A sense of place is increasingly important to luxury travellers today, and in the Bavarian capital, Munich, you have it all around you, 360 degrees, and day-in, day out, and night-time too. Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski, Munich, is under ten minutes’ walk north to the city’s famous English Garden. How many know about the unique Eisbach surfing there? A stretch of river about 30 metres across has continuous low water, but really rushing, rapids. Anyone can surf there, day or night, free. You and your board plunge in from one bank and undoubtedly fall off in about a minute, at which point someone has already plunged in from the opposite bank, and so on and so forth, 24/7. It is fabulous, apparently, to be taking part but it is absolutely riveting to watch.