Berlin

What it is: A former bank with a sleek Romanesque design (smooth marble pillars and oversized vases) on a prime slab of real estate on the Baroque-style Bebelplatz of central Berlin.

The rooms: The hotel's 103 rooms and 43 suites are soundproofed and decorated in the contemporary and quintessentially German "glass and steel" style. Neoclassic furnishings combine cold grays, blacks, and whites with warmer touches of neutrals and primary colors. You'll also find sleek flat-screen TVs and roomy bathrooms with sound systems and heated floors.

Amenities: Given advance notice, the staff will provide a kid-sized bathrobe and slippers as well as age-appropriate toiletries, a junior guestbook for artwork and journaling, and X-box 360 (with games), and milk and cookies at turndown.

Activities: In addition to the Hotel de Rome, the Bebelplatz public square is home to a number of historic sites including the State Opera House, St. Hedwig's Cathedral, and the campus of Humboldt University and alma mater of the Brothers Grimm and Albert Einstein).

Details: Behrenstrasse 37, 10117 Berlin; from 395 Euros for a Classic Room with rollaway bed. Free for children under 12.

What it is: A massive and distinctly modern hotel complex with a checkerboard façade and glass pyramid entrance.

The rooms: The InterContinental boasts a whopping 534 rooms and 50 suites spanning 14 spacious floors. Guest rooms are either "classical" and outfitted with heavy wooden furniture, or "modern" and decorated in smooth grays and neutrals paired with clean blacks and whites. The luxurious marble bathrooms feature rain showers and heated floors.

Amenities: Let the hotel know the ages of your children before you arrive, and the kids with be greeted with child-sized bathrobes, slippers and toiletries, as well as a "Kids Club" backpack stocked with art supplies. For families traveling with babies, the hotel provides baby bathrobes, lotions, and bottle warmers.

Activities: The nearby Berlin Zoo is a natural must-see, and Tiergarten Park and the bustling Potsdamer Platz are only a short walk away. The hotel is also just a quick bus ride from the center of Berlin.

Details: Budapester Strasse 2, 10787 Berlin; from 186 Euros for a Superior Room with a rollaway bed.

What it is: A white stucco mansion with well-priced, well-equipped apartments on the quieter Western end of the major Berlin avenue KurfŸrstendamm.

The rooms: Stretch your legs in one of the hotel's 47 spacious and luminous suites, all featuring hardwood floors, large windows, and white-tiled bathrooms and kitchen areas. Even the smallest apartment easily fits a family of four.

Amenities: Indulge at the hotel spa (featuring the eco-friendly [not sure if it's eco-friendly; it's natural/herbal] Dr. Hauschka skincare line) or order up room service from the adjoining Balthazar Restaurant, which specializes in elegant central European cuisine. Don't leave without making use of hotel's complimentary "wellness area," which includes a sauna, a small fitness center, and a pool.

Activities: The immensely popular Berlin Zoo is within walking distance of the hotel, as is the Charlottenburg Palace (now a museum) and the mammoth KaDeWe department store, whose extensive "gourmet floor" alone warrants a visit.

Details: KurfŸrstendamm 160, 10709 Berlin; from 135 Euros for a Junior Suite (sleeps four total on a double bed and sofa bed).

What it is: Art deco on the outside and ultra-elegant on the inside, a large hotel smack-dab in the middle of the city's energetic, metropolitan Potsdamer Platz.

The rooms: The hotel's 224 rooms, 41 suites, and 37 upscale Club-Level accommodations (which come with a private floor lounge and free bar) all have heated bathroom floors, exclusive Bulgari toiletries, fluffy feather beds, bedside control panels, and original Markus Luepertz watercolor paintings.

Amenities: Through the "Protect Our Little Ones" program (available upon request, but free of charge), a trained employee will thoroughly childproof your room. You'll find an array of fine dining venues—including a tea lounge, a cocktail bar, a French brasserie and the Michelin-starred Vitrum restaurant. And you must check out the glitzy, crystal-studded pool at La Prairie Boutique Spa.

Activities: Potsdamer Platz is home to a number of movie theaters that help host the annual film festival and cater to a variety of tastes (including an IMAX 3-D theater as well as blockbuster multiplexes). Several sightseeing bus and trolley tours leave from the plaza outside the lobby, and the giant Tiergarten Park is a short walk away.

Details: Potsdamer Platz 3, 10785 Berlin; from 295 Euros for a Superior Room (King bed) with rollaway bed depends on day of stay.

BLACK FOREST

What it is: A 4-star member of the Familotel family located between the Black Forest pines at the foot of the Feldberg Mountain.

The rooms: Book a double room, a one- or two-bedroom suite, a two-bedroom family apartment (with bunk-beds for the kids and a kitchenette upon request), or a three-bedroom "Feldberg Residenz" in the hotel annex just a few minutes' walk from the main building. Rooms are hypoallergenic and are styled with light-colored wood paneling and locally made wooden furniture. I need more information on this hotel. The website gives hardly any information and parts of it are not translated into English.

Amenities: At no charge, the hotel will provide safety fittings for guest rooms (socket protectors, stair gates, and the like), baby monitors, cribs, high chairs, training toilets, foot stools, bottle warmers, and even strollers and backpacks. The pool has a shallow paddle section for toddlers and a tube-style waterslide for older children, and the outdoor playground has rope nets. For guests 12 and younger, the "Villa Wuschel" kid's club offers an indoor playroom (with craft supplies, computer games, and an plastic playspace for climbing and crawling) as well as a brightly colored "Babyland" room. Adults can relax in the sauna or La Vita spa, take a group class at the gym, or wine and dine at one of many hotel eateries (including a disco-pub, a cocktail lounge, a sports bar, a ski snack bar, a buffet restaurant, and an a la carte restaurant, where kids can be served first, or at a separate junior table).

Activities: Surf or sail on the nearby Schluchsee and Bodensee Lakes, or visit the Zoo Basel or Sea Life Konstanz aquarium. Ski slopes are just a 15-minute drive from the hotel, as is the local horse ranch, where riding lessons are offered through the summer and fall. On-site, there's ping pong, hiking trails, and a petting zoo, and for a fee, the hotel offers archery and shooting, badminton, bike rentals, bowling, squash and mini-golf. To promote camaraderie between families, the hotel also sponsors getting-to-know-you events such as guided nature walks, wine tastings, bingo, and live music on weekends.

Details: Wasserburger Str. 5, 83123 Amerang; from 141 Euros for a Double Room with rollaway bed (minimum stay of five nights).

FRANKFURT

What it is: A modern balcony-lined business hotel in a quiet neighborhood close to the Frankfurt Zoo.

The rooms: The hotel offers 65 rooms in the single, double, or deluxe categories, as well as one "Alexander Suite." Deluxe rooms are best for families, as they have a small living room and kitchenette and can accommodate an extra children's bed. Make sure to bring your own toiletries (only soap is provided) and request a non-smoking room, as the hotel still offers a few smoking accommodations. DVD players are available from the front desk upon request, complete with a kid-friendly movie library.

Amenities: In-room Wifi is available at an extra charge, but there's also an Internet terminal in the lobby. Other amenities include a standard breakfast buffet as well as a small sauna (just ask the front desk to heat it up 30 minutes before use).

Activities: The Frankfurt Zoo is just a two-minute walk away and has a restaurant and 13 themed animal areas including a children's zoo. You can buy tickets for public transportation into the city center (via the bus or the S-bahn) at the front desk. The immediate neighborhood also has a small selection of restaurants (try Iwase, a great small authentic Japanese restaurant less than a mile from the hotel).

Details: 60316 Frankfurt am Main, from 118 Euros for a Deluxe room, which can sleep three with an extra bed.

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN

What it is: A giant country house with wraparound balconies nestled in a postcard-perfect spot in the Southern German Alps.

The rooms: The Reindl's 23 single and double rooms and 35 suites are spread among three interconnected wings: the large Main House (also home to two restaurants, the bar, and the swimming pool); the quiet, garden-facing House Alpspitz; and the House Wetterstein. Rooms have traditional Bavarian dŽcor, modern bathrooms, cable TVs, and, in most cases, balconies with stunning mountain views.

Amenities: Reindl's restaurant offers exquisite European cuisine with select Bavarian specialties (such as roasted suckling pig) and an extensive European wine list. The more casual Winter Garden Brasserie serves up monthly ingredient-themed menus (e.g. "mushroom," "asparagus") as well as a breakfast buffet and rich dessert list.

Activities: From the hotel you can see the Zugspitse Mountain, the highest mountain in Germany, which boasts impressive hiking trails and ski slopes and is easily accessible by a nearby train. Make sure to explore the "Partenkirchen" side of town, which has petite European shops, old frescoed buildings, and cobblestone streets where you can catch one of the horse-drawn carriage rides offered by the town tourism center. Or take a day trip to the Tratzberg Castle, the Schwazer silver mine, or a tour of the Bavaria Filmstadt film studio.

Details: Bahnhofstr. 15, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen; from 110 Euros for a Double Room (sleeps three with sofa bed).

MUNICH

What it is: A white stucco mansion with well-priced, well-equipped apartments on the quieter Western end of the major Berlin avenue KurfŸrstendamm.

The rooms: The decor in Blauer Bock's 75 guest rooms is spare but sweet: basic beds, handmade lamps, antique mirrors and original artwork. Since street-facing rooms tend to be loud, ask for a quiet courtyard room with a private bathroom.

Amenities: Non-necessities such as TV, air-conditioning, and travel toiletries are not available. But as a bonus, you can reserve rooms with three or four beds each as well as extra beds and cots, so the whole crew can stay together.

Activities: The hotel is right at the doorstep of the famous Viktualienmarkt, a deluxe daily farmer's market with over 100 gourmet food stalls. The Kaufinger Strasse shopping and pedestrian district is a short walk away.

Details: Sebastiansplatz 9, 80331 Munich; from 105 Euros for a Double Room with additional bed (includes breakfast).

What it is: A turreted yellow mansion located in a tree-lined residential neighborhood only 10 minutes (walking) from the train and tram to central Munich.

The rooms: The hotel's 23 rooms vary widely in size, so make sure to book a triple if you're traveling with older kids. Rooms are spotlessly clean and outfitted with simple brass beds, wooden chairs and armoires, and small in-room bathrooms. Note that there's no elevator, so request a first floor room if stairs pose a problem.

Amenities: Wifi is available in-room for an additional charge, but free in the lobby. The included breakfast buffet will please most palates with its wide selection of juices, coffee, pastries, cheeses, cereal, meat, eggs, and fruit.

Activities: The cordial owners, Sebastian and Alexandra, speak English fluently and know almost everything about the Munich area. Through them you can buy public transportation tickets and city tour passes, rent bikes for the family, or make reservations at an area restaurant. For local sightseeing, the Nymphenburg Palace is only a five-minute walk away, and the Hirschgarten (the biggest "beer garden" in Europe) is worth a visit.

Details: Laimerstrasse 40, 80639 Munich; from 105 Euros for a Double Room with a Child's Bed (for children under 3).

What it is: On a hushed side street close to the city center, a townhouse-style luxury hotel .

The rooms: With a total of only 53 guest rooms and 20 suites, the Mandarin Oriental Munich can afford to splurge a little on room size. Several rooms have walk-in closets and all are equipped with a marble bathroom with a separate shower and bathtub (as well as a fog-free mirror, towel heater, and heated floor. You'll also find a swanky Bang & Olufsen flat-screen TV (with a whopping 600 channels), a DVD/CD system with games (and Playstations upon request), an in-bathroom TV, a basket full of fresh fruit, and free drinks (beer, soda, juice) in the mini-bar.

Amenities: The shallow rooftop pool offers a sweeping view of the city as well as a light poolside menu. Downstairs, the Michelin-starred Restaurant Mark's specializes in delicate Mediterranean-inspired cuisine (try the veloute of white asparagus and baked lobster). There's no spa there is a "health & beauty centre", but you can book in-room massages and take weekly fresh-air yoga classes on the roof.

Activities: The hotel is situated a few blocks from the boutique shopping district of the avenue Maximilianstrasse and is within walking distance of the lively Marienplatz, the bustling town plaza and public transportation hub. You can also rent a kid's bike (and kid-sized helmet) from the front desk.

Details: Neuturmstrasse 1, 80331 Munich; from 345 Euros for a Mandarin Deluxe Room with King Bed.

NEUBICHEL

What it is: An eco-friendly, oversized, country cottage-style kinderhotel that welcomes families of all ages and sizes and is located on the upper crust of the Alps mountain range.

The rooms: The hotel's 45 rooms are configured as either apartments (in 19 different styles) or double rooms (in 4 different styles), each with its own nature-themed name ("Fox," "Fruits," "Berries," etc.). Apartments have a separate children's room—featuring whimsical paintings of well-loved cartoon characters—with a door to the parents' bedroom, and doubles can be reserved with a rollaway bed or crib.

Amenities: The Alm-Wastl-Club is in operation during the day, where kids are fed lunch, dinner, and snacks between nature walks, craft projects, and dramatic performances. And to keep grown-ups happy at this kinder-paradise, there's a gym and spa on site in addition to squash and tennis courts, archery ranges, and a rock-climbing wall.

Activities: The hotel ranch has donkeys, sheep, goats, and rabbits in addition to ponies and horses for riding. Kids can also take lessons at "Fred's Swim Academy" (held in the indoor pool), and complimentary junior ski lessons are offered during peak winter months. The bicycle shed loans out bikes and trikes at any hour, and guests can tee off at a 40% reduced rate at the nearby 18-hole Golf Club Berchtesgadener. You can even try out the pottery kilns run by the hotel owner's wife-she'll happily send your unfinished projects along to your home after you leave.

Details: Neubichel 5-6, 83451 Austria; from 110 Euros for the "Fruits" double room, with two adults and one young child.