Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.
Today: Top 10 best luxury hotels in Berlin
With its almost 4 million inhabitants, Berlin is the political center of Germany and home to many of the country’s most famous sites & monuments. With its many theaters, three opera houses, the Philharmonie and its diverse museum landscape, Berlin is also considered a cultural metropolis worldwide. It is also one of the most creative cities in Germany, with numerous art galleries and a lively street art scene contributing to this image just as much as the start-up culture. In addition, there is a colourful and wild party scene with legendary clubs, such as the internationally famous and infamous Berghain. At the same time, those who want to relax from the big-city hustle and bustle can do so at one of the approximately 3,000 lakes or in the 2,500 parks and recreational areas in and around Berlin (which makes Berlin the greenest capital city in Europe). To help you plan your next trip to Berlin, I have compiled a top 10 list with the best luxury hotels in the city.
10. GRAND HYATT BERLIN
At Grand Hyatt Berlin, contemporary art and modern design meet in the heart of Berlin. Located at Potsdamer Platz, you will find the most iconic places within walking distance. The hotel features impressive design elements, with 321 elegant rooms and 21 luxurious suites planned by architect Tony Chi, equipped with the latest amenities, impressive marble bathrooms and spacious living and working areas. The hotel’s spa offers an indoor pool, a whirlpool, a sauna, a steam bath, a fitness center and a diverse selection of cosmetic treatments and massages. The dining experiences are as multicultural as the capital itself: Vox serves creative dishes with influences from Asia, as well as authentic sushi. Vox Bar stands for an exceptional selection of more than 150 whiskies, premium cocktails and a smoker’s lounge with high-class cigars. Tizian Restaurant offers Italian cuisine in a cozy atmosphere, while unique cocktail creations can be enjoyed at the urban Jamboree Bar in a living room atmosphere in vintage and industrial design inspired by the ’80s.
- Hotel website: Grand Hyatt Berlin
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking this hotel via Hyatt Prive (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit credit).
9. ORANIA.BERLIN
Orania.Berlin is a beautifully reimagined boutique hotel housed in a legendary art nouveau building in the creative heart of Berlin – directly at Oranienplatz in Kreuzberg. Upon entering the hotel, guests are greeted by a huge log fire and art that embraces the hotel’s rich history. Upstairs, 41 charming guest rooms await, with cozy touches and warm palettes. The interior design reflects local craftsmanship, subtle oriental influences, casual elegance, warm lighting and natural materials from Europe, Asia, Africa and America. Foodies and cosmopolitans find outstanding culinary art at the hotel’s restaurant, where the chef and his team have created a superb menu – favorites include the famous, four-course Peking duck experience. A special highlight are the regularly held classical and jazz concerts by Berlin artists on the stage in the middle of the lobby with free entry for hotel guests.
- Hotel website: Orania.Berlin
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking this hotel via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit credit).
8. THE RITZ-CARLTON, BERLIN
The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin is located in the heart of the city at Potsdamer Platz, neighboring Berlin’s largest inner city park “Tiergarten” and situated just a 7 minute walk to Brandenburg Gate. This superior 5-star Berlin hotel has won multiple awards and offers a unique setting in an contemporary style and the highest level of outstanding service. Residential in feel, the 303 guest rooms and suites combine exquisite Art Deco design with contemporary touches and hand-selected furnishings recapture the essence of Berlin’s glamorous golden era. Guest can savor a variety of culinary experiences: POTS represents the modern German cuisine, while the elegant The Lounge pampers guests with quality teas and its own menu. The Curtain Club is one of the city’s top bars and complete the culinary ensemble the luxury hotel has to offer. To relax and unwind, an elegant wellness facility and the exclusive Club Lounge on the 10th floor welcome guests.
- Hotel website: The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking this hotel via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit credit).
7. REGENT BERLIN
Touted by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the best hotels in the world to stay, Regent Berlin is known for its classy atmosphere and impeccable service – the staff pays close attention to the small touches that make guests feel right at home. The intimate, superior, five-star hotel boasts a perfect view of the historic Gendarmenmarkt square, in the heart of the city near the Friedrichstrasse. State-of-the-art technology is softened by warm fabrics and furnishings in all guest rooms, and a casual dining restaurant, Charlotte & Fritz, waits to tempt your palate. The most important museums, numerous luxurious boutiques, the famed Friedrichstrasse shopping mile as well as several of the most significant sights – including the historical Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag and Opera – are only a stroll away.
- Hotel website: Regent Berlin
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking this hotel via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit credit).
6. SOHO HOUSE BERLIN
Opened in 2010, the 40 room Soho House Berlin is hosted in the historic 1928′ building in Torstrasse. The late Bauhaus structure – located in the heart of the Mitte district – had a turbulent history: it initially housed a Jewish-owned department store before it was taken over first by the Nazis, then by the communist regime. The interior design of the building is a collaboration between Soho House’s in-house designer, Susie Atkinson and Michaelis Boyd Associates (Tim Boyd and Alex Michaelis). Old Berlin lifestyle is brought into a new light, where exposed concrete beams are combined with traditional panelling. A 30-seat screening room, library and the Red Room – a boutique space with a bar – are reminiscent of bygone eras, as are the bedroom spaces, with Art Deco-inspired lighting, statement furniture and rich fabrics. Outside, the modernist lines of the rooftop pool chime with the city’s aesthetic.
5. WALDORF ASTORIA BERLIN
Featuring 232 luxury guestrooms and suites, the Waldorf Astoria Berlin sits within the Zoofenster skyscraper, designed by German architect Professor Christoph Mäckler. Totalling 32 floors and 118 m (387 ft), all crafted with stone and glass, the hotel also features the city’s highest suite. Parisian agency Inter Art Etudes have interpreted the interior design as a timeless yet contemporary version of art deco style, in reference to the prestigious legacy of the famed Waldorf Astoria, which opened its doors in 1931 on New York’s Park Avenue. The hotel also offers various dining experiences, including Roca Restaurant, which serves contemporary, Mediterranean dining. The Guerlain Spa Waldorf Astoria sees the trendsetting brand bring its innovative range of treatments to Germany for the very first time, offering eight therapy rooms, each individually designed to complement the delivery of a variety of treatments.
- Hotel website: Waldorf Astoria Berlin
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking this hotel via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit).
4. SO/ BERLIN DAS STUE
Located in the former Danish embassy building, tucked at the edge of leafy Tiergarten and neighboring the Berlin Zoo, SO/ Berlin Das Stue is the city’s first luxury boutique hotel. The name refers to the Danish world “Stue”, which means “livingroom”. The 78 rooms & suites welcome guests with an invigorating yet harmonious ambiance. The Spanish design icon Patricia Urquiola created the interior that blends funky art with traditional and contemporary design, while animal motifs give a tip of the hat to the Berlin Zoo, next door. Susanne Kaufmann’s eponymous spa is an organic oasis. At The Casual Restaurant, every meal carries the artful signature of head chef Rico Kägebein, who combines regional products of high quality with spices from the entire Mediterranean, blended to simple but expressive modern dishes. Since 2018, the hotel is managed by Accor under the SO/ brand.
- Hotel website: SO/ Berlin Das Stue
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking this hotel via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit).
- Review: read my review of SO/ Berlin Das Stue here.
3. HOTEL DE ROME, A ROCCO FORTE HOTEL
Located on historic Bebelplatz, Hotel de Rome is one of the most prestigious luxury hotels in Berlin. Once the headquarters of the esteemed 19th century Dresden Bank, it’s a place where heritage and stylish modernity meet. Step through the impressive stone entranceway, with its grand Atelier Prométhée magenta urns and Olivia Steele’s neon birdcage, and you’ll immediately be met by a sense of glamour. With only 145 rooms and suites and an incomparable location on Bebelplatz, it is a true architectural gem in the heart of the city. CHIARO Restaurant celebrates Hotel de Rome’s rich heritage through Italian specialties refined with Japanese umami. De Rome Spa is housed in the former bank vault with a fully equipped gym, and wide range of beauty treatments by Irene Forte Skincare. And after dark, watch the Berlin skyline light up while sipping cocktails on the Rooftop Terrace.
- Hotel website: Hotel de Rome, a Rocco Forte Hotel
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking this hotel via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit).
2. SCHLOSSHOTEL BERLIN BY PATRICK HELLMANN
Situated in the heart of the upscale Grunewald residential area, Schlosshotel Berlin by Patrick Hellmann offers a refined hotel sanctuary for discerning business and leisure travelers seeking to escape the downtown hustle and bustle. The hotel’s artworks and interior design by Berlin fashion designer Patrick Hellmann, combined with the elegance of its 100 years of history and exceptional service, provide each guest with a unique experience. Built in 1911 in the 18th century Renaissance style of the French palaces, this architectural masterpiece boasts breathtaking views of an idyllic garden from 53 individually styled guest rooms and suites. Down the years, this palatial house boasted a veritable stellar guest list from Robert Kennedy to Josephine Baker, Peter Ustinov and Errol Flynn. German movie legend Romy Schneider liked it here so much she even held the receptions for both her weddings at the hotel.
1. HOTEL ADLON KEMPINSKI BERLIN
The legendary Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, first built in 1907 and located right next to the Brandenburg Gate, regained its status as Germany’s most prestigious hotel after its reopening in 1997. This is the meeting place for heads of state, royals, politicians, stars and starlets, intellectuals, artists, designers and entrepreneurs, and last but not least, the Berliners themselves. Business and leisure travelers find respite in the hotel’s 307 guest rooms and 78 diverse luxury suites with opulent designs and unique stories. The illustrious Restaurant Quarré (with summer terrace) and the two-Michelin-starred Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer impress with inspiring menus and spectacular views of Brandenburg Gate. More exciting dining experiences await in the pan-Asian Sra Bua and in the Lobby bar, known as the most vibrant living room in Berlin. The Adlon Spa by Resense offers a lovely retreat from the busy city.
- Hotel website: Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin
- Other accolades: Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in Germany.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking this hotel via Virtuoso (e.g. confirmed room upgrade at the time of booking, daily breakfast, early check-in, guaranteed late check-out till 2 pm, seasonal welcome amenity, free phone calls, and 80 Euro hotel credit to be utilized during your stay).
- Review: read my review of Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin here.
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