Bregenz might be small in size, but it’s big in personality. Flanked by Lake Constance, it’s one of the biggest lakes in Europe: on one side, there are snow-peaked mountains, and on the other, culture and history in town. Kleiner Lowe is in the heart of all that action – a contemporary bolthole designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron that occupies a handsome 200-year-old brewery. The Art Nouveau structure stands out in the traditional square but is much more low-key inside: its eight rooms are managed by host Lisa, whose family live under the curved roof of the hotel. Interiors are contemporary, simple and sweet, some overlooking the garden and nearby Pfänder mountain, but the rooms that overlook the square are just as charming. We’re often caught sipping hot chocolate, on a daily basis, it’s that delicious. Photos by Hannes Klaeger.