Hotel Adlon’s André Höftmann’s Guide to Berlin
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Hotel Adlon Kempinski is something of a legend in Berlin. Dating back to 1907, its corridors have welcomed the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Albert Einstein and Thomas Mann. Through Germany’s eventful past, the hotel has been demolished, burnt and
Hotel Adlon’s André Höftmann’s Guide to Berlin
Hotel Adlon Kempinski is something of a legend in Berlin. Dating back to 1907, its corridors have welcomed the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Albert Einstein and Thomas Mann. Through Germany’s eventful past, the hotel has been demolished, burnt and rebuilt. And today it stands tall across from the Brandenburg Gate, with some rooms overlooking Unter den Linden, known to be the grandest boulevard in Berlin.While Hotel Adlon Kempinski’s Head Concierge André Höftmann may not have witnessed its pre-unification era, he has been with the hotel since 2010 and being born and brought up in Berlin, he has an intimate knowledge of the city’s best-kept secrets. Interestingly, Höftmann also began his career as an intern at the very same hotel, though he then moved on to Hotel Lancaster, Paris, and St. Regis Mardavall, Mallorca. Since 2007, he has also been a member of Les Clefs d’Or.André Höftmann recently took time out of his busy schedule to tell Blouin Artinfo about some of the best places to eat, stay at, and visit in Berlin, the city of beautiful architecture and cultural experimentation. Edited excerpts:What are your recommendations for must-visit places in Berlin and why?I’d recommend East Side Gallery for the remains of the Berlin Wall; Museum Island for its beautiful architecture paired with stunning museums; Nikolai Quarter as it’s the oldest part of town with a church that is almost 800 years old; the former Jewish Quarter as it is now hosting art galleries and upcoming Berlin-based designers along with a busy night life and Brandenburg Gate as it is the icon for Berlin and symbol of a separated and now reunited country.What restaurants, bars, and cafes would you recommend in Berlin and why?Do visit HeimlichTreu as it is hidden in a second inner courtyard and offers modern German cuisine in a cozy atmosphere. Try their HeimlichSour — it’s the perfection of a Whiskey Sour. PeterPaul offers modern German Tapas in a trendy environment, Cafe Einstein Stammhaus lets you have breakfast in a villa and Clärchens Ballhaus provides a peek into Berlin in the 1920s. At Volt, one can enjoy dinner in an old power station!Where would you go and what would you do if you had a free morning or afternoon in Berlin?In the morning, I would walk along my Kiez (neighborhood) and have some coffee at Kaffee(t)raum. Then, I’d walk for to Spreegold for a light breakfast and spend the rest of the morning relaxing in the Park of Friedrichshain. In the afternoon, I would start with a boat ride on the river Spree, meet some friends in a park and do an outside barbecue or visit one of our favorite spots for dinner. The classic Berliner always stays in his Kiez as that is where he enjoys the most.Where would you head to in Berlin for the best shopping and what would you buy?I love collecting old vinyl records so I would probably hit the street markets or known record shops to find new additions for my collection. With regards to shopping, I love the area of the former Jewish Quarter and Kastanienallee as you can buy almost everything there without even looking for it. The Bikini Berlin — a beautiful concept store in the old heart of Berlin is also very inspiring.Where would you recommend people stay (hotels, B&Bs) when they visit Berlin?Of course always in our very own property — there is no other hotel located as well within the city as Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin. The city offers something for everybody and depending on what people are looking for, I would probably suggest the little boutique hotels that are coming up in every borough of the city.What are the best places to see and buy art in Berlin?To see art, I would always send guests to the Boros Collection or the Hamburger Bahnhof for modern and contemporary art. For classics, I would always suggest the Picture Gallery that is an extraordinary collection of old masters. If you want to buy art, it is possible almost everywhere in the city. Still, you will find the highest concentration of art galleries you on Linienstrasse and Auguststrasse in the former Jewish Quarter.What are some of Berlin’s best secret places that everyone should discover?They would not be secret anymore if I put them here — but stroll through different areas of the city and you will see that everywhere, there is something new to discover. The Berliners themselves just discovered that the old market halls that are still in the city shall be used more often — and just like that, new food markets and places to meet friends and enjoy life were revealed from a hundred years’ sleep.What are the best places to see live bands or musicians in Berlin and why?As Berlin is a very musical city, you will find live performances almost everywhere in the city. Still, for classical music there is a must do which is called the Philharmonic Hall.What are the best spots for experiencing Berlin’s nightlife?Berlin has a large variety of bars to offer. Most probably, you would like to check out places like Monkey Bar, Bar Tausend, King Size, Amano, Victoria Bar, Buck and Breck, among others.What projects are you currently working on/involved in?I’m always working on as many people closer to my city as possible and showing them the energy this incredible city has. The better we are as hosts for our city, the more people will come back and visit us. Click on the slideshow to take a look at Berlin Read more
