Bedrooms look quite traditional. In fact, most of the hotel is quite traditional.

The bathroom: I would have described it as small but rather functional
with a funky mirror, had only the hot water been more reliable.

Nice breakfast: A poached egg in the breakfast style of the Tchaikovsky Restaurant.

A nice bonus for Hotel Telegraaf guests: The Elemis Spa. The use of these
pools and the sauna is free. Both traditional and steam sauna are available.

This is Estonia.
A tiny country with 1,34 million people. Until 1991 it was a part of the evil empire known as the Soviet Union. Still, 19 years later, gloomy remains of the Soviet occupation are to be found here and there, most commonly in post-war architecture. On my first visit to the country, the streets were littered with boozed-up lads. Thanks to less-than-sophisticated organizers like Pissup Tours, (sadly they’re not just merely a joke), the country had gained a reputation for being the ultimate stag-party destination where you could get 36 imperial gallons of beer for 1 Euro and the young women were rumoured to be, how to put it… ahem, loose. Thankfully, on my second visit to the country, the intoxicated young gentlemen weren’t visible; also the public view of this country seem to be changing.

This is Hotel Telegraaf.
Built by the Revaler Handels Bank in 1878 and designed by Peter Schreiberg of St. Petersburg. Forty years later it became the exchange station for the Estonian Telegraph company, hence the hotel’s name. Honestly, it still feels a little like entering a bank. Spaces are not exactly cool and airy. Well-fed bisnismen would feel more like at home in this environment. As to challenge this, the hotel is listing Lenny Kravitz, Enrique Iglesias, Morrisey and… (drumroll!) Rod Stewart among its famous guests. Well, OK then…

Rooms are on the classic side…
Hotel Telegraaf is by no means offering a spectacular design experience. I enter a clean, pretty comfortable and traditionally furnished little space (it’s certainly not huge). It’s just a nice room and I honestly needed to look at my own photos in order to remind myself of ever having stayed there. No major flaws, although the hot water seemed to be elsewhere for a while, but apparently it only needed a little time to heat up. I was a bit puzzled – when would this place start to collect points? The reviews I’ve read before heading to Estonia were all praising this place. I didn’t find that much worth praising.

First; breakfast. Then the spa…
The hotel’s Tchaikovsky restaurant has been rated in the top-three of Estonian restaurants. No, I didn’t have dinner there as I went for something more… contemporary, but they delivered a hotel breakfast that was way better than expected. Then a walk to the end of a corridor and down the stairs. Just when you think that you’re about the enter the garage through a backdoor, you’re at the front desk of the Elemis Spa. It’s quite a nice facility. There’s a 3×10 meter pool (+27 °C) and a jacuzzi (+35 °C). There’s also a steam sauna and a regular sauna. These are all free to hotel guests. Of course you’ll also find all the treatments you’d ever be able to afford.

After writing all this…
I feel a little sour awarding the Hotel Telegraaf with only three stars. The rating could have been higher if there had been a special rulebook for reviewing hotels in quickly emerging countries that only recently were behind the iron curtain. But, naah… I’d better use the same scale as for any other hotel. However, if you’re about to spend some time in gorgeous Tallinn, this is a very nice choice. The hotel is not a bustling place, booming with activity 24/7. It’s more of a… nice choice. Nice and traditional and yet still not so traditional as this is Tallinn, baby.

Telegraaf Hotel
Vene 9
10123 Tallinn
Estonia

+372 6000600

Time to go east? Then click here to book the Hotel Telegraaf through TabletHotels.com!

Not glitzy. This is a typical 32 square meter bedroom. According to a
brochure the rooms are “…characterised by their singular, functional design.”

Room 61: Washbasin and shower with a view.

In-room Casa Camper slippers. Not available in stores.

Top floor: Instead of having minibars in the rooms, guests can pop up
around the clock for coffee, tea and snacks. It’s included in the room price.

Thanks Casa Camper. It actually feels like you mean it.

I absolutely, honestly love this shoemaker’s shoes.
I admit it: My feet are shaped like Donald Duck’s. This means that just about no shoes feel good while I break them in. The exception to that rule is Camper. I’m thankful for what this Spanish shoemaker has brought to my wardrobe. Last year I stayed in the first Casa Camper, located in Barcelona’s El Raval neighbourhood. And weird as it may sound, the folks at Camper have managed to take the good stuff from their shoes and apply it to their hotels.

”…as a place for grown-up hipsters with a heart.”
I didn’t invent the grown-up hipster thing. It was something that I stumbled upon while checking the internet for reviews. I don’t exactly know what a hipster is but as for the heart thing, there are little messages here and there, like: ”Walk down. It’s healthier.” That is the message on the sign next between the elevator and the stairs. “Ugly but important.” reads the message underneath the emergency evacuation plan on the back of the door to my room.

OK then, what about rooms?
Rooms are identical in size: 32 square meters painted in that brick red color. A comfy bed. Tolomeo lamps on the wall. An easy chair next to a small table. TV on the wall. Berlin map on the wall. The bathroom is located near the window. The light is flooding. Open closet in oak with Camper slippers. Writers desk next to washbasin. It works. It’s not oozing with luxury. Obviously, designers Fernando Amat and Jordi Tio have been focusing on what’s functional and stylish, rather than bold and glitzy.

Take another look at the pictures above.
First, let’s me just say that the concierge services are excellent. The staff know their city and they are eager to help. Now, back to that picture: See the table with the miniature buffet? That’s what you get instead of a minibar in your room. Guests are invited to go to the breakfast room and help themselves to warm and cold drinks, (including espresso coffee and Pago juice), snacks, fruit and sandwiches. All included in the room-rate. The concept was tried out at the Casa Camper in Barcelona. It’s smart and it works. Which is quite a good way to describe the whole hotel: It’s smart and it works.

Casa Camper Berlin
Weinmeisterstraße 1
10178 Berlin
Germany

+49-30-20003410

Click here to book the Casa Camper Berlin through TabletHotels.com

BONUS INFO: Also, the hotel boasts a great restaurant: Dos Palillos. Here you will build your own sushi and have Asian tapas, prepared under the supervision of Albert Raurich, who used to be the commander in chief at El Bulli. Highly recommended, even if you’re not a guest at the hotel.

It measures 118 square meters so prepare to burn some calories while
taking a walk to the bed or to the minibar, (or from the bed to the minibar).

How’s that for a convenient room layout? The bed is only
five steps away from the free-standing bathtub.

Behind the glass wall: A shower room with twin monsoon showers.

The closest screen (TV) is 32″. The one by the wall (for DVD/Blu-Ray discs) is 63″

A department store, opened in 1928, later seized by the Nazis and after
the war housing the Communist Party archives. Now: Club, bistro and hotel.

Not much can prepare you for room #39.
It is a pretty respectable room. Rather sizeable. Quite spacious. No, honestly, it’s frikkin massive. If you find yourself in a X-Large room at the Soho House Berlin, you will have 118 square meters (1270 square feet) to play with. A free-standing bathtub has been strategically placed only a few meters away from a gianormous bed with a garage-sized plush headboard. At the other end of the room there’s a 63″ flat-screen TV. Somewhere in the middle there’s a chaise longue with a separate TV. The oversized bathroom has a walk-in shower room with two monsoon showers. Und so weiter.

Yes, you are in a private member’s club.
It’s private but you won’t feel like an outsider. The staff is on alert to make us non-members feel right at home. On one occasion an overly cautious staff member acts like he wants to stop me – but he quickly gets stopped and hushed at by his colleagues. The concierge capabilities – amazing, (which was expected). The waiters by the pool – top notch. You may order a simple cheeseburger for lunch but you are treated like royalty. The bartenders – fantastic, (even though they were new to the phenomenal drink that I call Averna sour). As readers of this website know by now, I’m particularly sensitive when it comes to the staff members. I give the Soho House Berlin five stars mainly because the people I was in contact with overdelivered on service and friendliness.

Building’s got a story.
In New York, it’s hard to even find the entrance of the Soho House. In London, the Shoreditch House is tucked away on a side street you wouldn’t notice. The Berlin property is quite the opposite. It resides in former department store from 1928, (the Jewish Kaufhaus Jonass with the slogan “Jeden Preis ein Schlager”). Later, the building was seized by the Nazis and used as the cozy HQ of the Reichsjugendführung. Even later it was home to the Communist Party archives. Today, it’s a hotel with 40 rooms, a spa, a rooftop restaurant with a pool, a club room area, a screening room and one event space floor affectionally referred to as the Politbüro. Susie Atkinson is responsible for the design. She’s done a great job, although I’m not a huge fan of the lobby area’s industrial look. It actually feels a little… out-of-date. A pity, as the rest of the house is delivering a very cushy, homey feeling.

Ausgezeichnet! Kommen Sie sofort!
Yes, it’s worth the trip to Berlin to come here. It’s not really a hotel – it’s a house. And when coming here, remember to dress casually. The folks at the Soho House Group request members and visitors to not wear suits and ties. In an interview, Nick Jones, the man behind the Soho House said: ”It has always been a creative, friendly place with a relaxed feel. If there are too many corporate types around then that atmosphere doesn’t occur.” Since the writer of this website is not a banker, he’s not feeling particularly affected. Also, the main priority of the Soho House Berlin seems to be making guests feel at home. A prime example: Along with the room’s complimentary coffee and tea on a silver tray, I also found a box with the text ‘Treats’ on its lid. It contained home-made biscuits. I ate them and yes, they were delicious.

NOTE: As I write this, work on the building is not entirely finished. The Italian restaurant Cecconi’s will open autumn 2010.

Soho House Berlin
Torstrasse 1
Berlin, 10119
Germany

+49-30-405-0440

Book at room at the Soho House Berlin? Simple, just click here!

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View other Soho House Group establishments on this site:
Soho House, Meatpacking District, NYC
Shoreditch House, Shoreditch, London
High Road House, Chiswick, London

Works better here: In the bathrooms you don’t mind the clean and rather antiseptic design.

Tell me, honestly, straight from the heart; how modern does this look to you?

From the outside it looks very much like a car rental facility, if you ask me.

So you want to go shopping, don’t you?
Tourist guides often praise the Kurfürstendamm as being the place for “Some of the best shopping in Europe…” Honestly, it always failed to impress me, as a few stores of the Gucci/Louis Vuitton/Cartier kind will never be reason enough to call an area interesting. Consequently, for me this means that the location of the Ku’Damm 101 will never have the same magnetic pull as it seems to have on the authors of these tourist guides.
Also, the Ku’ Damm 101, is not located in the middle of everything, but in a converted office block in Wilmersdorf; a district at the very west end of the boulevard.

Prepare yourself for something that’s trying to be modern.
Behind the transformation of the non-descript office building into a place that tries to be both design-y and modern-ish is the Swiss concept/design firm Kessler + Kessler. One reliable site tells that “…there’s a subtly institutional feeling throughout, a playful wink toward the office design of decades past.” There sure is an institutional feeling. Sadly the concept/design people forgot that there’s a life to a hotel long after the design sketches; someone eventually will pay for staying there. Antiseptic, is the word I’d like to use. Rooms feel like somebody started to furnish them and then changed his mind and stopped when the work was only half done. With that in mind, the fact that those concept folks embraced Le Corbusier’s colour theories* when designing the hotel… well, to me it only sounds like corporate ca-ca.

Will modern-ish furniture make a hotel feel modern?
The rooms feature furniture by Lemongras Design (yes, only one ’s’), a Munich-based company. Their most obvious contribution to the rooms is the TV trolley. There’s no minibar and no room-service is available. If you want to, you can rent a stocked mini-refrigerator. The modern-ish ideas become clearly visible in the laboratory-like breakfast room on the 7th floor. It should be mentioned that some obligatory Arne Jacobsen chairs can be found in the lobby.

Is there anything good with this hotel?
The helpful and friendly staff makes a difference. The warmth they added to my stay is worth one extra star. It is also well worth mentioning that this hotel is not a very expensive one – so if you’re travelling on a budget and want a place that’s clean although not cosy, you might consider the Ku’Damm 101. But with just a little bit of extra thought added to the interior design, my guess is that guests would much feel much more like at home. Damn! I feel sorry for them. It wouldn’t even have been costly.

Ku’ Damm 101 Hotel
Kurfürstendamm 101
D-10711 Berlin
Germany

+49-30-52 00 55-0

Click here to book the Ku’Damm 101 through TabletHotels.com

*The Swiss company Salubra, a producer of wallpaper, hired Le Corbusier and made it possible for him to develop his Purist colour theory. This was based on the effects of colour on the human being and proposed that human reactions to colour were constant. Apparently, there were no theories published on what effects a sloppy and unfinished design work will have on hotel guests…

The bathroom in #170. Quite large. Quite nice. It’s also quite unpractical.
Truth: As soon as you’ll get a tiny bit of water on the floor it looks messy.

What if we didn’t use a regular sink? What if we’d let the water pour over
a large polished stone? Wouldn’t that give people something to talk about?

This is exactly what it looks like: A huge wooden lamp in a corridor space.

Room enlightment: The Cosy lamp by Harri Koskinen, (designed for Muuto, 2006).

Conference anyone? One of the nicest rooms in the hotel.

As the entire exterior is listed, any large neon signs would be impossible.
So you will have to remember what it looks like. Or trust your cabbie.

In theory they have everything going for them…
First, the location is crazy. It’s a green oasis in the very center of Stockholm, and it’s not the size of a tennis court. This is a green island with lawns and trees and shrubbery and, you know… vegetarian stuff. Second, the hotel occupies a historic building. More precisely some former Marine barracks built in 1699. We locals call it “The Long Row”. Third, they commissioned the most celebrated and award-winning architect trio known to the editorial staff of Wallpaper, Claesson Koivisto Rune, to create the 81 rooms and public spaces. So in theory, this was a successful project before it even started.

In practical terms, they kick it off brilliantly.
On arrival, I’m greeted with so much warmth that I immediately book an additional night. The young, charming lady, let’s call her Åsa, takes care of everything. Sadly I theh have to turn down an offer to upgrade to an X-Large room if I want to stay two nights without having to change the room. That’s OK. I pick a Large room. The room is large alright and the trademark style of Claesson Koivisto Rune is all over it. Too cold and too (struggling to find the correct word) boring for my liking. The bathroom looks OK. The sleeping area feels oddly unfinished. But that’s just me. I’m sure that this is the kind of Scandinavian minimalism that will make any foreign, design-conscious journalist salivate.

It’s then things start to go wrong. In very practical terms.
First I’m asked if I’ve spoken to Marcus. I have not. After a while he materializes into a young man with wavy hair. ”There’s a problem.” It will not be possible to stay two nights in the large room. Aha. We are slightly overbooked this weekend, is the explanation I later get from Mr. Marcus’ colleague. I ask the front desk to confirm this with Åsa, and I explain the ‘downgrade’ situation from X-Large to Large. While in the reception I end up overhearing a conversation between another front desk member and a guest: ”So maybe you could tell me what you have booked… as there is a little confusion within our system.” In my mind I’m painting a picture of Laurel & Hardy crashing a Ford model T into a fire hydrant and then blaming each other for the mistake. Marcus later shows up solely to explain that Åsa didn’t at all recognize my claim. I am now tranferred to room #256. No excuses.

Being a guest and at the same time feeling like an annoyment to the staff.
Apart from Åsa’s warm welcome, I’d like to find a reason to like this hotel. Well, there is one. Those who work the restaurant area are all a very positive and friendly bunch. Without them, the hotel would be a much chillier place, (the curse of Claesson Koivisto Rune again). They are worth one extra star. Ka-ching! A while after having checked out of the hotel, I suddenly remember… When checking in, Åsa asked me to sign a paper with the room rate details. Did Marcus ever check that? What happened to that document? I never saw it again. Neither did I get the chance to speak to Åsa and hear her version. Annoying.

Hotel Skeppsholmen
Gröna Gången 1
111 86 Stockholm

+46-8-407 23 00

Epilogue:
I really like the idea of a hotel in the otherwise rather empty area of Skeppsholmen, (a few enthusiasts living on old tugboats and the Stockholm Museum of Modern Art are not enough to keep the area busy), but the management certainly need to straighten up some routines. To Joachim Olausson, CEO of Hotel Skeppsholmen:, I’m sure that you google your own name every once in a while. Two stars. Not pretty! And you may rest assured that this review is not about the downgrade, nor is it about getting my money’s worth. It’s solely about the attitude of your staff. It would have required very little of them to handle the issue differently – and it would then have been much more pleasant for you, (and everybody else), to read this review.

Please note the little classroom desk, (the perfect size for laptops); the radio/clock
with the vintage look and an iPod dock. The sound of that radio was surprisingly good.

The mandatory bathroom shot. No bathtub but a shower
and amenities from their own private spa brand; Cowshed Spa.

Funky-looking telephone at the Shoreditch House. Didn’t use it, though.

No signs, no porters, no taxis lining up. The Shoreditch House does
not advertise itself as a hotel. This is of course part of the strategy.

The member-exclusive-secluded-private meter is on red…
…as soon as you read about the Shoreditch House. It’s true. It is a members only club, a closed community. Wanna get inside? Then you have to be recommended by two current members. Or, you could book yourself a room there. It’s not as hard as it sounds, simply follow this link. And when you arrive, then you can enter the premises with confidence. There’s zero attitude towards non-members. On the contrary, I’ve rarely felt a warmer welcome as when I’ve checked in at different houses in the Soho House group.

So, apart from wanting to feel exclusive and special, why should you stay here?
There are a few reasons why it’s worth going the extra mile to stay in the Shoreditch House… Yes, I mean literally going the extra mile, in a very tangible way that can be measured geographically, as this is East London, in the heart of Shoreditch, which is certainly not Piccadilly Circus.
Reason 1: The staff. You feel welcome. You feel taken care of. The concierge is capable of getting you a table at impossible places with very short notice, (don’t push your luck, though). In general it’s a very pleasant experience.
Reason 2: The little extras. On each floor there’s the “Borrow Me”-shelf filled with games, books, magazines and a proper steam iron, (an ironing board is hanging next to the shelf). On top of the shelf you’ll find four jars, filled with winegums and jelly candy. It’s amazing what a little candy can do. Plus, mineral water in the minibar is complimentary.
Reason 3: You don’t have to leave the place if you don’t want to. The Shoreditch House boasts its own bars, two restaurants, a rooftop swimming pool plus a two-lane bowling alley. Every 1st Monday of the month there are also live performances at the premises, with acts like Hercules and Love Affair, Pixie Lott, and the slightly Devo-like Transformer’s Cinema Car… Finally, next to the Shoreditch House there’s the Aubin Cinema, a very active 47-seat theatre with numerous screenings every week.
Reason 4: Price. I never thought I’d be writing this, but the Shoreditch House is a great place where you don’t pay an arm and a leg to stay. Compared to many places in London it’s very affordable. The trick is to get a room there.

Now, what about rooms, then?
While the reception is a little bit on the rougher side – the building was, in a previous life, a tea ware house – looking like a garage furnished with occasional design items, rooms are way more cosy and inviting. Tom Dixon and the team at the Design Research Studio did quite a great job, stealing a chord or two from the Shakers, (the religious movement based in Kentucky), with the many hangers on the wall. There are 26 of these bedrooms in the Shoreditch House, ranging from Tiny to Small+ and they are quite small. If you want something minimalistic, you will probably not salivate over them, but if you prefer to not stay in a laboratory-like compartment, you’ll feel quite at home right away. If possible, try to get one of the four rooms with furnished private balconies.

Highly recommended…
You probably get the idea by now; I like this place a lot. It’s very close to a fifth star, but I’ll save it for later, as I’d like to try out the House Kitchen, which is the main dining area and the rooftop Lazy Lawn, which is a open air space for just hanging out. And no, I didn’t have the time to take a plunge in the pool. Stupid me. To sum it up; expectations were high but they were met. It’s nice to find a private club being so unpretentious and inviting. I’ll be back soon. Yes, I will.

Bonus info: Don’t fear the colder London days. The rooftop pool is heated.

Shoreditch House
Ebor Street
Shoreditch
London E1 6AW
United Kingdom

Tel +44 20 7739 5040

Book at room at the Shoreditch House? Simple, just click here!

All rooms are named after residents, hangarounds or lovers of William Hazlitt.
On the key to this room it says ”Lady Frances Hewitt” who used to live on No. 6.

This is the room that J.K. Rowling likes to stay in when she visits London.
Her books have to date sold 400 million copies. Yes, those about that Potter guy.

Bathrooms come in an old fashioned style but are quite modern.
In fact, they have everything you need – except shower curtains.

Quite cozy for being a hotel lobby, eh? Not visible in this picture: The front desk.

If you want to stay very, very central…
…then maybe you should consider staying at here, smack in the middle of Soho; a stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of the many bars, clubs, theatres, galleries and fancy restaurants that coexist in the area. And fo’sho, Soho is a quite busy place, although most of the adult entertainment is since long gone. In three historical, Georgian houses on Frith Street, (numbers 5,6 and 7), there are 23 rooms available and they are called the Hazlitt’s. The central location is an obvious selling point. Also, if you want something that’s the exact opposite of, say the Sanderson, then you will probably find yourself very much like at home.

Hazlitt-who?
Says Wikipedia: “He is now considered one of the great critics and essayists of the English language, placed in the company of Samuel Johnson and George Orwell…” William Hazlitt (1778 – 1830) died in what was then a boarding house, at 6 Frith Street. Legend tells that his landlady shoved his body under the bed so she could show the room to prospective tenants while she waited for the undertaker. The Hazlitt’s opened as the current hotel in 1986 and was refurbished in 2000.

Is it any good then?
It’s officially rated as a four-star hotel and it’s certainly not a cheap hotel but it’s certainly a very nice one. Nice is the proper word for it. It’s a rambling arrangement of staircases, levels, rooms with dipping floors and an obvious lack of straight walls. Bathrooms are up-to-date (although they are designed to look old with clawfooted bathtubs), but apart from the telephone and a tiny flat-screen TV, there were very few modern items in the Lady Frances Hewitt room where I stayed. All the bedrooms are named for people with a connection to either William Hazlitt or to the building. And staying in the Lady Frances room has become popular – according to the Hazlitt’s PR consultants, this room is the preferred choice of J.K. Rowling. Yes, you are now encouraged to think ‘Harry Potter’.

It doesn’t exactly feel like a hotel.
Sure, there is a front desk but very little else will tell you that you’re staying in a hotel, although the places has all the amenities of a hotel. There’s no restaurant or even a breakfast area, instead you order what you want and it will arrive on a tray to your room. In one of the library looking spaces on the ground floor there’s an honesty bar, so please help yourself to a drink. Most importantly, the staff members are very friendly and work this maze of rooms and suites with a lot of flair. I caught myself thinking that staying here is a very British experience, which makes it sufficient to quote the travel author Bill Bryson, (who was born in Des Moines, Iowa but has been appointed a Commissioner for English Heritage): ”It’s called Hazlitt’s because it was the home of the essayist. All the bedrooms are named after his chums or women he shagged here.”

Hazlitt’s
6 Frith Street
Soho Square,
London W1D 3JA
United Kingdom

+44-20-7434-1771

Click here to book the Hazlitt’s through TabletHotels.com

Visible in this image: The bedroom, which makes up about one third of the rather spacious junior suites.

Do you want it all? A tub (barely visible to the right). Double sinks. A WC. And a shower.
I’ve been staying in places where the entire room has been the size of this bathroom.

May somebody please explain to me why this Asian warrior
and his horse are guarding the conference room?

Big hotel. Popular big hotel.
Fact: This is a big hotel. 311 rooms. Some of them are large. Very large. This hotel was on the list TripAdvisors’ Traveler’s Choice 2010. At the time of writing, the Concorde is in 4th place of 635 hotels in Berlin according to TripAdvisor. About 95% of the reviewers recommend it. Out of 246 travelers, 193 rate it as ‘Excellent’. I knew this before arriving to the Hotel Concorde Berlin. I think that it normally means that expectations would be a tad higher than usual, (of course I will always do my best to be completely unbiased while reviewing any hotel, but…). I think it’s safe to say that I expected quite a lot. I think it’s equally safe to say that the hotel exceeded my expectations.

Rooms are gianormous. Especially Junior Suites.
Says Wikipedia: ”A suite in a hotel or other public accommodation, denotes a class of luxury accommodations, the key feature of which is multiple rooms.” There’s nothing Junior about a Junior Suite at Concorde. It could be one of the larger rooms I’ve ever stayed in. My guess is that it was about 85 to 95 square meters, (914 to 1022 square feet). Actually, I’ve stayed in rooms the same size as the bathroom. There’s nothing quirky or silly over the interior design, (it would probably be labeled as boring by some). But you don’t check in at the Concorde because of its good looks. You check in here because you will be treated very well.

Main reason to choose the Concorde: The staff.
“It was a pleasure to have you stay with us.” That’s the message in an e-mail that I recently received from the Concorde Berlin. In the picture: The doormen at the Concorde. That can not be a coincidence. And that also shows that the folks in charge at the Concorde are very aware of the value of their doormen. They are amazing, helpful and always a few steps ahead of you, willing to help. The friendly concierge, Sam, had a great Asian restaurant up his sleeve and I never saw anything else than a smile on his face. Und so weiter. This hotel has been mentioned in the press for its design, (by Berlin architect Jan Kleihues), but if you ask me it could look like a Stasi bunker as long as it’s manned with the same people as today. The Concorde is a big and rather brash hotel on the outside but there’s nothing large-scale about the inside, (with the exception of room sizes). It’s quite an accomplishment to make such a huge place feel small, unpretentious and intimate. Well done!

Hotel Concorde Berlin
Augsburger Strasse 41
10789 Berlin
Germany

+49-30-800999-0

Click here to book the Concorde Berlin through TabletHotels.com

Main course: Prime beef tenderloin with home made
goose liver and letcho pasta, truffle and parsley cream.

If you’ve arrived here you’ve arrived at the Dió. Congratulations!

The Hungarians take their job seriously.
Search for Hungarian cuisine and Wikipedia will tell you it is ”arguably the spiciest cuisine native to Europe”. That is something that I have a hard time to believe. What I can tell is that Hungarians are serious about some of their traditional dishes, for instance the libamájpástétom. Yes, that’s foie gras for y’all. Exactly. Goose liver. The Hungarian food seems to come in funky packages. Even at rather modern hotels, like the Lánchíd 19, the concierge will try to book you in at a traditional place where somebody in traditional clothing will abuse a violin the traditional way while you are trying to enjoy your libamáj. As I wanted me and my friends to be able to enjoy the food minus the violin, I’d politely said no thanks. The concierge then presented the Dió as an alternative – traditionally Hungarian cuisine made modern.

No complaints about the food.
It should be said once and for all: You will feel more at home in Budapest if you are a carnivore. Save any ambitions to save the cows or the geese for another trip. The kitchen of Dió is by no means an exception. There are fish alternatives but they are outnumbered at a 4/15 ratio. So how modern is it? Even if they claim to mix ”ancient Hungarian ingredients and spices with the elements of modern gastronomic culture”, the good folks at Dió are not exactly geared up for molecular cooking. This doesn’t mean that the food is bad. Oh, no. It just means that it’s not that easy detect any modern influences. Arrive with a different set of expectations and you will leave happy.

So why the lukewarm review?
The food was fine. My grilled goat cheese was stellar and the prime beef tenderloin was better than just nice. Add to that the bottle of St. Andrea Merengő 2006, (an excellent wine, although quite expensive at this restaurant). So what wasn’t fine? Maybe it’s just me but I really felt that the staff at Dió looked upon their guests as some kind of disturbance; like we were the annoying neighbours on the block who interrupted their important business. That attitude will not work, especially not at a restaurant that advertises itself as ”a new pearl of gastronomy in Budapest”. On their website they say that their staff is ”always ready to make every effort to fulfill the wishes of our guests to make the event unforgettable for them.” That is quite a statement. So how about making their guests feel welcome? Greeting them with a friendly hello, perhaps? Implement such a revolutionary concept and I’m pretty sure that the reviews will get more favourable.

Opening hours:
Monday - Sunday: 12:00 - 24:00

Dió Restaurant & Bar
Sas str. 4.
Budapest 1051
Hungary

+36-1-328-0360

Standard equipment in the three suites at the Lanchid 19: Jacuzzi, private terrace and a nice view.

The same place from a reverse angle.

The bedroom area of the Lanchid 19 suite #001.

See the bridge spanning the Danube? That’s the famous chain bridge
that gave the hotel its name. It opened in 1849 so you might say it’s old…

Isn’t it located on the ‘wrong’ side of the river?
People adviced me not to book this hotel. ”Naah, you shouldn’t stay there. Everything that’s happening will be happening on the other side.” Yes, that’s true. The Buda side of the Danube is dominated by a gianormous castle and some sleepy suburbs. The landmark ”Chain Bridge” that spans the Danube takes you to all the action. It seems to me like those people are either in favor of walking in stiletto high heels or very lazy. A mere six minute walk separates the Buda area from Pest, and even in winter time, the walk is a pleasant one, (and those who feel exhausted may have a drink in The Bar in the lobby of the Gresham Palace).

It tries to look modern. It’s fairly successful.
The architect László Benczúr obviously tried to create something contemporary. It’s quite a successful attempt. The hotel is no whimsy Philippe Starck-clone. Nor is it suffering from a lack of ideas. What it might be suffering from, though, is a lack of space, (it’s much smaller than the wide-angle photos you see on various websites). I am prepared to put up with that as my room, (#001, one of the three suites on the top floor), is certainly not small. It also gives you one of the better views that I’ve ever had from a hotel room. As usual, the attempts to be minimalist creates new kinds of problems for hoteliers: A little dent or a skratch will look like a meteorite crater. Sure enough, the Lánchíd 19 keep an army of painters busy in the atrium and my suite would soon benefit from a little renovation by this army.

The concierge alone makes it worth a stay…
The Lánchíd 19 is no five star operation. It couldn’t be. Actually, I would put it in the budget category, as prices are almost ridiculously low, particularly if you take advantage of the pay-in-advance offers. Still, no sleek design or nice pricetag would qualify a hotel to remain in my book. In the case of the Lánchíd 19 the concierge services are what really makes it worth staying there, thank you all, guys! The staff are very helpful and sometimes that is needed in Hungary, as the language barrier could actually become a barrier in this country, (the translation of Warning is Figyelmeztetés… well, you get the picture).

Q: Recommended? A: Recommended!
Book early, as the Lánchíd 19 offers only 45 rooms and 3 suites. Arrive with sound and modest expectations and you will probably find that this hotel exceeds them. Don’t expect 24-hour room service. Expect a friendly place with a pricetag in the budget range and you will still be smiling upon check-out. If you ask me, Budapest is a pretty cool city where things are changing quite fast. People are friendly and there are quite a lot of things to see. The mental iron curtain is no more – it’s safe to say that I will be back.

Lánchíd 19
Lánchíd u. 19-21
H-1013 Budapest

+36-1-457-1220

Click here to book the Lánchíd 19 through TabletHotels.com