The four-story property, situated on a small block of joined buildings, has been redone with a brick exterior. The lobby and common areas are sleek and chic, with marble, stone, and glass surfaces, and the hotel has the feel of a discreetly elegant residential building. The Cortiina Bar & Restaurant, with its fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows, and lounge chairs, has become a local hot spot, serving custom cocktails and a variety of teas. The hot spot aspect can have a downside for guests -- some have complained that groups sometimes take over the common areas of the hotel, with no concessions made to guests.

The hotel is located on a small cobblestone side street lined with shops and restaurants, within the heart of central Munich. Between the opera, Marienplatz, and the Viktualienmarkt -- Munich's open-air market -- it's within a three-minute walk from U-Bahn (underground train) Marienplatz station, and near Orlandostrasse, a popular street filled with shops and restaurants, including the renowned beer hall Hofbrauhaus. Marienplatz station has an airport connection, bringing the airport within an hour's reach.

The rooms, which range from Single Rooms to Two-Bedroom Suites, have a home-like feel by dint of parquet floors and the cozy architecture of the building. In some rooms, attractive frosted-glass dividers separate the sleeping area from the bathroom, which might not be to everyone's liking. Furniture consists of stuffed easy chairs in taupe and other neutral colors, which blend with the calm, modern pattern of simple lines on white, which constitutes wallpaper, on select walls. Rooms situated under the building’s eaves and have sloping ceilings. All rooms have safes, minibars, air-conditioning,  iPod stations,  DVDs players, and natural rubber mattresses. Larger suites have full kitchens, and separate living and sleeping spaces. Bathrooms are marble, and have rain showerheads. The larger rooms have tubs.

The Cortiina has a small fitness center with a couple of treadmills and elliptical machines, and a pleasant, popular lobby bar with comfortable seating, natural wood furnishings, and an open fireplace. The restaurant has the added benefit of a small, outdoor terrace and garden shaded by parasols.