Friday visit at Waldorf Astoria Berlin

An invitation to chess, at the library

Since the beginning of the year, the market of luxury hotels in Berlin has a new competitor: Waldorf Astoria, the first hotel of the chain inaugurated in Germany. The hotel, official partner of the Fashion Week, is designed in the Art Deco style and targets mostly the high-end business sector. The majority of guests till now are Americans on the road in Europe, German businessmen, Israelis, Russians and UAE citizens. 

Would you dream about a high-end treatment?

Berlin is never keen to appreciate the business style and mentality and I felt a certain reticence to behave in the usual American business-oriented way while touring the hotel as well. However, at least the prices and the room interiors remind clearly that the guests usually belong to the middle and upper class. The services are fast and if you want to visit the hotel for a morning coffee you may be ready to pay at least 10 Euro for the service.

Waldorf Astoria is one of the tallest buildings in town, and from the top you can admire the green West side of Berlin. There are 232 guest rooms and suites provided with TV and elegant furniture. However, following the bad example of the London high-end hotels, the wifi is not for free. The bathroom products are signed by Salvatore Ferragamo. The meeting between metal and mirrors and lights made the place more welcoming and amplifies the space. At almost each store there are special corners where you can read a book, the schedule for the next day or have a preliminary business meeting. As any serious business enterprise, American style, the owners of the hotels invested in a considerable art collection of around 900 works, mostly signed by current and former students of the Academy of Fine Arts. In the restaurant Les Solistes, the photos are signed by Pierre Gagnaire, the careful eye in charge with the French eclectic menu.

The standard room has everything you need to feel pampered

An interesting place to explore is the library, a close space for the guests of the hotel, provided with around 800 books, mostly in English and German and focused on art and design. Some of the books can be consulted during the breakfast in the morning at the Romanisches Cafe, a space that try to recreate the ambiance of the beginning of the 20th century where the cafe used to be a meeting point for intellectuals and artists. Both here and in the library are organized periodically cultural events and readings. 

One of the most elegant spaces of the hotel is the Guerlain Spa which is glamorous, rich and princess style. It is situated at the fifth floor and offers a variety of high-end services: massage, Vichy showers, Hydrotheraphy, sauna, steam room, ice fountains. I am not very well aware what all those services are about but promise to be back one day as the spa is open to anyone interested to use the services. A previous reservation is needed though. 

For more photo stories about Waldorf Astoria Berlin, check my Pinterest board!