Hotel am Terrassenufer, WorldHotels Distinctive

Right along the Elbe, the Hotel am Terrassenufer, WorldHotels Distinctive, Dresden, Germany, has a prime riverside spot with views over the old skyline, close to the main train station, with modern rooms with soundproof windows, free Wi-Fi and minibars, a 24-hour front desk, meeting rooms, a bar and a relaxing lounge. It is a short walk to the old town, with the riverside Brühl's Terrace promenade close by and trams running across the city. The river path makes an easy stroll, and museums and riverside cafés sit a few minutes away. Dresden is the grand old capital of Saxony, so richly decorated along the Elbe that it earned the name Florence on the Elbe. The rebuilt Frauenkirche crowns the skyline with its great stone dome, the Zwinger palace frames courtyards of fountains and galleries, and the Semper Opera House stages opera in one of Europe's loveliest theatres. The Royal Palace and its Green Vault show the dazzling treasures of the old Saxon kings, and the old-master galleries draw art lovers from across Europe. Historic paddle steamers set off from the embankment, carrying visitors upstream toward the vineyards and castles of the Elbe valley, with the cliffs and rock bridges of Saxon Switzerland not far beyond.