Luxury Travel Advisor - December 2007 - (Page 24) ACCESS: Dining and Culture in Berlin Dine atop the Reichstag, which has been rebuilt to house the German parliament. Insist that clients have lunch or dinner at the beautiful rooftop restaurant. Hint: If they reserve a table in advance by calling 49-3022-6299-33, they bypass the lines to see parliament in session. Vau (www.vau-berlin.de), a Michelin-star restaurant serving dishes made with fresh, seasonal produce, shares a courtyard with the Nolde Museum. To find out which opera and orchestra performances are taking place while your client will be in town, check out www.visitberlin. de. The site also lists festivals, concerts and venues for jazz, rock, Latin, reggae and pop music. The most famous of the city’s orchestras is the Berlin Philharmonic (www.berliner-philharmoniker.de), led by renowned conductor Sir Simon Rattle. Suggest to clients that their evening at the philharmonic include a pre-concert dinner at Restaurant Diekmann im Weinhaus Huth (www.j-diekmann.de) and a nightcap at a bar or café. The new House of World Cultures (www.hkw.de) is located in a building that was originally a gift from the United States and a symbol of free postwar Berlin. It houses a number of themed exhibits; during our visit, a show focused on New York’s urban culture. THE BRANDENBURG GATE is considered to be one of Berlin’s most iconic landmarks. Private Guides Agents who wish to customize a tour of Berlin’s museums, galleries and artist studios should contact Miriam Bers (bers@goart-berlin.de; 49-3025-1670-7) at Go Art Berlin (www.goart-berlin.de). To arrange for your clients to get a sound overview of Berlin at the start of their visit, contact Richard Campbell (rgc2012@yahoo.com; 49-3088-5515-61), an expert on the city. Henrik Tidefjärd (henrik@berlinagenten.com) is the direct contact for Berlinagenten (www.berlinagenten.com), which conducts customized tours and has special access to parts of the city not typically open to visitors. Tip: Luxury travel advisors also can book tours and get quotes through Berlin Tourism’s website, www.berlintourist-information.de/reiseindustrie/index.en.php, which has special pages dedicated to the travel industry. Ralf Ostendorf (usa@btm.de) is Berlin Tourism’s U.S. sales manager. Getting There Berlin has three airports, all of which permit private jets to land. The nearest to the city is Airport Tempelhof, which is 15 minutes by car. Contact Head Concierge Thomas Munko (concierge. berlin@ritzcarlton.com; 49-3033-777-6220) for luxury ground transportation or to arrange for a seat at the hotel’s restaurant, Vitrum, where chef de cuisine Thomas Kellermann has earned a Michelin star. Tip: The restaurant only has 45 seats, so reserve early. Be sure to ask about securing a seat at the Chef’s Table or at one of Kellermann’s quarterly cookery classes. He’ll also host cooking parties on request. Tip: The restaurant has a wine cellar where guests can enjoy private tastings. The hotel is overseen by Thorsten Ries (49-30-33-7776000), the area vice president and general manager. Pets are permitted—there’s even a doggie butler. The roster of past guests says it all about The Hotel Adlon Kempinski (www.hotel-adlon. de): Queen Elizabeth, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Queen Silvia of Sweden, Naomi Campbell and Nelson Mandela have all graced this historic property, which overlooks the Brandenburg Gate and is close to the city’s main museums and attractions. Anne Martinussen, director of sales (anne.martinussen@ kempinski.com; 49-30-22611321), can assist with booking your top client. Managing Director Stephan Interthal (stephan. interthal@kempinski.com; 4930-2261-0) oversees the hotel. We suggest opting for one of the property’s 24 luxury suites which opened last year. Aside from their top appointments, most have a private fitness room and sauna. Guests booking for one of the hotel’s three Presidential Suites score a number of exclusive amenities, such as 24-hour private butler and limousine service and an open bar. The Security Suite, which is the largest in the house, is said to provide the highest security standard available. Spa Director Karin Rogge (karin.rogge@kempinski.com; 49-30-2261-1792) oversees the new Adlon Day Spa, which uses Guerlain and Molton Brown products. Insiders say that the Mood Massage is the most popular treatment. Head Concierge Raffaele Sorrentino (raffaele.sorrentino@ kempinski.com; 49-30-22611753) can book exclusive viewings at museums and private dinners with local famous chefs; he’s even organized a fireworks display in Venice so a guest could make a surprise wedding proposal. To prepare guests for their stay at this historic hotel, which has just turned 100, suggest they view the film, “Hotel Adlon” and read “The Glamorous World of the Adlon Hotel” by Percy Adlon. 24 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | December 2007 http://www.vau-berlin.de http://www.visitberlin.de http://www.visitberlin.de http://www.berliner-philharmoniker.de http://www.j-diekmann.de http://www.hkw.de http://www.goart-berlin.de http://www.hotel-adlon.de http://www.hotel-adlon.de http://www.berlinagenten.com http://www.berlin-tourist-information.de/reiseindustrie/index.en.php http://www.berlin-tourist-information.de/reiseindustrie/index.en.php
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