Evaluation: SO/ Berlin Das Stue Lodge

September 27, 2023

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Wednesday newsletters all the time incorporates a resort or flight evaluation.

Right this moment: Evaluation 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 town’s first luxurious boutique resort. The identify 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 all the Mediterranean, blended to easy however expressive fashionable dishes.

SO/ Berlin Das Stue options in my prime 10 listing of the greatest luxurious inns in Berlin.

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

On this evaluation (extra information and photographs under 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 implies that visitors have instant entry to an unlimited inexperienced oasis. Proper subsequent to the resort is the historic Berlin Zoo, the most important zoo of Europe which hosts one of many widest kinds of species on the earth. Though the inns 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 purchasing space and go to the quite a few parks and museums of town. Berlin airport (BER) is 40 minutes by automotive and the Central Station may 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 fashion of Danish Classicism, is distinguished by its consultant look. Clad with shell limestone panels, the spherical street-front facade remembers the business constructing structure of the Twenties and Thirties. The design of the doorway space of the constructing is uncommon. Schaudt shaped a big entrance corridor lined with travertine and granite, which is flanked by lateral staircases. On the finish of the second World Battle, the embassy constructing was badly affected, together with many different buildings within the diplomatic quarter. A complete overhaul befell in 1947.

In 1978 Denmark offered 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 Publish Workplace established a coaching middle for managers within the constructing. From 2005 until 2009, the constructing was deserted and solely used sometimes for occasions. Underneath the impulse of three households from Spain, Andorra and Panama, the constructing was renovated and opened in 2012 as the luxurious resort ‘Das Stue’. In 2018, the resort was relaunched as SO/ Das Stue and is managed by Accor since then below the SO/ model.

The SO/ Berlin Das Stue Lodge incorporates a beautiful 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 incorporates a showpiece crocodile sculpture, a powerful mild set up, and an imposing lateral staircase, leads by to the reception space, lounge and bar, and restaurant. Within the historic a part of the resort, every ground has a particular environment, with the decorations conveying the lengthy historical past of the constructing. Elegant authentic parquet flooring, French doorways, restored wood inlays and the large brightness create a distinction to the instantly charming, comfy seating by Patricia Urquiola.

The SO/ Berlin Das Stue Lodge 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, fashionable furnishing manufactured from unique supplies. The furnishings fluctuate from room to room, some have Hay bedside tables or distinctive furnishings reminiscent of 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 pictures on the rooms’ partitions are from the personal assortment of the resort proprietor (the artist is André Rival).

On the coronary heart of the resort 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 all the Mediterranean, blended to easy however scrumptious fashionable dishes. Subsequent to the restaurant is a funky bar which has a singular view into the enclosures of the Berlin zoo, creating a singular environment 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 Lodge 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 assorted care merchandise within the spa come from Susanne Kaufmann. The product line Natural Treats is a purely pure energetic ingredient beauty manufactured in keeping with the strictest ecological ideas. Susanne Kaufmann additionally runs her personal spa in Bezau in Vorarlberg, Austria, the place visitors can expertise the natural remedies. The resort additionally incorporates a coaching space with cutting-edge health club gear from Technogym, which is freed from cost for resort visitors to make use of. Fastidiously chosen private trainers additionally provide a variety of exercises, whether or not within the health club, pool, or amidst the attractive environment of Berlin’s Tiergarten Park.

The SO/ Berlin Das Stue Lodge has a number of artwork works on show, which vary from historic to utterly 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 may 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 Lodge is adjoining to the zoo. This theme applies to the large 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 Lodge touts on its web site that its rooms & suites “rank among the many largest resort rooms in Berlin”. Sadly, that was not the case for my room (an Embassy room). Though my room did include an outside terrace and had a trendy look, it felt small & compact and lacked place to retailer my baggage. I assume it’s worthwhile to e-book a better room class for more room.

SO/ Berlin Das Stue Lodge used to have a Michelin star restaurant – Cinco by Paco Pérez – which supplied avant-garde delicacies and delectable Mediterranean meals crafted by the world-renowned chef Paco Pérez. Sadly, this restaurant has completely closed its doorways for the reason that pandemic. Just one different eating venue stays inside the resort – The Informal, which gives a laidback however somewhat uninspiring eating expertise. IMHO, the closure of its Michelin star eating places has considerably affected the celebrity of the resort and I can solely hope {that a} new high quality 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 Lodge 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 energetic 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 Lodge is a visible deal with that invitations visitors to discover and uncover. Though the inside will enchantment to design-savvy vacationers, the quirky and sometimes weird decor is not going to enchantment to all visitors.

The resort’s breakfast buffet isn’t as lavish and outrageously decadent because the likes of the Adlon Kempinksi Berlin Lodge, but it surely nonetheless gives a good 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

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

Get monetary savings: learn right here my suggestions for getting the perfect deal at a luxurious resort like SO/ Berlin Das Stue (and/or obtain many free perks).

Get monetary savings: Accor Inns has a loyalty program which I reviewed right here and which lets you acquire factors and change them for discounted stays at Accor properties, reminiscent of SO/ Berlin Das Stue.

Room tip: e-book a better room class for more room and higher views.

Learn my suggestions for making ready your journey in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Berlin is greatest visited between April and Could (spring) or September by November (autumn), proper earlier than or immediately after {the summertime} excessive vacationer season. You’ll deal with fewer vacationers, get pleasure from considerably delicate temperatures (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 middle. By taxi and public transport from Berlin Airport, the journey to the resort takes about half-hour and prices roughly EUR 55 by taxi and EUR 4 by public transport.

PHOTOS

Beneath 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.