Swissôtel Berlin – terrific hospitality in the heart of West Berlin

The Swissôtel Berlin is located in West Berlin, in the center of a bustling district known as Kurfürstendamm. This is where all the action is! From cafes, to endless rows of shopping boutiques, beauty parlors, restaurants and supermarkets, you will never be bored. A lot of beautiful people here to ogle at – from trendy tourists, to hipster Berliners alike, you will find them soaking up the sun and spilling out onto the sidewalks cafes. Yes indeed, Berlin has been having a sunny spell recently, and it has been heavenly.

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As usual, I did my checks via Agoda, and found that in terms of location, Swissôtel Berlin is like a 2 minute walk to the S and U-Bahn stations (best one to take is the stop for Zoologischer Garten), which is a great plus if you’re lugging your suitcase behind you, like I was. Believe me when I say that location is everything especially when you have to pack for a month.

Apart from all these merits, the most incredible thing about this 5-star hotel, I found, was the service and service personal. The staff at the front desk had a lovely, helpful disposition all day long, and were only too eager to help out of you had any queries. If I needed to get my hair done (or nails painted.. as girls do) they knew just the place. Where dining was concerned, if I wanted my omelette done a certain way, they made sure it was consistently so, every single morning. It was definitely Swiss hospitality at its best, in the heart of Berlin. Hard to top!

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 surprise welcome platter, delivered with a warm smile

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How did they know I loved dark chocolates and strawberries?;) 

Junior suite – room with a view! 

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Swissotel itself has a modern ambiance and a contemporary feel about it – the architecture is by Gerkan, Marg & Partner. The interior design is extremely chic, almost like an art gallery with exhibitions of modern art and sculptures at strategic corners. I learned that these art pieces actually belong to the owner of the building- it was his wish that his own private collection be on display. And so, you will notice that throughout the hotel, neo-expressionistic artworks by Markus Lüpertz are displayed.

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front desk

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reading corner – very cosy and comfortable

In total, there are 300 odd rooms in the hotel, and a real plus is the Nespresso coffee machine in each room – yay for you coffee addicts out there! My room was amazing – a gorgeous corner Junior Suite, which let a lot of light in. Most of the rooms offer a unobstructed view through the large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the capital’s famous boulevard.

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Dining is another big plus at the Swissotel. The Swiss chef, André Egger has definitely transformed Swissôtel Berlin’s signature restaurant R44, into an exciting hub of modern dining. I loved his personal take on the salad nicoise. Chef André heads up the kitchen team of Restaurant 44 and is responsible for all of the hotel’s food and beverage outlets, including the conference and banqueting facilities. He recently introduced an enticing weekday lunch menu with a creative approach that I loved.

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Marie, the super helpful PR Manager at Swissôtel Berlin

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deconstructed Salad Nicoise 

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risotto

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A graduate in hotel business economics, André Egger joins the team at Swissôtel Berlin after having previously served as Executive Chef of the Radisson BLU Hotel in Zurich for the past four years. His extensive experience includes working at renowned establishments such as the gourmet restaurant “Memories” at The Langham Hilton in London, the gourmet restaurant “Riedenburg” in Salzburg, as well as the gourmet restaurant “Zirbelstube” at the 5-Star Hotel Colombi in Freiburg, Germany.

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Restaurant 44 should definitely be a huge hit with Alpine cuisine devotees and cheese aficionados. André’s mouth-watering menu featuring Swiss dishes, utilizing the best local and organic ingredients: sweet potato Rösti with spring onion, king oyster mushrooms and truffle or Maggia pepper-crusted veal with Pecorino Rigatoni and springtime morels. The desert menu indulges guests with the all-time favorite “Kaiserschmarrn” – sugared pancake bits with raisins, rum and apple compote and a selection of Swiss cheese.

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Some of the highlights at breakfast include the amazingly satin-smooth and rich Le Yaourt Bordier. Crazy to die for carrot cake (who says you can’t have cake for breakfast) with an irresistible frosted icing. Finally, I swear the world’s best omelet is made right here in Restaurant 44’s kitchen!

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Restaurant 44 itself is huge and spacious. The full-length windows make you want to sit by them all morning, as the views of the legendary Kurfürstendamm and the city skyline are just breathtaking. On a sunny day, I particularly like dining on the outdoor terrace. A large sculpture on the terrace of Restaurant 44 that was custom-made by Lüpertz, called “The verdict of Paris” stands tall and proud, gazing out into the horizon – this sculpture was inspired by Greek mythology.

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Located on the ninth floor, the Executive Lounge serves drinks, snacks and breakfast. The conference rooms with massive windows that let natural sunlight in are so comfortable, you won’t feel like you’re working!

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The Ballroom with its wooden floor, high ceilings and again a place which lets in plenty of natural light, looks more like the philharmonic, than a ballroom. The gym is cozy enough, but I always say, if you’re in Berlin, why run indoors.. the parks are just gorgeous and there are just so many of them to pick from. Yes, it would be silly to stay indoors in spring or summer, don’t you think?

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Anyway, here’s another big tip for your lady travelers out there. I had been traveling for about a month now, and my hair was obviously in a real state. Not good. The life saver came in the form of Swissôtel’s PR manager, Marie, who pointed me in the right direction of an amazing hair salon, located in Auguststrasse called, Atelier Dennis Creuzberg.

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Dennis on the left, and D who did my hair

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Love the indoor courtyards/gardens that most apartment have.. they are usually hidden from the main road, till you step inside the building. I LOVE them!

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Dennis was a genius and worked his magic on my tired locks. The outcome was pretty nice! Anyway, ladies, if you are in Berlin and need a hair makeover, this is the place to go to!

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Great service at the Swissôtel Berlin and fine locks to match.. Berlin was turning out to be one of my favourite cities in the world, for sure!

Add:
Atelier Dennis Creuzberg
August Strasse 2a
10117 Berlin, Germany
Phone +49 30 81709740
Email [email protected]
Website http://www.denniscreuzberg.de

 

Add:
Swissôtel Berlin
Augsburger Strasse 44,
10789 Berlin, Germany
Tel.: +49 30 220 100
Fax: +49 30 220 10 2222
Email: [email protected]

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