Mercure Hotel Newa Dresden - Dresden, Germany     

The highlight of this hotel was the slick design and high-quality construction: well-made rooms, quality materials, interesting architecture, very sound proof. The rooms are very small but not akwardly so like in some other old hotels: if you're organized all your stuff can be fitted neatly in some closet or other. My room included a floor-to-ceiling window with a great view of the city. The 3-star rating seems a bit modest given that this hotel provides a lot of services including bathrobes and a ironing room-not often found in european hotels. I got a good deal on the room by paying a deposit in advance on the hotel website but the rate for this hotel does not include much besides the room. Notably, at 16 euros the breakfast is pretty expensive. If you dont need a large breakfast it does not makes sense to eat at the hotel and it's better to hit one of the small cafes/bakeries nearby. Also, the wireless internet isn't free (and did not work in the upper floors when I was there).