With a new, young, trendy, yet sophisticated population, Berlin blazes brazenly forward on all fronts, including the cultural and the culinary.
What a difference 25 years makes. No other European city has undergone the immense changes that Berlin has ushered in so swiftly since the reunification of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1990. An estimated three out of four contemporary Berliners did not reside here at that moment in time.
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Betting Bullish on Berlin
Locals point with pride to the city’s extensive green spaces; forests, lakes, parks, gardens and rivers which comprise one-third of the surrounding area. However lovely, these recreational spaces compete with the city’s stunning architectural highlights to capture the attention of visitors. And the attractions are many, indeed. Perhaps begin at the Pergamon on the Spree’s Museum Island. Don’t miss Unter den Linden and The Brandenburg Gate, all the more glorious when illuminated by night.
Speaking of nighttime, Berlin nightclub Berghain is so hot — and has been since it opened in 2007 — that it spawned a new app at a 2013 Berlin Hackathon, “How to Get Into Berghain.”
Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Westin, Hyatt, Kempinski, InterContinental, Waldorf Astoria, Hilton are among the established brands in Berlin hospitality. Among the 5-star entries, spa, sauna, steam room and an 18 meter-long pool are found at Kempinski Hotel Bristol on the Kurfürstendamm, the classic top choice property from pre-unification days. Coming in 2014/15, Steigenberger plans opening a city property followed by an airport one.
If you fancy your digs east of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial, Ritz-Carlton is right in Potsdamer Platz. Hotel de Rome from Rocco Forte’s collection has a rooftop terrace for eyeballing friezes atop monuments in Bebelplatz. Note that travelers pay attention to which luxury hotels offer free Wi-Fi and which do not.
Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer in the Kempinski at Brandenburg Gate sports two Michelin stars and a Tim Raue outlet, Sra Bua. Chef Tim Raue earns two stars from Michelin and Pete Wells, New York Times food critic agrees, calling him “perhaps the most dynamic chef in Berlin” with a Chinese-style suckling pig that left Wells walking on air. Twelve more restaurants in Berlin are star-adorned, allowing the city to pull ahead of Munich and Hamburg.
Looking for a pastrami & rye to remind you of home? New Yorkers founded Mogg & Melzer to take the brining and smoking of briskets to a new level, catching Wells’ eye.
