Location.

Rating: 4 out of 5

I have to admit that the location of the Soho House Berlin is not the most ideal (in my opinion). It’s a bit of a walk to the next metro line, which will take you to all the top sights in Berlin… But on the contrary you have the Hackescher Markt nearby, which makes up for a lot. Personally I think that this is one of the best shopping areas of Berlin. Lots of cute shops and cafés to hang out at.

• Address: Torstraße 1, 10119 Berlin, Germany
• Tel.: +49 30 40 50 440
• Website: sohohouseberlin.de

Comfort Level.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Oh my God, what can I say? The Soho House Berlin has it all:

Lobby: The lobby is very appealing with two counters (check-in on the right & the club members counter to the left) and a nice lounge area in the centre. Computers in the back as well as a garden.

Rooms: The rooms are absolutely amazing! 65 bedrooms are situated over 6 floors and come in six different categories: Tiny, Small, Medium, Big, Large and Extra Large. I booked myself into a “Big Room” and was not disappointed: 75 m2, King size bed, free standing bathtub, oversize armchairs, huge flat-screen TV, steam bath, floor heating, a traditional vintage record player, Bose iPod docking station  and selection of custom vinyl LP’s and an amazing view of the Alexanderplatz. All rooms are equipped with Cowshed therapeutic products – with which I’m completely in love!

Club/Restaurant: The stunning central bar immediately stands out on the Club Floor. The House Kitchen is located on one end of the room, while the seating area is on the other end, featured with a mixture of oversized sofas, banquette seating and comfortable chairs. Two fireplaces sit on either side of the bar, while the rest of the room is decorated with warm chandelier lighting.

Above the Club Floor you’ll come across the Rooftop, which is especially stunning in the warmer months. Still you could go for a dip in the heated pool, tiled with green stone and surrounded by timber decking.

Big Plus:

• All hotel guests have access to free Wi-Fi and Wireless printing facilities.

A little downer:

• There’s no real parking area in front of the hotel, so you have to walk towards the street to catch a cab. And there is no door man.

Food & Drinks.

Rating: 5 out of 5

The breakfast, lunches and dinners are delicious and I really enjoyed the easygoing, homelike atmosphere of the Club Floor. The music & mood changes according to the time of the day. And they do it in such a great way, that you really feel like it’s a different location.

Tip:

• Try the Hugo – it’s so delicious!

Service & Hospitality.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Super friendly staff that is courteous, open, casual and well informed about the cities activities and sights. No matter what time of the day, someone will be there for you to make you feel like a million dollars.

Only one minor issue: I was woken up in the middle of the night because a staff member wanted to bring me a water bottle. Even though I told the guy that he got the wrong room, it happened again the next night. And then they wanted to charge me for the water when checking-out, but immediately apologized for it…

Price Range.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Yes, the Soho House Berlin is expensive, yes. But it’s very much worth it and you truly get what you pay for. And it also depends which room category you prefer.

Here’s a quick overview of the most important prices:

Sleeping.

• 1 night per room (depending on room type & day): 170,00 – 650,00 €

Food & Drinks.

• Breakfast Buffet (includes pastries, cereal, jam, honey, butter, yoghurt, fruits, berries, cured meats & cheese): 12,00 €
• Café Latte: 3,00 €
• Smoothie: 5,00 €
• Cocktails: 9.00 €
• Cheeseburger: 15,00 €

Overall Feedback & Impression.

Rating: 4.6 out of 5

This exclusive hotel in Berlin is the address for globe-trotting coolhunters who want to combine power-brunching with decadent downtime; it combines casual luxury with Berlin’s raw glamour. Definitely my hotel of choice in the German capital.

… sorry for the photo quality, but since taking photos is not allowed (sucks bad time!), I could only take very few shots with my iPhone (except the ones from my room).

Soho House Berlin | Outside view of the hotel located on Taborstrasse.

Soho House Berlin | “Big Room” | King size bed, large TV screen, sound system, free-standing bath tub and much more…

Soho House Berlin | “Big Room” | King size bed, large TV screen, sound system, free-standing bath tub and much more…

Soho House Berlin | View out of my room to the Berlin TV Tower.

Soho House Berlin | Breakfast Area | Super cozy with lounge chairs, warm lights and a great variety of yummy food.

Soho House Berlin | Dining Area | Bar, lounge furniture & fireplace.

But just because of the points mentioned above, it doesn’t mean it’s not worth a visit! The 5 sights mentioned below were my personal favourite during our trip. Sure, most of them (actually all of them) are pretty obvious, but as said, Berlin’s landmarks can be pretty darn impressive during night…

1. Brandenburger Gate.

The Brandenburger Gate in Berlin – With its massive structure, the Brandenburger Gate is well-known around the world.

2. Berlin Cathedral.

Berlin Cathedral – Both during day and night, this structure is very impressive, yet the light installation during night makes it stand out even more.

3. Reichstag Building.

Reichstag Building in Berlin – Be sure to check our the inside as well (but don’t forget to register in advance, otherwise the waiting time is forever!)

4. Reichstagskuppel.

Reichtagskuppel in Berlin – Definitely one of the highlights during our trip, but it took us two days to get in because when we first came, the Reichskuppel was closed due to bad weather.

5. Alexanderplatz.

Alexanderplatz with its famous TV Tower, Berlin – This was the view from our hotel room. We also went up the tower, but again, due to heavy snow, we didn’t see a thing.

… And Then Came “Xaver”.

Nothing seemed to stop us from exploring Berlin and its top sights … except wind storm “Xaver”; streets have been blocked, flights & trains cancelled and winds of up to 225km/h lashed across North-Germany. In Berlin, this meant snow-storm to the max! Looking out of our hotel room window in the morning was like a nightmare come true. But, the clock was ticking, so even the “Big Room” at the Soho House Berlin couldn’t keep us from staying in.

Wind storm “Xaver” made the first day in Berlin a bit … uncomfy. But, we kept up the spirit and simply drank lots of “Glühwein” to keep warm.

East Side Gallery – hip, but definitely too cold to get the full on experience.

A little cold, wind or snow never kept us from exploring, after all we’re Austrians! So we were off to explore hip Berlin. Starting point was the East Side Gallery along the Berlin Wall.

Street art along the Berlin Wall – East Side Gallery | “My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love”

Street art along the Berlin Wall – East Side Gallery.

Did I already mention that is was freezing!?! And I take everything back with “a little snow can’t get us down … it can!”

Berlin Mitte & Kreuzberg – Hipper.

We’re getting there; Kreuzberg was a bit disappointing to be honest. Maybe because we went there at the wrong time of the day – during the day. My friend Aurelia told me that this part of Berlin becomes famous after dark. For my kind of taste, Kreuzberg was rundown and dirty with weird looking peeps. I’m Viennese so maybe I’m just too conservative for this kind of hippness?! Possibly. Still, we found two lovely cafés is which we spent a fair amount of time (not only because of the lovely weather outside). Berlin-Mitte on the contrary was a super spot. Lovely shops, cute cafés, endless dwelling along the streets.

Kreuzberg is supposed to be one of the hippest areas in Berlin. Maybe I went there at the wrong time (?), because there was nothing that hip about it…

“Made in Berlin” is one of the hippest second hand shops in Berlin. I agree.

Urban Spree – The Hippest.

“Sunken at the forefront of the RAW maze-like compound, Urban Spree is a graffiti-laden brick and concrete self-proclaimed “(re)creative space”—but don’t let that put you off. Pretentious parentheses in the description aside, if you walk on by you’re missing out. Upstairs, an artist’s laboratory and workshop rings with buzz-words of Berlin’s urbanization: engage, interact, collaborate, fuck off Media Spree etc. With the multifaceted city itself as an inspirational source, the program of events is fittingly schizophrenic. Previous times have seen the space give a temporary home to a Flohmarkt, a short film festival, Berlin fashion week, even a Korean food night, plus all the usuals – so keep your eyes on their schedule as there’s no telling what’ll come next.”

We were lucky to come at the right time. The “Voodoo X-Mas Market” was the right place to find cool and extraordinary presents. I didn’t find any presents but treated myself to two super sweet ponchos. Urban Spree is a pretty hip place with exactly those hip kind of people I missed in other parts of Berlin.

And then we cam to “Urban Spree” in Berlin-Friedrichshain … pretty hip place.

We were lucky to be there at the right time of the year since there was an artsy “Voodoo X-Mas Market” happening.

Cool graffiti can be found outside and inside at Urban Spree.

Shoes, cloths, jewellery … cool and extraordinary presents to be found at the “Voodoo Market” (happening only once every 4 months).

And I bought some super sweet ponchos…

The “Voodoo Market” at Urban Spree was definitely a highlight during our Berlin trip.

So, is Berlin as hip as everyone thinks?

Well, in my opinion, Berlin has done a great job promoting itself as the hippest city in Europe. But is it really the hippest? I personally don’t think so (please don’t hate me my Berlin friends). I really enjoyed the days in the German capital and had great experiences with brilliant photo opportunities, but I missed the flair & charm that other European cities offer. Maybe I’m spoiled with Vienna on this, but I think if you want more than just partying (which I have to admit is pretty darn awesome!), Berlin is just as ordinary as any other city. And then again, I’ll be back in summer, when I’m not affected by minus degrees and layers of cloths, to give it another go.

What do you think?

1. HafenCity.

The HafenCity can be found by the Hamburg Harbour and is the biggest town planning project of Europe. Attractive living spaces and complex monuments are built beside the Speicherstadt. A lot has been done and making it an interesting place to walk across.

The HafenCity in Hamburg. Photo credit by flickr member Ruth Flickr.

2. Blankenese – Süllberg.

Blankenese is a small village in the outskirts of Hamburg and it is well known for lovely villas facing the river Elbe. The steep hillside residences boast many tiny, pedestrian-only streets and 4,864 stairs. The Strandweg is home to the Strand Hotel, built in 1902, as well as several other cafés and restaurants. There are two lighthouses, a roman garden, a doll museum and many parks and walking trails in Blankenese.

Süllberg in Hamburg, Germany. Photo credit flickr member spityHH.

3. Reeperbahn.

Hamburg’s most popular street of St. Pauli is nightclub and red-light district as well. Besides red-light business you will also find many theatres, restaurants, music-clubs and discos.

The Reeperbahn in Hamburg, Germany. Photo credit flickr member werner boehm.

4. Hamburg from Above.

The “HighFlyer” is Hamburg’s highest vantage point and the largest captive balloon in Europe! From 150 metres above, you’ll have a great view over Germany’s most beautiful city.

Hamburg from above. Photo credit flickr member spityHH.

5. Hamburg Fischmarkt.

Thousands of people from all around the world are coming to the Fischmarkt at the Elbe river in Hamburg every Sunday morning. You’ll find dozens of stalls selling fish and everything else from food to plants and flowers, and household goods. In the old fish market building itself you can listen to great live music.

The Fischmarkt in Hamburg, German. Photo credit by flickr member Jan I.

If you have any other insider tips and/or ideas for great photo opportunities, please drop me a line below :) Thanks!

What Ulli and I didn’t think of was the extremely (!) cold weather. If you go skiing or snowboarding, snow & cold winds don’t bother you that much but if you want to stroll around a city, -15° Celsius is not the right temperature for that. It didn’t take us very long until we decided that we’d skip Schloss Neuschwanstein.

I’ve never been to Munich during winter and I’ll keep that in mind for my next visit; the entire city (except the Altstadt centre – where we spent most of the time anyway) was empty, grey and unpretty. But I guess the city of Munich was not the only victim of winter-ugliness, so that’s the positive aspect.

Anyway, here are some impressions of our day trip to Munich: