Room Service: Kempinski Taschenbergpalais, Dresden

Saxon Elector Augustus "the Strong", had a vision for Dresden as a city with "the serenity of Venice and the brilliance of Versailles". One of the results of this vision was the grand Taschenbergpalais. Built in Baroque style by the architect Pöppelman in the early 18th century as a present for Augustus's mistress, Countess Cosel, the palace was later taken over by the Saxon crown princes. Largely destroyed in the bombing of Dresden in the Second World War, the Taschenbergpalais was rebuilt in the original style in the early Nineties following reunification with the West. As part of the Kempinski chain, it is now once again a popular meeting place for VIPs.

Saxon Elector Augustus "the Strong", had a vision for Dresden as a city with "the serenity of Venice and the brilliance of Versailles". One of the results of this vision was the grand Taschenbergpalais. Built in Baroque style by the architect Pöppelman in the early 18th century as a present for Augustus's mistress, Countess Cosel, the palace was later taken over by the Saxon crown princes. Largely destroyed in the bombing of Dresden in the Second World War, the Taschenbergpalais was rebuilt in the original style in the early Nineties following reunification with the West. As part of the Kempinski chain, it is now once again a popular meeting place for VIPs.

Location, location, location

The Taschenbergpalais is in the heart of the old town, facing some of the city's most famous landmarks, including the Zwinger, the Residenzschloss (castle), and the Opera House.

Transport: The inner city is all walkable, but from Prager Strasse in the south to the outer Neustadt in the north is quite a trek so if you get tired, take the tram. For €14 (£8.50) a Dresden Card buys you unlimited public transport for 48 hours, free entrance to 12 museums and reductions on sightseeing tours.

How to get there: From Dresden's main rail station, which has direct connections to Berlin, take the tram as far as the Postplatz stop, from where the hotel is a three-minute walk; a taxi from the station costs about £3.50. From Dresden's Klotzsche Airport, take the Airport City Bus as far as Theaterplatz, which costs £2.50 and takes about 30 minutes, or take a taxi for about £8. Kempinski Hotel Taschenbergpalais Dresden, Taschenberg 3, 01067 Dresden (00 49 351 49 120; e-mail info@kempinski-dresden.de).

Are you lying comfortably?

There are 188 rooms and 25 suites, all of which blend classic with contemporary.Head down to the "wellness" centre for a relaxing sauna, massage and dip in the pool.

Freebies: L'Oréal products, flowers, and Kempinski chocolates.

Keeping in touch: All rooms have telephone, fax and modem lines. There is a fully equipped conference centre, and the hotel can provide you with a computer, translation services or secretarial assistance.

The bottom line

Five-star luxury costs. Single rooms start from €250 (£155) per night while the Crown Prince Suite goes up to €2,620 (£1,630) per night. The breakfast buffet is an additional €21 (£13) per person.