Editors' Picks

Hotel de Rome, A Rocco Forte Hotel

Historic, masculine, stately

Behrenstrasse 37, Berlin 10117

49-30-4606090

See Website

At a Glance

Set in an imposing former bank building in Berlin’s sprawling Mitte district, the 145-room Hotel de Rome, a Rocco Forte Hotel, has a great location near Museum Island, the Brandenburg Gate and Gendarmenmarkt square. Turning the interiors of the 19th-century stone edifice into something cozy and boutique was no easy task, but designer Olga Polizzi handled the transformation with signature panache. Taking cues from 1920s and ’30s style, she outfitted the lobby with sexy, globe-shaped lights and enormous curved sofas. Rooms have high ceilings and metallic and red-lacquer surfaces (some come with balconies, too). History, which is folded into the architecture of Berlin at seemingly every turn, is also visible here—in some places bullet holes from World War II were kept in the paneling—but it’s also easy to find your way back into contemporary life, for instance, gazing across this cool metropolis from the rooftop lounge.

**The Standout:** The summer rooftop bar, with its close-up views of the beautiful dome of the Opera House next door **Don’t Miss:** The 65-foot underground lap pool, housed in the original location of the vault, when the building was a bank

Indagare Loves

  • The 1920s- and ‘30s-inspired interior design
  • The sultry rooftop lounge, one of the best spots in town for aperitifs
  • The main restaurant, with its terrace and Italian-inspired menu, is a fine lunch spot after art- and history-touring, or before a performance at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden

Review

Berlin’s most luxurious property is this 145-room hotel, owned by Rocco Forte (whose portfolio includes Rome’s Hotel de Russie and Prague’s Augustine). Occupying a former bank building in Mitte, the Rome also has one of the city’s best locations right on Bebeplatz and is within walking distance to such sites as Museum Island, the Brandenburg Gate and the Gendarmenmarkt.

Turning the interiors of the massive, 19th-century stone building into something resembling cozy and boutique was surely no easy task, but designer Olga Polizzi succeeded nearly throughout. Drawing inspiration from 1920s and ‘30s design, she outfitted the lobby with oversized, globe-shaped lights and enormous curved black sofas, while the sleek bar area is accented with wood and steel. Rooms have high ceilings, patterned wall-to-wall rugs and metallic and red-lacquer surfaces. The crisp rooms feature a color palette of dark reds and oranges, and the best feature balconies with beautiful views. The suites on one floor are housed in the one-time offices of the bank directors with original mahogany panels (they have a masculine feel that won’t appeal to everyone). The play between old and new comes to heights in the spa area, with a 60-foot lap pool, which is housed in the former vaults, its massive steel doors still intact.

Even if you’re not staying at the Hotel de Rome, you should come for drinks at the sexy rooftop lounge, with its cozy sitting areas, views of Berlin and stylish locals. Paroili restaurant, with its leafy terrace and Italian-inspired menu, also makes a nice lunch spot while you’re touring this history- and art-filled district or before a performance at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin’s famous opera house.

Nearby the hotel, you can stroll to pretty Gendarmenmarkt Square and Unter den Linden Boulevard, as well as to sites like Museum Island (an eight-minute walk), the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate (a 10-minute walk). Restaurants in walking distance include Borchardt and Lutter Wegner.

Who Should Stay

Travelers who want five-star service and a centrally located hotel within walking distance of the major sites (not a given in Berlin, because of the city’s size); culturally minded adults who like a strong sense of place—and the past.

Read Upon Arrival Berlin to discover points of interest within a few blocks of the hotel.

Written by Simone Girner

What's Nearby
Indagare employees walking up stiars

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