Swissotel, Berlin

By Jeremy Atiyah

Published: 24 May 2003

The Swissôtel is just one of the new buildings that have sprung up in the Zoo area of West Berlin, designed to replace the tawdry city-centre blocks considered so glamorous in the 1960s. In common with certain other Berlin hotels in the five-star category, it is trying to promote itself as Swiss (efficient to a fault), trendy (full of modern art) and classy (Anton Mosiman runs the restaurant). It doesn't throb: don't expect crowds of flashy people. Instead the lobby is a silent, almost modest haven, four floors up from the street. Spaces throughout the hotel are sprinkled with paintings and sculptures from the German artist Markus Lüpertz said to be worth €20m.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Augsburger Strasse 44, 10789 Berlin, Germany (00 49 30 220100; www.swissotel.com). The hotel is in the heart of old West Berlin, at the top of the city's most illustrious shopping street, Kurfurstendamm, and overlooking the landmark Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtnis Church. The upper rooms have fabulous views of the city. The only snag is that since 1989 the Ku'damm has become deeply untrendy. Mitte, a few kilometres to the east, is now the only place to be seen.


Transport: there is little to see within walking distance of the hotel, apart from the zoo and lots of shops. But Berlin's public transport is excellent, and the Swissôtel is only a few minutes walk from Zoo station, a major transport hub. Fast and inexpensive connections by overground train (S-Bahn) and underground (U-Bahn) run from here to all parts of the city.


Time to international airport: while From West Berlin's old airport, Tegel, a taxi takes 15 minutes at off-peak hours and costs around £15. The No 109 bus from the airport terminal (every 10 minutes for most of the day) takes about 30 minutes and stops right across the road from the hotel. The fare is about £2.50 each way.


ARE YOU LYING COMFORTABLY?
Your room is likely to have a soothing colour scheme of milk chocolate and butterscotch. The space at your disposal is not colossal, though the soft leather armchairs, potted orchids and original art on the walls will certainly suggest colossal expense. The bathrooms feature free loofer-mits and extra large tubs with space for two.


Keeping in touch: You can access the internet via your TV, though it will cost you a minimum of £5 every time you check your e-mails. Every room has modem sockets.


THE BOTTOM LINE
Double rooms cost from €120 (£86). You can book direct or through Leading Hotels of the World (00800 2888 8882; www.lhw.com).


I'm not paying that: Just round the corner is the Jugendgästhaus am Zoo (00 49 3129410) at Hardenbergstrasse 9a. A bed in a four-bed dormitory costs about £13.