Marc Aka Max H.
Yelp
We were Berlin for a 3 night stay in June, 2016, and The Regent was our hotel. Identified by our Virtuoso travel agent as "the" property to stay at in Berlin, we could not agree less. In a wonderful neighborhood, which we wandered around on the Sunday of our arrival, as soon as you arrive at the front door, you know it is someplace special, from another era.
Front desk reception, located off a small, beautifully appointed lobby (with a centerpiece of fresh flowers which were incredible), was well staffed at all times, and friendly, with a Germanic formality. We were escorted to our room, which had been upgraded to a suite, and the receptionist explained where everything was, how the lighting worked, multiple HVAC thermostats, and asked us to try the bed to be certain it was to our liking!
The suite was lovely, old world charm, a huge sofa, several oversized chairs, original art work all around, lush carpeting, and a bathroom to have an affair in, if you are the type to have an affair in elegant old bathrooms which appeared to have been from the 1930's. We had a view from our window of a courtyard, but that was fine, as I imagined that was where spys met at one time to do whatever a spy does when they meet another spy in courtyards in Berlin.
I will describe the dinner meal in the Michelin starred restaurant in another review. Full Breakfasts (included with our room rate) were served in the same restaurant, and included all sorts of hot prepared meals, as well as an extensive cold buffet of fruits, cereals, breakfast meats and cheeses, jams, juices. Servers and hosts swirled around us at breakfast, standing at a discrete distance, making sure any glance up from our table was met by their prompt response. We spent about 90 minutes at breakfast, relishing our surroundings as well as food.
Afternoon tea was served in a lounge which was opulent, with a grand fireplace and chandeliers, and an attentive, but somewhat pompous tea master. He did give us an a few extra cookies, sweetly smiling at us when he explained that they were extra. The tea, served in this incredible silver tea pot, was not as hot as I would have liked, but I was afraid to say anything to the tea master.
A separate bar off the main dining room served light foods at night, and was the place for important looking very well dressed mysterious looking men to meet and drink. We felt like we were in a movie set, and the people in the bar were spys, and we sat and looked around as we had a glass of wine and a sandwich, trying to look equally as important and spy-like as they did. I don't know if we succeeded, but we tried! (Actually, there were several men from the security detail of the Agentinian President, see below)
Oh, while were there, the President of Argentina was in Berlin for a trade meeting with the Chancellor, and yes, he stayed at the hotel, as well as his entourage of senior advisors, and yes, they held a press conference at the hotel, and yes, it was weird and fascinating to be in the same room as the President of Argentina who sat on a sofa by himself, reviewing his notes, and then to see the Chancellor walk in, sit down next to him, speaking one-on-one, and then joined by note-taking assistants. Of course, Dennis nodded at the President of Argentina, and walked over and shook his hand and spoke to him in Spanish. I'm only mentioning this encounter cause it should give you an idea of the guests who you might encounter in their public spaces, and to further demonstrate that The Regent is special.
When in Berlin, if you don't care about expense, stay here and you'll experience something very special and old world grand. I cannot assure you that you will meet the President of a foreign country, nor the Chancellor of Berlin, but you will be treated very well by their attentive staff, even if you sometimes feel you might want to or should salute a few of them!