated, the hotel goes for a pared-back, industrial vibe, while still retaining an atmosphere of warmth and informality, nowhere more obvious than in the bar, with its wood-burner and views across the snowy Munich rooftops. After a day roaming the streets, be sure to warm up here with the hotel’s own-brand gin or herb liqueur Urfelder No 26, distilled in Bavaria. The prospect of a December break is made even more enticing by the Design Hotels group, which is offering up to 20 per cent off bookings made up to 3 January 2016. Beyond the hotel’s doors, a visit to the city’s traditional Christmas markets and 16th-century beer hall Hofbräuhaus is pretty much compulsory when in Munich; at the other end of the spectrum, and much less touristy, don’t miss a trip to Hoover und Floyd, a small, vintage-styled café-bar, and the inventive cocktails at Zephyr Bar.
The Flushing Meadows’ rooftop bar has a cosy, low-key ambience