ORANIA.BERLIN: REVIEW

As a lifelong night owl, one of my all-time hotel pet peeves is the often relatively early time that breakfast finishes, which can have you dragging yourself out of bed after a late night out and hot-stepping it to the last slot unkempt and bleary-eyed, sometimes missing out by a matter of minutes or even seconds if the staff member at the lectern is particularly officious. 

Oriana.Berlin, however, is one of those rare darling hotels where no such strict rules apply – you can drift down for your cooked-to-order brunch any time you like up until 2pm: much more reasonable! And sat in an amazing ground-floor open-plan space which comprises the hotel’s lounge, bar and restaurant area, all floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the neighbourhood streets, and warm contemporary interior design with subtle Asian and African influences, not to mention two open fireplaces, an open kitchen and a raised corner-stage housing a Steinway grand piano.

It is this setting and vibe – more cultural craft chic than lavish luxury - that encapsulates for me what a special place Oriana.Berlin is, in a special part of a special city. More on the geography later.

For now, I am tucking into a freshly-made eggs benedict from the breakfast meu: two poached eggs on toasted brioche with creamy hollandaise and salmon (I asked for some bacon with mine too) followed by some fresh fruit and a cinnamon pastry, all washed down with fresh coffee – a late-morning breakfast of champions which has me raring to seize the day fully sated, having also enjoyed an amazing night’s sleep.

My room – Suite #50 – is one of the most spacious I’ve ever stayed in, with a striking view over the Oranienplatz square through tall bay windows: perfect for people-watching, morning or night, with flat cushions provided for that very purpose! 
 

The hotel’s 41 commodious rooms and suites (they so should somehow add one more to make it a perfect 42: the answer to everything!) feature oak floors, hand-knotted rugs, a free-standing television and a colour scheme of warm reds and golds, with artisan crafted touches like elephant-themed headboards and cushions, continuing the Asian theme imbuing the main lounge downstairs.

The modern marble bathrooms are similarly roomy: all containing rainfall showers, and some suites like mine with a separate bathtub. Local natural vegan toiletries are dispensed from a large, what looks like refillable, container – a pleasing example of single-use plastic minimisation that more hotels should follow.

I should add also that Orania.Berlin is fully dog-friendly, as at one point I was going to have a German dog-owning companion staying with me, so it was interesting to see what’s on offer for you and your canine companions should you wish to bring them. The doggy welcome service (for a reasonable €50 fee) includes a homemade dog biscuit treat, bowls for food and water, a guide to the best dog-walking spots in the locality and beyond, and very comfortable-looking dog beds in different sizes depending on the breed of your pooch, whether a dachshund or Great Dane.

The immediate locality of Orania.Berlin is the edgy east Kreuzberg district, in the creative and cultural heart of the capital. The hotel itself is housed in a 111-year-old art nouveau-style building, capturing within the exclusive atmosphere of the jazz-age Oranienpalast Café which the venue prominently originated as more than a century ago. Back then it attracted the local city cognoscenti with its refined food, music and cabaret offering, and that bohemian spirit continues today with its bookish interior furnishings and the regular jazz, soul and world-music concerts by Berlin-based musicians in the salon lounge, with free entry for hotel guests. 
 

Meanwhile, in the open-plan kitchen, a more contemporary cosmopolitan cuisine is deftly delivered by Michelin-starred head chef and managing director of the hotel, Philipp Vogel, including the menu highlight: ‘X-berg’ Peking duck, served in four courses, which has become famous amongst regular guests and local Berliners alike.

You can find some of Berlin’s most outstanding museums not far from the hotel, including the Berlinische Galerie, exhibiting art from the mid-19th century to the present day; the Jewish Museum, covering the history of Jews in Germany from the Middle Ages to present day; and the German Museum of Technology, housing a vast collection of fascinating historical technical artifacts. The neighbourhood also houses the English Theatre Berlin, the only theatre in the city to exclusively produce and present English-speaking plays and performances.

My travels further afield in my favourite European capital city this time encompassed visits to the relatively new museums of Humboult Forum and The Futurium, both offering open rooftop walks for a view over those parts of the capital you won’t have seen before, and for a bit of light relief, the also newly-opened Upside-Down Berlin for some wacky photo opportunities! 

I got around the city thanks to a 72-hour Berlin WelcomeCard which offered exceptional value, providing unlimited public transport throughout the Berlin's central tariff zones and 25-50% discounts on more than 180 attractions around the city, from its iconic Television Tower (Fernsehturm) to a plethora of galleries, museums and dining venues.

I also discovered an amazing French bistro-style restaurant not far from Kurfürstendamm in the Charlottenburg district called ‘Le Consulat’ (pictured below), whose indulgent grilled bone marrow dish, paired with a waitress-recommended Pinot Noir, was a true culinary highlight not only of this Berlin visit but of any meal I’ve had in continental Europe. Will definitely be returning to the venue and recommend you follow suit.
 

For my final afternoon following checking out from Orania.Berlin I headed to the 'Tempelhofer Feld' former-airport park only a few stops away on the U-Bahn where I took photos of locals kind enough to permit it, and wished that I had my dog-owning companion with me to make full use of the acres of green space.

And speaking of space-to-play-with, I also found out during my stay at Orania.Berlin that it actually opened as a sister hotel to the upscale Bavarian retreat of Schloss Elmau, quite the rural opposite to the Berlin venue, surrounded by Alpine mountains and lakes, less than an hour from Munich - has duly been added to my to-visit list!

But if what you are looking for in Berlin is a historical city hotel of the highest grade, away from the touristic areas and in a much more ‘hip and happening’ district of the capital, and with truly friendly and personable service from arrival to check-out, you won’t find a better place than Orania.Berlin as a base for your stay. Culture vultures will absolutely love it here.

And if dogs could talk, the ones who were lucky enough to stay here would bark loudly in agreement.
 

Address: Oranienplatz 17 | 10999 Berlin, Germany www.orania.berlin | +49 (30) 6953 96 80