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| Waldorf
Astoria Berlin · Germany |
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| Berlin
· Germany |
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Society -
Extraordinary
May 2013 |
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6 Stars
& 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Hotel & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars
Award™ |
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| “Berlin ist eine Reise wert”--business or
leisure, and the Waldorf Astoria Berlin has been on our agenda since its
inception. And when Chef Pierre Gagnaire took over the Solistes Restaurant, it
moved to the top of our list. We were already impressed with Gagnaire’s
cuisine, as witnessed at ‘Le Menus’ (one of Moscow's signature
restaurants) in the Lotte Hotel. We arrived at Berlin’s bustling main
train station on ‘ICE,’ a high-speed train which connects
Germany’s major cities. ICE services Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne,
Frankfurt and others showing off the country's most picturesque scenery on its
way. From here we taxied to ‘Bahnhof Zoo’ where the new Waldorf
Astoria is located. Berlin is an edgy and restless city, from its often
far-fetched fashion culture to the remnants of ‘The Wall’, from its
incredible architecture to an infamous political history, and to Letzten
Instanz, the 16th-century restaurant that was frequented by Napoleon Bonaparte
and Beethoven--“Berlin is worth a trip.” |
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| The Hotel Waldorf Astoria, a
387 ft skyscraper overlooking Germany’s oldest zoo, opened in Berlin
earlier this year; its presidential suite is now the highest in the city.
Considering the legacy of its Waldorf Astoria mother hotel in New York City, I
was somewhat surprised by the eclectic Art Nouveau style within this brand-new
hotel. The Waldorf Astoria Berlin provides all the amenities and gadgets one
would expect from Germany's first Waldorf Astoria. My "junior suite" was very
well equipped and well suited; however, the outsourced cleaning service did not
seem to live up to Waldorf Astoria’s highest standards. |
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| Waldorf
Astoria Berlin - Accommodation |
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| We did feel that the breakfast buffet might have had a
more prominent and accessible location. Tucked away in an adjoining wing of the
Solistes Restaurant, it lacked the elaborateness of what one expects from one
of Berlin’s finest. But, what did impress me immediately was the
“Welcome, Mr. Buehrmann!” chant I heard as I approached the main
entrance. Of course all the world's elite hotels now "google" their guests
before their arrival as a standard procedure, but how the bell staff recognized
my persona and called me by name, even before I approached the front desk,
remains undisclosed. Well done! |
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| General Manager Friedrich Niemann has overseen the new
Waldorf Astoria Berlin project since September 2010. During the building phase
the tall, personable executive could be found with his construction helmet
nearly everywhere on the site, granting him priceless insights into the new
project. With previous executive experience at the Sofia Hilton and the
Athénée Palace Hilton Bucharest, to mention only two, Niemann's
hopes for this Waldorf Astoria are high. Congratulations and all the best for
Mr. Niemann and his team. |
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by
Thorsten Buehrmann
Editor: Ingrid Lemme
Editor at Large: Tim
Nielsen
Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola |
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| © 2013 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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