The Place
Hotel Art Nouveau is a rare find – a city hotel in an excellent location, yet with a warm, genuine atmosphere that invites you to experience Berlin as a local, instead of a tourist. Proprietor Ingo Bethke welcomes guests personally in reception, which is located on the third floor of a 19thC Art Nouveau building typical to the Charlottenburg district. Even the journey up to reception is charming: if you don’t fancy taking the stairs, you have the option of the vintage cage-style lift.
Inside, its clear that a lot of thought, effort, and Berlin-specific flair has gone into the interior design. Side tables in reception are covered with a selection of books on art and photography, as well as vases of roses. The breakfast room is light-filled and stylish, with parquet flooring and photos of the city’s iconic figures on the walls. Here, guests have the option of a continental breakfast each morning, with a selection of cereals, freshly-cooked eggs, homemade marmalade and cakes, German & Italian sausages and cheese, fresh bread, and fruit salad.
Each of the rooms is uniquely decorated with different colour schemes and wall art – some of which is work by local artists, and available to buy. All rooms, from singles to doubles to the larger suites, have the classic features of a Berlin ‘Altbau’ (19thC building): high ceilings, large windows and wooden floorboards.
In the evening, fetch a drink from the honesty bar and head upstairs to the roof terrace, where you can watch the sun setting over the skyline of Berlin. There’s plenty to do in the Charlottenburg district where Hotel Art Nouveau is located: you’re a stone’s throw from shopping street Kurfürstendamm and the famous Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe), as well as the many bars, cafes and restaurants in the neighbourhood. If you’re new to the city or would just like some recommendations, Ingo is more than happy to help and share his local knowledge.