The knock comes a few moments after the wake-up call. A light rapping on the door, followed by the ringing of the buzzer. The evening before, you’d landed in Berlin at the brand-new Waldorf=Astoria Berlin; you cinch your robe and open the door.
“Guten morgen,” murmurs a willowy young woman attired in a skin-tight, dove gray ensemble, her dark hair in a chignon. She’s bearing a silver tray and pitcher – and the cloth bag with the shoes you left out to be polished last night. “May I come in?”
You nod and watch in a kind of subdued, sleepy awe as she places your shoes on the chaise before pouring your coffee from the silver pitcher. And in that moment, her elegant body silhouetted in the semi-darkness, her long legs tapering to a pair of four-inch stilettos, the silver pitcher in her hand, her lips barely parted, you realize anew why Berlin is synonymous with desire.
(Source: Waldorf=Astoria Berlin)
For the ultimate in bespoke luxury and gracious service, consider taking up residence at the brand-new, 32-floor Waldorf=Astoria Berlin, ideally situated between the retail pleasures of Kurfurstendamm and the lush flora and fauna of the Berlin Zoo in the fashionable western part of Berlin.
Should you arrive before your room is ready, avail yourself of the pleasures of the Guerlain Spa. As for dining, Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire is at the helm of Les Solistes, which is also where guests indulge in a copious breakfast buffet accompanied by starched linens, heavy silver, and fresh orchids.
Designed in a timeless contemporary style befitting the hotel’s Art Deco flagship in New York, the 232 rooms and suites at the Waldorf=Astoria Berlin are luxuriously furnished in velvet, leather, and burled wood. A chaise longue enables celluloid fantasies while a pillow menu with such choices as feather, cherry stone, and horsehair insures Hollywood dreams. Marble bathrooms feature mirrors with televisions and toiletries by Ferragamo.
(Source: Waldorf=Astoria Berlin)
Though The Lang Bar is named for Fritz Lang, one of Berlin’s (and Hollywood’s) most influential film directors, a cocktail in the elegant Art Deco lounge is akin to stepping into a classic Thirties film directed by the always-stylish Ernst Lubitsch. Berlin’s own beloved Romanisches Cafe, a 19th-century bohemian haunt for local artists, musicians, and intellectuals, is lovingly restored at the Waldorf=Astoria Berlin, serving cakes, jazz, and conversation – and, in the lobby, just as in New York, there’s even a Peacock Alley to fan your feathers.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Click here for MRNY feature article about Berlin.
Click here for MRNY slideshow of Berlin.
Editor’s Note: This feature was originally published in Frontiers LA in a slightly altered form.
