Assessment: SO/ Berlin Das Stue Resort

September 27, 2023

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Wednesday newsletters at all times includes a lodge or flight evaluate.

Right this moment: Assessment of SO/ Berlin Das Stue, Germany

Positioned within the former Danish embassy constructing, tucked on the fringe of leafy Tiergarten and neighboring the Berlin Zoo, SO/ Berlin Das Stue is the town’s first luxurious boutique lodge. The title refers back to the Danish world “Stue”, which implies “livingroom”. The 78 rooms & suites welcome visitors with an invigorating but harmonious ambiance. The Spanish design icon Patricia Urquiola created the inside that blends funky artwork with conventional and modern design, whereas animal motifs give a tip of the hat to the Berlin Zoo, subsequent door. Susanne Kaufmann’s eponymous spa is an natural oasis. At The Informal Restaurant, each meal carries the clever signature of head chef Rico Kägebein, who combines regional merchandise of top of the range with spices from the complete Mediterranean, blended to easy however expressive trendy dishes.

SO/ Berlin Das Stue options in my prime 10 checklist of the greatest luxurious accommodations in Berlin.

Have you ever ever stayed at SO/ Berlin Das Stue? In that case, what was your expertise? Go away a remark.

On this evaluate (extra data and photographs beneath my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

SO/ Berlin Das Stue is centrally situated within the embassy district, between East and West Berlin. Berlin’s largest park, Tiergarten, is simply throughout the road which signifies that visitors have rapid entry to an enormous inexperienced oasis. Proper subsequent to the lodge is the historic Berlin Zoo, the biggest zoo of Europe which hosts one of many widest sorts of species on the earth. Though the accommodations enjoys a quiet location in a residential space, a number of of Berlin’s prime points of interest are inside strolling distance. For instance, visitors can simply stroll by to the Brandenburg Gate or the Ku’damm procuring space and go to the quite a few parks and museums of the town. Berlin airport (BER) is 40 minutes by automotive and the Central Station might be reached in 10 minutes.

SO/ Berlin Das Stue is housed within the heritage-protected constructing of the former Royal Danish Embassy, which was constructed within the late Thirties by KaDeWe architect Johann Emil Schaudt. The constructing, designed within the type of Danish Classicism, is distinguished by its consultant look. Clad with shell limestone panels, the spherical street-front facade remembers the industrial constructing structure of the Nineteen Twenties and Thirties. The design of the doorway space of the constructing is uncommon. Schaudt fashioned a big entrance corridor lined with travertine and granite, which is flanked by lateral staircases. On the finish of the second World Conflict, the embassy constructing was badly affected, together with many different buildings within the diplomatic quarter. A complete overhaul befell in 1947.

In 1978 Denmark bought the constructing to the housing firm Neue Heimat and moved right into a smaller domicile. Neue Heimat deliberate new residential buildings on the location; nevertheless, the constructing remained unused and was deserted. On the finish of 1983 the state of Berlin took over the constructing and at last in 1986 the German Federal Put up Workplace established a coaching heart for managers within the constructing. From 2005 until 2009, the constructing was deserted and solely used often for occasions. Beneath the impulse of three households from Spain, Andorra and Panama, the constructing was renovated and opened in 2012 as the luxurious lodge ‘Das Stue’. In 2018, the lodge was relaunched as SO/ Das Stue and is managed by Accor since then below the SO/ model.

The SO/ Berlin Das Stue Resort includes a pretty design created by famed Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola. The star designer conceived the design of public areas and works with pure wooden supplies, muted colours, and copper. She used chosen furnishings from Molteni, B&B Italia & Floss Lights, amongst others. The doorway hallway, which includes a showpiece crocodile sculpture, a formidable gentle set up, and an impressive lateral staircase, leads by to the reception space, lounge and bar, and restaurant. Within the historic a part of the lodge, every flooring has a particular ambiance, with the decorations conveying the lengthy historical past of the constructing. Elegant unique parquet flooring, French doorways, restored picket inlays and the large brightness create a distinction to the instantly fascinating, comfy seating by Patricia Urquiola.

The SO/ Berlin Das Stue Resort has 78 visitor rooms and suites in seven classes. The Spanish architects LVG Arquitectura finalised the room and suite design. Every of the rooms has a discreet, trendy furnishing made from unique supplies. The furnishings range from room to room, some have Hay bedside tables or distinctive furnishings corresponding to an inviting chaise longue. The rooms have a view of the Berlin Zoo or the shut Tiergarten – 13 rooms have a terrace or a balcony. Every room has darkish oak parquet flooring and a rain bathe, some have an extra-large bathtub. The facilities within the lavatory are by GEZA SCHÖN. The images on the rooms’ partitions are from the personal assortment of the lodge proprietor (the artist is André Rival).

On the coronary heart of the lodge is The Informal, a restaurant providing a laid-back ambiance for socializing over breakfast, lunch or dinner. The culinary philosophy for the all-day eating restaurant combines regional merchandise of top of the range with spices from the complete Mediterranean, blended to easy however scrumptious trendy dishes. Subsequent to the restaurant is a funky bar which has a singular view into the enclosures of the Berlin zoo, creating a singular ambiance particularly at night time. The inside of the bar is made up of the creations of assorted designers, together with items such because the “Bohemian armchair” designed by Patricia Urquiola for the Italian design firm Moroso and the weird leather-based animals of the Omersa Firm, that are handmade in Nice Britain.

The SO/ Berlin Das Stue Resort has an intimate spa facility, which homes an unique wellness space with three therapeutic massage rooms, a Finnish sauna, and a 14 m (46 ft) indoor pool. The varied care merchandise within the spa come from Susanne Kaufmann. The product line Natural Treats is a purely pure lively ingredient beauty manufactured in line with the strictest ecological rules. Susanne Kaufmann additionally runs her personal spa in Bezau in Vorarlberg, Austria, the place visitors can expertise the natural remedies. The lodge additionally includes a coaching space with cutting-edge gymnasium tools from Technogym, which is freed from cost for lodge visitors to make use of. Rigorously chosen private trainers additionally provide a variety of exercises, whether or not within the gymnasium, pool, or amidst the attractive environment of Berlin’s Tiergarten Park.

The SO/ Berlin Das Stue Resort has a number of artwork works on show, which vary from historic to fully weird. The primary object that visitors encounter is an outsized crocodile sculpture by the Parisian artist Quentin Garel. Quite a few breathtaking black and white pictures and portraits by artist André Rival might be seen on the encircling partitions and within the entrance space. Sculptures and work are distributed in all different public areas, playfully reminding visitors that the SO/ Berlin Das Stue Resort is adjoining to the zoo. This theme applies to the massive giraffe and gorillas of Milan artist Benedetta Mori within the entrance space in addition to to the small leather-based animals of Omersa. These serve all through the home both as cushions, footrests or mere ornament.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

SO/ Berlin Das Stue Resort touts on its web site that its rooms & suites “rank among the many largest lodge rooms in Berlin”. Sadly, that was not the case for my room (an Embassy room). Though my room did include an out of doors terrace and had a classy look, it felt small & compact and lacked place to retailer my baggage. I assume that you must e book the next room class for more room.

SO/ Berlin Das Stue Resort used to have a Michelin star restaurant – Cinco by Paco Pérez – which provided avant-garde delicacies and delectable Mediterranean meals crafted by the world-renowned chef Paco Pérez. Sadly, this restaurant has completely closed its doorways because the pandemic. Just one different eating venue stays inside the lodge – The Informal, which presents a laidback however moderately uninspiring eating expertise. IMHO, the closure of its Michelin star eating places has considerably affected the celebrity of the lodge and I can solely hope {that a} new advantageous eating venue will quickly reopen within the former Cinco restaurant, placing SO/ Berlin Das Stue once more on the foodie map.

SO/ Berlin Das Stue Resort is situated within the German capital’s embassy district and is a bit removed from most of Berlin’s vacationer points of interest (though a number of of them are nonetheless inside strolling distance). The neighborhood feels fairly residential and isn’t very full of life at night time, though there are some eating places, bars and outlets close by.

As talked about above, the decor of SO/ Berlin Das Stue Resort is a visible deal with that invitations visitors to discover and uncover. Though the inside will enchantment to design-savvy vacationers, the quirky and infrequently weird decor won’t enchantment to all visitors.

The lodge’s breakfast buffet isn’t as lavish and outrageously decadent because the likes of the Adlon Kempinksi Berlin Resort, however it nonetheless presents an honest choice of dishes and each component is of a really prime quality.

MY VERDICT

Location: 8/10
Design: 8/10
Pool: 7/10
Rooms: 8/10
Meals: 8/10
Breakfast: 7/10
Spa: 7/10
Service: 9/10
Wow issue: 8/10
Worth for cash: 9/10
General expertise: excellent 8/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Lower your expenses: get complimentary VIP perks at SO/ Berlin Das Stue when reserving by way of Virtuoso (e.g. improve, day by day breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD meals & beverage credit score).

Lower your expenses: learn right here my ideas for getting the perfect deal at a luxurious lodge like SO/ Berlin Das Stue (and/or obtain many free perks).

Lower your expenses: Accor Lodges has a loyalty program which I reviewed right here and which lets you gather factors and trade them for discounted stays at Accor properties, corresponding to SO/ Berlin Das Stue.

Room tip: e book the next room class for more room and higher views.

Learn my ideas for making ready your journey in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Berlin is greatest visited between April and Might (spring) or September by November (autumn), proper earlier than or immediately after {the summertime} excessive vacationer season. You’ll cope with fewer vacationers, get pleasure from considerably gentle temperatures (the town’s climate is notoriously finicky), and in addition expertise Berlin because the locals do, at its laid-back greatest.

HOW TO GET THERE

SO/ Berlin Das Stue is situated within the coronary heart of Berlin’s metropolis heart. By taxi and public transport from Berlin Airport, the journey to the lodge takes about half-hour and prices roughly EUR 55 by taxi and EUR 4 by public transport.

PHOTOS

Under is a choice of my photographs of SO/ Berlin Das Stue . To view extra photographs (together with breakfast in addition to dinner), click on right here.