Review of The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin

The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin offers one of the best locations in Berlin, with both an underground and a city train station (both named Potsdamer Platz) a few steps away from the hotel’s main entrance. The main train station, Hauptbahnhof, is a ten minutes’ drive from the property whilst Berlin’s Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt (BER) is located 18 kilometres southeast of the city centre, around a 30-minute journey depending on traffic. 

The Beisheim Centre, Berlin Mitte in which the hotel is located has become one of the city’s contemporary landmarks with its interpretation of a European city, the entire area consisting of blocks of streets and squares. Potsdamer Platz is a completely new district in Berlin, constructed post reunification on a site which was formerly a post-war wasteland, dissected by the Berlin Wall. 

Remnants of the Cold War past remain with fragments of the aforesaid Wall close by with the original crossing booth of Checkpoint Charlie now in the Allied Museum in Berlin-Zehlendorf and museums highlighting the activities of the former East German State - the Stasi and GDR Museums. 

From the Second World War, there is the Holocaust Museum, the rebuilt Reichstag designed by Sir Norman Foster, once again the seat of the German Federal Government and the Topography of Terror Museum. All in all, there are around 170 museums in Berlin with 30 of them included within the Museum Pass Berlin. 

The adjacent Tiergarten, 210 hectares of green space adjoins the famous Brandenberg Gate with Potsdamer Platz home to the city’s entertainment industries with a world of cultural destinations nearby with Museum Island, Opera Unter Den Linden, the Philharmonic Hall and the 18th century Gendarmenmarkt with Concert Hall.

The iconic department store KaDeWeb is also a tourist haunt and for shoppers, there are “must-visits” to the famous streets of Friedrichstrasse, the major shopping epicentre of central Berlin, Kurfürstendamm, one of the most famous avenues in Berlin, home to several fashion designers and Alexanderplatz, said to be the most visited attraction in Berlin. An unexpected treat for photographers, the city offers an abundance of canals, offering those reflective shots so beloved by Instagram – a German Venice in fact. The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin also has maps of jogging trails available in the woods of the Tiergarten which surround the hotel.

A short drive will take you to the 17th century Charlottenburg Palace with Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam a little further afield and Autostadt Wolfsburg (where you will find another intriguing Ritz-Carlton property) an easy 55 minutes away by high-speed train. 

For parking, there are large underground car parks beneath Potsdamer Platz Arkaden and the SonyCenter.

There are 303 rooms in total at the hotel comprising of deluxe guest rooms and suites, club rooms and a magnificent Penthouse. Room amenities include mood lighting; featherbeds; marble bathrooms with separate showers and tubs, Diptyque bath amenities, hairdryers; double vanities and heated floors, lighted shaving / make-up mirrors; minibar; Nespresso machines; in room safe large enough for laptops; a radio alarm clock and complimentary bottled water. Tech-wise, there are touch-screen room controls, flat screen Smart LCD televisions, integrated electronic plugs and USB ports in the sofas and bedside tables and individual air conditioning and heating controls. 

Luxurious appointed with an Art Deco theme, complemented by contemporary furnishings, the muted colour scheme of champagne, chrome and greys is enlivened with striking kicks of colour. The lead in rooms are the Deluxe Double and Twin rooms and the Ritz-Carlton Club Rooms with views out over the city and courtyard and the Deluxe View Room with additional panoramic views out over Potsdamer Platz – all sized at 40 square metres. The corner Deluxe Rooms are slightly larger with 42 square metres of space with a seating area and work desk. 

The Ritz-Carlton Club floors on floors ten and eleven are effectively a “hotel within a hotel” offering premium services to a select few. The Club Lounge – available for Club Room and premium Suite guests only - is located on the tenth floor and offers private check in and out; a private concierge, a range of food and drink presentations throughout the day; a Library with newspapers and magazines and a relaxing space away from the main body of the hotel. 

There are five different categories of suite here at The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin starting with the Junior Suite at 50 square metres of space, the Deluxe Junior Suite at 57 square metres and the Deluxe Suite at 66 square metres with a semi-private seating area. All three categories come with the option of upgrading to Club Level and access to the Club Lounge. 

The top two suite categories are the Carlton Club Suite and The Ritz-Carlton Suite, both coming with access to the Club Lounge and facilities. The Carlton Club Suite offers 106 square metres of space with panoramic views out over Berlin and a dining area seating up to six people. This has the feel of a private apartment with an entrance foyer; a dramatic black and white marble bathroom; a comfortable seating area with objets d’art and books scattered about; a kitchenette for snacks; and in the bedroom, a dramatic chequerboard floor to ceiling bed headboard and a walk-in closet. Custom lighting and artworks complete the look. 

The Ritz-Carlton Suite, as you might expect, is far larger at 205 square metres of space located on the top floor of the property. Sumptuously decorated with custom finishes and artwork, this two-bedroom suite enjoys separate living and dining areas, a guest cloakroom, a well-equipped kitchen plus an exercise area with treadmill for keeping in shape privately. 

The largest accommodation at 285 square metres of space is the three-bedroom Ritz-Carlton Penthouse which is really a city apartment in its own right. More contemporary in feel than the rest of the guest rooms with a pared-back appeal and luxurious materials used, the Penthouse has sound-proof windows, separate working and working out areas, a fully equipped American Strato kitchen and a dining room for up to ten guests. The living room features a marble fireplace, bookcases and a spacious relaxation space whilst the master bathroom has a magnificent black marble bath with a glass shower and an extensive tropical rain panel. The custom artwork is simply stunning and plentiful, showcasing the modern décor.

For those who like to relax in style, head to the hotel’s wellness areas where you will find an oasis of calm awaiting you. There is a lap pool for those who love the water, a steam sauna, a Finnish sauna and a well-equipped fitness centre with personal trainers on request. For pampering, there is a menu of massage and body treatments available on request. 

Golfers, fear not, for there are several courses available relatively close by including Golf-und Land Berlin-Wannsee with an 18-hole championship course; the Berliner Golf Club Gatow within the city also with an 18-hole golf course; the Märkischer Golfclub Potsdam with an 18-hole championship course and the Golf- und Country Club Seddiner See with two Robert Trent Jones 18-hole courses. 

Families are welcome here with the team ready to entertain their mini guests with a Ritz Kids programme complete with Ritz Kids menus.

Opening in 2004 with a major 40 million Euro refurbishment in 2019, today’s hotel is styled by London’s GA Design, to evoke the glamorously hedonistic world of Berlin of the 1920’s and the golden era of German Cinema with numerous design references cleverly interwoven throughout the hotel. 

The story of Berlin is retold via design with the statement entrance foyer marking the tone with a tall, two-story atrium, cascading chandeliers and ornate marble and ironwork sweeping staircase, perfect for striking a pose or two, especially during the annual Berlinale Film Festival. If you add that luxurious ambiance to The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company’s legendary service standards, this hotel is definitely one of the best in the city and a preferred bolt hole for the great and the good. The structure and décor in fact are so on point, it is hard to believe that this is a relatively new build and not a property dating to the Art Deco period. 

Close to the city’s major tourist attractions, this hotel is also just a few steps away from a cycle ride in the nearby Tiergarten, one of over 170 world-class museums or a canal system that rivals that of Venice so there is plenty here to keep everyone entertained no matter what their interests are.

A relatively new venue to the hotel, Pots Restaurant serves German classics with a twist with cosy banquettes, a private room and an open kitchen for entertaining culinary theatre. The emphasis for the menus is on locally sourced and seasonal produce, ideal for sharing. In the evening, Chef and Patron Dieter Müller and Chef Christopher Kujanski and their team serve a number of four, five and six course menus to suit those who crave a gastronomic experience. Accompanying the menus is a cellar of around 200 selected exclusively German wines with a focus on sustainability and up and coming wine makers. The restaurant’s name is a play on its location plus a nod to the numerous beaten copper pots and pans decorating the venue, referencing the large kettles where Germany beer is traditionally brewed. In the summer months, there is also a terrace available overlooking the Sony Center and Henriette-Herz Park for a more relaxed vibe. 

Marble floors and dazzling mirrors are the Art Deco hallmarks of The Lounge, a beautifully light, spacious, and serene space situated right at the heart of the hotel with all day dining, caviar tastings and afternoon tea served to the twinkling sounds of a live pianist and tea sommeliers eager to allow guests to experience some unusual JING tea blends. 

The Curtain Club meanwhile is a blend of Art Deco mixed with the colour and vividness of Latin America. Designed in the manner of a South American hacienda, circular leather banquette seating surrounds the bar with a stage for those salsa beats and a menu of Latin American drinks and dishes. The drinks reference the tastes of the 20’s whilst the venue also hosts a daily Cigar Club allowing cigar lovers to share their love of tobacco with the hotel’s own aficionados in luxurious surroundings of marble, wood and leather. Twenty cigars are on offer from the walk-in humidor with the selection adjusted at regular intervals by the club’s connoisseur. 

Fragrances Bar is another surprise, dedicated to the modern science of mixology where each drink is inspired by a top-quality perfume. In keeping with that idea, the beautiful interiors are clothed in a luscious palette of red, black and gold showcases elaborate perfume flacons with the ingredients and spirits arranged in pharmacy bottles. Now also housing a pop-up restaurant of the Premium Sushi Delivery Go by Steffan Henssler, the menus offer sushi, modern Japanese cuisine and an excellent sake and special wine menu. Additional Japanese elements include eight hand-drawn pieces on Japanese Washi paper outlining the concept and Japanese values of the brand. 

A Champagne brunch, popular with locals and guests alike, cheers up every first Sunday of the month, starting with drinks at the Curtain Club and The Lounge before heading to eat at Pots. There are many highlights but perhaps the most interesting is the seafood station offered by GO by Steffen Henssler with a variety of salmon, lobster ragout, sushi, lobster and oysters. 

For Champagne lovers, head to the Secret Champagne Garden, a summertime pop-up in a high-level garden overlooking Berlin for Louis Roederer, botanical inspired drinks and a varied menu from the hotel’s kitchens.

The Ritz-Carlton Strategy for environmental responsibility has several strategic objectives including reducing energy and water consumption, increasing local and organic dining options by partnering with local farmers, growers and seafood providers and sourcing environmentally preferred products. They also empower hotel development partners to build green hotels and engage and inspire employees and guests in conservation efforts.

At The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin, the hotel is home to 400,000 honeybees who live in multiple beehives on the hotel’s roof. The honey produced is used in both the restaurant and bar outlets and in the spa whilst guests can take home the hotel’s own honey cakes too as a souvenir. 

Bees housed on rooftop with multiple bee boxes home to 400,000 bees. Honey produced used in restaurants and bars as well as the spa whilst guests can take home honey cakes.