Luxury hotel in historic former bank in central Berlin
Within walking distance of many top tourist attractions
High-ceilinged, stylish rooms, many with balconies and iconic views
Italian restaurant serving all meals and breakfast buffet (for a fee)
Pool in a former jewelry vault with marble columns
Steam room and six-room sauna with organic products
Rooftop lounge with sweeping city views and light dining
Opera Court, a formal afternoon tea in lobby
24-hour fitness center with cardio and weight-training equipment
Five meeting rooms and conference space, plus majestic ballroom
Free Wi-Fi, newspapers, and milk and cookies for children
Babysitting and children's activities
Pool is small
Restaurants are pricey
Lower-category rooms don't have tea/coffee facilities
The Hotel de Rome is a luxury property in central Berlin, within walking distance of many major historic sights. Its 145 elegant rooms have well-stocked minibars and luxurious bathrooms. Many have balconies, some with views of St. Hedwig Church and Humboldt University. Housed in a 19th-century bank, the hotel has a lap pool and spa in the former jewelry vault, as well as a rooftop lounge and an Italian restaurant with mirrored walls and a garden. Part of the style-conscious Rocco Forte line of properties, the Hotel de Rome is described by guests as elegant without pretension. High-end products and materials are the norm here, from Berlin vodka in the cocktails to Malin & Goetz toiletries. It's worth comparing rates with the nearby Ritz-Carlton, Berlin, which offers similar amenities and more of an Old World atmosphere in rooms.
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Scene
An elegant haven in a 19th-century bank catering to well-heeled travelers
The Hotel de Rome, one of several historic properties developed by Rocco Forte Hotels, does not skimp on luxury and is priced accordingly. Housed in a 19th-century bank, the hotel conveys serious luxury, from its palazzo-style stone facade to its elegant and stylish interiors, full of stately touches like the marble columns and grand skylight in the lobby. The front desk, in subdued leather, is set in a discrete niche, mirroring the quiet, private seating in the otherwise busy lobby. The mood is a bit different in the hotel bar, where pink neon signage and under-counter lighting project a rosy glow onto the room and its contemporary furnishings. La Banca, the hotel's Italian restaurant, has mirrored walls, Art Deco club chairs, classical marble sculptures, and a lantern-lit garden. The hotel also has an impressive ballroom with a massive skylight, marble columns, Art Deco chandeliers, and a distinctive mosaic floor. Guests maintain that the hotel manages to project warmth amid all this cool marble, tile, and gilt-edging. It attracts some couples, splurging for a special occasion, but the bulk of the clientele here are leisure and business travelers accustomed to posh surroundings and the bills attached to it.
Location
Central location within walking distance of several historic sight
The hotel is situated in Berlin's Mitte neighborhood, the center and historical heart of the city. Unter den Linden, a tree-lined main boulevard, is just a block away. In three minutes, guests can walk to Gendarmenmarkt, with its concert hall and monument to the poet Friedrich Schiller, and Humboldt University is four minutes away on foot. Museum Island is a nine-minute walk, as is the Berlin Cathedral. Other popular sites like the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie are a 15-minute walk, while the historic Potsdamer Platz and the Reichstag Building are a 20-minute walk, or 10 to 15 minutes by public transit. Several buses stop near the hotel, and there's a subway station two blocks away. Berlin Schonefeld Airport is about a 30- to 45-minute drive or around 45 minutes by public transportation.
Rooms
High-ceilinged rooms with modern amenities and luxurious bathrooms; many have balconies
Guest rooms are elegant and chic, with high ceilings, expensive fabrics and furnishings, and views of the city. The floors, either parquet with area rugs or wall-to-wall plush in a traditional pattern, contribute to the luxe look. Long windows, sometimes opening to stone balustrade balconies or planted terraces, have black-out drapes in raw silk or heavy linen. The furnishings are a blend of new and antique, such as burled wood Art Nouveau armoires and Art Deco club chairs. Hypoallergenic bed linen and pillow menus are offered, while the mattresses are Hypnos brand. All of the rooms have climate control, air conditioners, minibars, robes, slippers, flat-screen TVs, and safes. Larger, upper-category rooms add walk-in closets, designated seating areas, and Nespresso machines, plus some include free, in-room concierge service, wine, and clothes pressing. The bathrooms, traditional in design with modern fittings, are generously proportioned with good light. There are deep soaking tubs and separate glass-door rainfall showers, as well as heated towel racks, magnifying mirrors, and Malin & Goetz toiletries. The hotel has four historic suites, including one that belonged to the former bank manager as well as a Renaissance Suite with wood panelling, coffered ceilings, and bathrooms and wardrobes fashioned out of former telephone booths.
Features
Skylit ballroom, rooftop lounge, and pool in a jewelry vault
Hotel de Rome is packed with amenities and services, albeit pricey ones. The rooftop terrace, with sweeping city views, serves light meals and drinks, weather permitting. La Banca, the hotel's formal restaurant, has a lantern-lit garden and specializes in Italian food, plus it has an extensive wine list. Afternoon tea, with a classic sweet and savory menu, is served in the lobby. The bar serves artisanal cocktails, including one made with Berlin vodka.
There's a lovely lap lane pool situated in the former jewelry vault, with teak loungers providing poolside seating. The spa has six beautifully tiled rooms offering treatments like detox body wraps and Thai massages, plus it has a sauna and steam room. A fitness center is open 24-hours and has cardio, weight, and resistance training machines and, for a fee, personal trainers.
The hotel caters to business travelers with five meeting rooms -- audio-visual equipment is available, and there's a separate, street-level entrance. There's also a grand ballroom with a big skylight that can accommodate up to 300 people. The 24-hour front desk includes a concierge who can arrange tours, cars, and limos, and book restaurants and concerts. The hotel offers babysitting services and same-day laundry and dry cleaning, as well as shoeshines, for a fee. Valet parking is also available for a fee. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, as are the milk and cookies given to children and kids' activities.
