Berlin for the Seasoned Traveller
Berlin is an exciting and bubbly city, subject to constant change, absorbing everything and always open for new impulses. Our work keeps taking us back to the city, where we invariably encounter amazing and amazingly free-spirited people. As it so happens, Pillow & Pepper itself originated in Berlin. Germany's first city is a highly popular destination not just for creative minds, for it offers an exciting mix of art, fashion, and culinary culture that is always worth a weekend trip. Let yourself be inspired, and rediscover Berlin – far from the standard tourist trails!
10 Tips for a Smashing Weekend:
Tip no. 1: Hotel Zoo – Berlin's New Glamour Venue, Made by VIPs for VIPS
Entering the new Hotel Zoo, you will find yourself walking down a jade-green runner by Diane von Fürstenberg that features a design of prowling leopards. This “cat walk” of 22 metres will take you straight to the reception. Here, the room widens to give you a good view of the hotel's centre piece, the Living Room. Exposed brick masonry, a large hearth, ceilings seven metres high, hand-crafted stucco, and oversized industrial windows strike an accomplished balance between a New York townhouse atmosphere and classic elegance.
Tip no. 2: Das Stue – Berlin's First Luxury Boutique Hotel
A hotel room with a view of wild horses and antelopes – right in the heart of Berlin. Inside, you will find leather sculptures of rhinos, buffalo, and tortoises. The unique view of the zoo with its animal enclosures was integrated into the design of the Hotel Das Stue as a key element.
Tip no. 3: Gorki Apartments – Your Perfect Launch Pad
If you need plenty of privacy, but want to mingle with the locals and experience the bustling metropolis first-hand, there is probably no better place to start than the Gorki, the perfect temporary home in Berlin. Opened in November 2013, this boarding house in the Mitte district of Berlin is a trendy alternative to your classic hotel room.
Tip no. 4: Pauly Saal – Creative German Cuisine
Pauly Saal, Berlin-Mitte
Would you expect to find a trendy restaurant within the walls of a former Jewish school for girls? Hardly. Taking your seat on moss-green upholstery before tables decked in white tablecloths at the Pauly Saal, you will relish the fresh-market cuisine created by its young charismatic chef, Michael Höpfl.
Tip no. 5: Spindler – a New Culinary Hot Spot in Kreuzberg
Frank Spindler, the owner, is a familiar face in Berlin's cutting-edge gastronomy. In late December 2014, he opened his very own restaurant. The Spindler has everything it takes to make your evening a success: cosy but chic ambience, dim lighting, and very friendly staff.
Tip no. 6: Princess Cheesecake
Princess Cheesecake – the name is misleading in the sense that this is hardly the princess but the reigning queen of Berlin's pastry scene. With its feminine interior and its tantalizing cake display case, this place is arguably the emergency room for cheesecake addicts or indeed anyone with a sweet tooth in Mitte.
Tip no. 7: Boros Collection in the Bunker
The private art collection of Karen and Christian Boros housed in a wartime air raid shelter combines history with contemporary art in an intriguing way. The historic air raid shelter is topped by a glassed-in penthouse where the couple made its dream of a unique residence come true.
Tip no. 8: Mario Testino “In Your Face”
In his first show in Berlin, renowned fashion photographer Mario Testino is presenting 125 provocative pictures a the Kulturforum. «In Your Face» covers the entire spectrum of his photographic oeuvre. You will find supermodels like Kate Moss, Stephanie Seymour and Giselle Bündchen as well as music legends like Mick Jagger, Madonna and Lady Gaga portrayed in Testino's unmistakeable visual language. The show will end on 26 July 2015.
Tip no. 9: Grill Royal
If you wish to experience supermodels and actors live, you should book a table at The Grill, as the venue is called by locals. It is the best place for steaks in town, and for seeing lots of celebrities.
Tip no. 10: Buck and Breck
Not quite ready to turn in yet, we move on to Buck and Breck, a small and cosy bar at Brunnenstrasse 177 in the district of Mitte, for a nightcap. Hidden behind an inconspicuous door you will find a celestial hideaway that serves the best drinks in town. The bar, topped in snake leather, accommodates 16 patrons only. So it is a good idea to make reservations if you wish to get one of the coveted stools.
Ready for more? We have compiled 10 hotel and restaurant recommendations in Berlin for you on pillowandpepper.com – each one of them tested in person, on location.
We hope you have fun planning your next trip and yet more pleasure in Berlin!