Receive complimentary breakfast at Luxury Hotels
The best Kempinski hotels & resorts in the world include Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski St Moritz, as well as Kempinski hotels in Vilnius, Berlin, Moscow, Berchtesgaden, Barbaros Bay Bodrum, Portoroz, Vienna, and the San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice.
To be honest, there are several other properties that I want to include in this article, but I would have to stray into the realms of top 20 or top 30 to cover all my favorite Kempinski hotels. There are just so many great ones!
1. San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice
Venice has only two luxury hotels with a great, resort-style pool area. San Clemente Palace Kempinski which is pictured above and Belmond Hotel Cipriani. San Clemente Palace Kempinski is located on the private island of San Clemente, minutes away from Piazza San Marco by complimentary boat.
The luxury San Clemente Palace Kempinski offers an escape from the madness of central Venice, and if you stay here, you will enjoy a palatial getaway with a Venetian ambiance, surrounded by gorgeous gardens. It’s worth mentioning that the vast lawns are perfect for sunbathing but also offer an impressive wedding venue. This Kempinski not only sets up weddings in their gardens, but this island also offers an ancient church for ceremonies.
When we arrived at the Kempinski pontoon, we were greeted by the extremely attentive and stylish staff. They guided us off the pontoon, up the red carpet (yes, there really is a red carpet), and across the cobbled square that forms the landing stage for the hotel.
This square offers views towards Venice, with the silhouette of St. Mark’s bell tower in the distance. In the evening, the sunsets are fabulous from this vantage point, and the gorgeous red and white twisted poles which form the boundary of the pier make this spot massively instagramable.
The main restaurant has tables next to the water’s edge, bordered by the church, and behind these tables sits the alfresco part of the hotel bar. This decked area has comfy sofas and is the perfect place to enjoy a drink or a light bite as the sun goes down. This area enjoys tinkling music and service from the most conscientious bar and restaurant staff.
The outdoor pool at the Kempinski is stunning and is a big reason to choose this resort. It is surrounded by more than enough comfy loungers and lawns beyond, with more loungers laid out. Next to the pool is Buddha-Bar Beach, which plays funky music and serves lunch dishes and evening drinks. This poolside restaurant and bar area are completely surrounded by lush greenery and exotic palm trees.
Once inside, the hotel is palatial. Halls are decked in marble with pillars and stunning chandeliers. Grand staircases lead up to rooms, and ceilings are meters high. Rooms at San Clemente Palace Kempinski are palatial, with hugely high ceilings, Murano glass chandeliers, gold-hued fabric wallpaper, and gold-trimmed furnishings. I am also pleased to report that the beds are huge and comfortable, and our room was beautifully cool and quiet, with the merest hint of a water taxi in the distance to remind us that we were in Venice. Nice touches include complimentary bottled sparkling and still water in the evenings, a free minibar with soft drinks, and lovely-smelling Salvatore Ferragamo toiletries.
The San Clemente Palace Kempinski offers a Venetian ambiance on a private island with one of the best hotel pools in Venice. The complimentary boat trip into St Mark’s Square is fun. The sunset bar is wonderfully memorable.
2. Kempinski Berchtesgaden (Salzburg)
Kempinski Berchtesgaden is situated in the heart of the Bavarian Alps and offers a “Pure Alpine Lifestyle”. Conveniently nestled between Vienna and Munich, the property offers great access to Salzburg, an international favorite just a 20-minute drive away.
This modern hotel sits at an altitude of 1000m and offers glorious, panoramic views of the postcard-perfect mountains. Extravagant facilities include the 1.400 m² Kempinski the Spa, a steaming indoor and outdoor pool area, a stylish bar along with Johann Grill restaurant and gourmet restaurant PUR. Moreover, the hotel has a kids club, a nine-hole golf course, ski-in/ ski-out access, and a helipad.
With ample use of local stone and wood in its design, the resort feels bright and bold, with an elegant simplicity that lets the alpine landscape yodel for itself. The 138 rooms and suites radiate warmth and contemporary flair, all while offering guests a unique view of the hotel’s beautiful alpine surroundings.
3. Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski St Moritz
Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski St Moritz is located in the sporty heart of St. Moritz. One hundred fifty-one years ago, the hotel was built directly on top of the Mauritius Spring. As the first luxury hotel in St. Moritz, it became a magnet for guests from around the world.
Discover the majestic mountain setting, timeless European luxury, and award-winning gastronomy of Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski. This superior five-star hotel is located at the foot of the cable car with unrivaled access to the slopes of the Engadin Valley.
Enjoy the best from the Swiss Alps and dine at three award-winning restaurants, including Michelin-starred Cà d’Oro. Rejuvenate in Kempinski The Spa with its purifying and healthy Mauritius spring water. The 184 impeccably styled rooms and suites and 29 spacious residences with one to five bedrooms offer views of the mountains.
4. Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin
Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is located in the heart of the vibrant city of Berlin. Elegant guest rooms and 13 different suite types offer beautiful views of Berlin.
The hotel has two stylish bars and three refined restaurants for guests to enjoy. The illustrious Restaurant Quarré has a summer terrace, and the two-Michelin-starred Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer impresses with inspiring menus and spectacular views of Brandenburg Gate. More exciting dining experiences await in the pan-Asian Sra Bua and in the Lobby bar, known as Berlin’s most vibrant living room. The spacious 9,700 ft² Adlon Spa by Resense offers a lovely retreat from the busy city.
Walk under the Brandenburg Gate to get to Tiergarten park, with landscaped gardens, visit the Zoo, or stroll toward Museum Island to experience beautiful cafés and historic sites.
5. Kempinski Hotel Bahía
The five-star Kempinski Hotel Bahía is based in Estepona to the west of Marbella and set on a stunning coastline. Embracing an Arabic-Andalusian design that distinguishes it from other hotels on the coast, it is surrounded by luscious subtropical gardens covering an extensive 45,000 m² area.
The hotel’s exterior design is perfectly integrated into the surrounding nature. The vegetation has a significant role in providing color and freshness to the resort. The fantastic flora creates a microclimate and a paradise for both guests and birds. Kempinski Hotel Bahía also enjoys a beachfront position, with views of the sea and majestic horizons touching the coast of Africa, while Gibraltar serves as the backdrop.
Only three km from the beautiful village of Estepona, 20 minutes from Marbella, and around 45 minutes (and around €80 EUR in a taxi) from Malaga Airport, it is easy to get to and is an excellent luxury base.
All rooms at the Kempinski Hotel Bahía offer impressive terraces and gardens, many with sea views and all with warm and welcoming decor. You can waste hours every day watching the sunrise and sunsets from your terrace. The rooms are sorted into four different categories varying in view and ranging in size from 42 to 45 m². The hotel suites are even more massive, with generous terraces and balconies with astonishing views.
An impressive free-form pool weaves its way down from the main building towards the ocean. This is surrounded by plentiful palms and foliage, giving away to extensive lawns with plenty of loungers. Although the beach itself is the classic dark sand of this costa, the expansive tropical grounds give this hotel a Hawaiian feel.
Children aged 4 to 12 years can join the Kempinski Kid’s Club, and for adults, there is an elegant spa. The Fitness Club has the most state-of-the-art machines situated in front of large windows looking onto the gardens and offers personal trainers to help clients attain the best results within a shorter period of time. The facilities include a Turkish bath, a Finnish sauna, an ice fountain, and a relaxing room for resting with views of the garden. The Bastien Gonzalez foot treatment studio is worth mentioning as it does so much more than your standard pedicure; they will literally fix your feet. The hotel also provides the ideal backdrop for golfers, with a choice between over 20 golf courses within the area.
6. Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow
The newly renovated five-star Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow is located in an enviable location, overlooking the Kremlin and the Moskva River. Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow has long been the hideaway of choice for politicos, business travelers, and sophisticated globetrotters.
Choose from 227 spacious rooms and suites, many with a view of the Kremlin, Red Square, or Saint Basil’s Cathedral (ask about the Design and Kremlin suites). Dining is of particular note here: Choices include the luxurious breakfast at the Baltschug Grill restaurant and exquisite international cuisine at the refined Café Kranzler.
7. Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna
Heritage-listed Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna, built in 1873, continues to captivate with striking Renaissance Revival-style elements and a pop of contemporary. Perched in a leafy neighborhood right on the renowned Ring Boulevard and just a block away from the river, this gem is a dignified retreat just a 15-minute stroll away from many of the city’s most famous sites like St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Golden Quarter.
This glamorous five-star-superior hotel features 152 rooms and suites where award-winning in-room technology puts everything at the touch of a button. Subtle colors, delicate fabrics, classic design, and an experiment with modern Viennese stylistic elements determine the atmosphere.
Michelin-starred restaurant “Edvard” and the restaurant “Die Küche” delight gourmets – as do the light-flooded Lobby Bar and the traditional Viennese Cigar Lounge. David Penker of 26°EAST was awarded the title “Most Innovative Bartender of the Year” at the Vienna Bar and Spirits Festival 2019. Further advantages include an Ottoman-style Kempinski The Spa and fitness area.
8. Kempinski Palace Portoroz
Kempinski Palace Portoroz is situated at the very center of Portoroz, the ‘Port of Roses’, a well-known resort famous for its mild Mediterranean climate and more than a hundred years of SPA tradition.
The beautiful and bewitching region of Istria has always been the desired destination by the Romans, the Venetians, Napoleon, and the Hapsburgs. The resort town of Portoroz has been attracting people with its therapeutic baths and spas throughout the ages. In the 13th century, the Benedictine monks treated their visitors with seawater and salts. In the 19th century, the cream of European society came to ‘take the waters.’
Rooms and suites evoke the fabled history of the Palace Portoroz – and offer fabulous views of the Adriatic Sea and the Istrian countryside. Take breakfast in the Crystal Hall, sunbathe by the pool, and order a little something from the Pool Bar. In the Restaurant Sophia, fine dining is an art form as beautiful as the restaurant itself. Make yourself comfortable in the Fleur de Sel overlooking the Bay of Piran, and choose from our Slovene-international menu. When the sun goes down, the Palace Club is a legend, not to mention the cocktails!
The Rose Spa offers the very best of the famous local treatments. It complements them with various others from around the world – body treatments, peelings, waxes, massages, Mesotherapy, Hammam, beauty treatments, and more. The fitness center features an exercise stepper and running tracker, a personal trainer upon request, and a yoga program. The highlight is perhaps the interconnecting outdoor and indoor pool, which makes you feel good on the outside and the inside! Laze the day away under a cloudless blue sky, with the scent of pine and rose blossom wafting in from their famous park.
The Kempinski Palace Portorož is within driving distance of quite a few commercial airports, and there is a private airport very close by. Of course, the marina is also right on the doorstep if you prefer to sail in.
9. Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul
Surely Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul has to be a top hotel choice in Istanbul? Why? It’s the only Ottoman Imperial Palace and hotel in Turkey.
Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul is situated on the European shores of the Bosphorus, in the city center between the districts of Besiktaş and Ortaköy. The hotel is a 10-minute drive from one of the city’s main attractions, Taksim Square, and the luxury and trendy shopping area of Nişantaşı. It is a 20-minute drive from the Old City Sultanahmet and business districts Levent and Maslak.
Located on the shores of the magnificent Bosphorus, facing the Asian continent and overlooking the ancient city, Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul offers the glamour of a genuine Ottoman palace in a city where east meets west, Europe meets Asia, and history meets the contemporary.
Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul offers a wide variety of restaurants as well, all offering a balcony or a terrace overlooking the Bosphorus. The Gazebo Lounge is the spot “to see and to be seen” in the city. It is renowned for its wide variety of sweet and savory pastries, homemade truffles, pralines, and chocolates, along with freshly brewed coffee and tea options or refreshing coffee cocktails. The award-winning Tuğra Restaurant & Lounge, located on the first floor of this historical palace, offers its guests ‘the ultimate Ottoman dining experience’, complete with timeless palatal rituals.
At the 24-hour operating Çırağan Palace Kempinski Spa, managed by Sanitas, the infinity pool gives a feeling of floating on the Bosphorus and is heated in winter and open all year. At the authentic Turkish bath ”Hamam”, guests can enjoy an exceptional, traditional Turkish massage and bath, only two of the many highlights available for ultimate relaxation.
10. Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay Bodrum
Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay Bodrum overlooking its own dazzling blue bay, Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay Bodrum is an oasis of serenity, kissed by the pure sea and caressed by the gentle breeze. Here, you can luxuriate in the world-renowned spa or lose yourself in daydreams on the private beach.
Surrounded by signature Kempinski luxury, guests are pampered by a choice of dining experiences, such as delicious Aegean cuisine in Olives, authentic tastes of Eastern Asia in Saigon, contemporary Italian fare in La Luce, seafood in Barbarossa, and delicious snacks and cocktails at either The Pool Restaurant or Bar Blue.
Copyright Luxury Travel Diary 2014 - 2024. Duplication outside of luxurytraveldiary.com is forbidden.
Note: Benefits & upgrades subject to availability. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing. Terms & conditions apply. Enquire for more information. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing but may be amended at discretion of the vendor. Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced.