COLOGNE — I’ve stayed in many boutique hotels, but I’m convinced that the The Qvest is the boutique-iest of them all. I’m aware “boutique-iest’’ is not a word, but it’s the one that best fits this hotel, so be a lamb and don’t make a fuss about it. Walk into the austere lobby of the Qvest, and you get the feeling you’ve stumbled onto the set of a fashion shoot for Vogue Bambini.
The 34-room hotel was opened by the editor-in-chief of a German magazine also called Qvest, and, like the publication, the hotel is focused on art, architecture, and fashion. It’s important that guests possess the same interests because in lieu of televisions, the rooms are outfitted with books on these subjects.
I didn’t miss the televisions, and I suspect most guests don’t either. The hotel is so unique and stunning that there is plenty to keep your eyes entertained. I also think dialogue from the German soap opera “Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten’’ floating through the halls would quickly destroy the majesty of the Neo-Gothic setting and the chapel-turned photo gallery off the lobby. Michael Kaune, the editor-in-chef who conceived the space in collaboration with architect Rolf Kursawe took the 1897 building that once housed the city’s archives, and turned into the living, lodging design museum. It’s unique that a 19th century building is still standing in Cologne. Most of the city was leveled during WWII, so it’s heartening to see such a special structure restored in a loving way.
Kaune, who is also an art collector, filled his hotel with furniture and art from the titans of Bauhaus and midcentury design: Arne Jacobsen, Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, and the Eameses. I’m sure you’re now asking yourself how the modernist furniture works with the structure’s lancet windows and ribbed vaults. You’ll need to believe me when I tell you they somehow compliment each other seamlessly. My room had a ceiling that stretched up at least 20 feet with dramatic windows nearly as high. A pair of Eames chairs sat across from my bed framing a massive painting. An ingenious system of sleek accordion doors surrounded a modern bathroom and closet. Pull back those doors, expose the bathroom, and suddenly you’re soaking in a tub that allows you to enjoy the entirety of your dramatic room.
The hotel is very close to the city center, but thanks to its location in a quiet square, it’s protected from most city noise pollution. That quiet makes the experience even more calming, and I’m quite sure serenity is a very important quality to find in a hotel when you’re trying to escape the static of everyday life.
THE QVEST Gereonskloster 12, qvest-hotel.com, +49 221 2785780
Christopher Muther can be reached at muther@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @Chris_Muther
