Sleepless in Berlin – not at the Swissotel

Where:
Swissotel Berlin is situated in the centre of West Berlin located on the world famous boulevard, the Kurfurstendamm, home of trendy cafes, shops, theatres and cinemas.
Tourist attractions including the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche anti-war memorial and the Tiergarten Park are close by.
The historic 1907 department store Kaufhaus des Westens and the impressive KaDeWe department store are a short walk and there’s great shopping in the area.

Back Story
Built in 2001, the chic hotel was designed by architects Gerkan Marg and Partner and includes 316 elegant rooms, a smart eatery – Restaurant 44 which features a slick contemporary decor. There’s also a sleek bar, a cafe, library and a 24/7 fitness room with a sauna, as well as a business centre. It’s an elegant hotel with an impressive art collection, a great ambiance and in an excellent location.

Hotel
Alight from the lift and you immediately feel immersed in the lobby’s eclectic decor and furnishings.
The full-length windows feature amazing views of the Kurfurstendamm and the city skyline.
One of the features is the broad range of reading material including magazines and books in the lobby-library that can be borrowed by guests.
The cosy area entices you to sit down, take a break and select a book from the custom – made walnut bookshelves by architect David Chipperfield that are stocked by Piper Publishers. Even if you can’t finish your book during your stay you can download it from the hotel’s own iBook store. There’s a Club Lounge on the 9th floor that offers inclusions such as buffet breakfast, afternoon tea and evening canapes.

Rooms and Interiors
Our spacious suite had a great view over the city and featured everything you could need.
There was a sitting area, desk, free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TV, as well as minibar and Nespresso machine. Upgraded rooms add complimentary access to the fitness room and there’s 24-hour room service.

Dining
Talented chef Andre Egger stars at the hotel’s signature Restaurant 44. The Swiss-born chef has worked at Zurich’s Radisson BLU hotel, Memories at the Langham Hilton in London and the gourmet Riedenburg in Salzburg.
He enjoys stamping his own take on traditional Swiss cuisine and has a big following.
Egger uses only the best local and organic ingredients to create dishes such as sweet potato Rosti with spring onion, king oyster mushrooms and truffle and Maggia pepper-crusted veal with Pecorinio Regatoni and springtime morels. For a sweet treat the Kaiserschmarrn – sugared pancake pieces with raisins, run and apple compote is superb.
The restaurant with its sleek modern furniture and timber flooring has a panoramic terrace that is perfect for alfresco dining during Berlin’s summery evenings. In winter it is all about warm Swizz cuisine with air-dried beef, raclette and fondue.

Features
Having trouble sleeping? The hotel can help with its Deep Sleep package that assists guests to get a good night’s sleep.
The package is part of the integral Chrono-Health concept developed by sleep consultant, Dr Michael Feld as a joint project with Swissotel Berlin.
Dr Feld is a member of the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine.
The science-based concept promotes biological, psychological and physiological regeneration with a combination of light therapy, power napping, aromatherapy, selected dietary supplements and sleep improvement with the aid of binaural beats.
The sleep deprived can start their day with a 30-minute session in front of a bright light lamp and prior to breakfast guests receive a power drink containing a herbal combination designed to have an energising effect.
During lunch breaks guests can replenish energy reserves in the hotel’s PowerNap lounge where the napping couches – Inemuri Lounges made by Eurofoam developed by physiotherapists and sleep experts, are shaped for optimum power napping.
Guests can snooze for 20-30 minutes in the lounge.
A late evening aromatherapy session based on calming aromas such as lavender and geranium also help prepare for a good night of rest. Forget your normal pillow, it is replaced with a sound pillow playing binaural beats which help to increase the level of relaxing sleep brainwaves. The Deep Sleep package costs an extra 60 euros.

What I loved
The gorgeous red themed Palermo Cocktail Bar is a stunner. The sultry bar complete with red leather chairs and dangling red lights features spectacular views from the floor to ceiling windows. The lobby is also impressive with leather, solid walnut and cedar wood finishes and lots of texture with wool fabrics – it has the feel of a contemporary living room. There are mixed seating combinations and it is a great place to read a newspaper or book or gaze at the eclectic artworks that intrigue and provoke. Also loved those three red tulip chairs near the lift.
Contacts
Berlin Swissotel
Augsburger Str. 44, 10789 Berlin, Germany
Phone:+49 30 220100
www.swissotel.com/hotels/berlin
By Sue Wallace