I had dreams of becoming Bavarian late last week. A radical about-face from my recent Japan obsession I know, but the combination of a balmy late summer's evening in Munich mixed with good company, fizzy beverages, a buzzy restaurant off Maximilianstrasse and a lively discussion about the Bundesrepublik's upcoming election had me seeing the whole city through rose-tinted, Sunny Mann-size spectacles. My editor friend Anne's stories about her bike rides to work through urban parkland and her little Tyrolian weekend hideaway had me thinking about a new life in felt hats and Lederhosen. My other editor friend Manuel's tales of his equally wonderful quality of life had me investigating local property prices online before I tucked myself into bed back at the hotel.

The Cortiina is one of those hotel properties that leaves you feeling slightly conflicted. On the one hand you look forward to staying there because it's uniquely Munich, on the other you wish the owners would take their formula and design values on the road and replicate it elsewhere. The quality of materials, the easy-going staff, the central location and the tricky-to-achieve mix of modern-meets-cosy puts the Cortiina in a category that is neither boutique nor establishment. Always booked out, the management have managed to secure some extra space and six new rooms will soon be added.