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Fodor's Expert Review Sofitel Berlin Gendarmenmarkt

Charlottenstr. 50–52, Berlin, Berlin, 10117, Germany See on Map

This luxurious property has maximized the minimalist look of East Berlin architecture. In the formerly austere conference room, designers added an illuminated glass floor that made it a masterpiece. The spa tucked under the mansard roof is suffused with light, thanks to angled windows, and there’s a comprehensive gym. Rooms are bright and airy and some face Gendarmenmarkt, one of the city's most impressive squares.

room

Rooms vary in size and layout and are sleekly designed by Harald Klein, with modern leather furniture and rich textiles. All have flat-screen TVs, Bose Wave radios and air conditioning. Some rooms have a balcony. Prestige suites boast views of the lovely Gendarmenmarkt square and the ornate domed French cathedral.

YOU SHOULD KNOW Only the luxury rooms and suites have coffee machines.

bathroom

Bathrooms feature polished black and white marble, marble vanities and separate soaking tubs or walk-in rainfall showers. Amenities include Hermes products.

lobby

The petite lobby has a sophisticated vibe, with cream-colored seating and contemporary artwork.

dining

The splendid, if pricey, breakfast buffet is served in the pretty Atrium Café. The elegant Aigner restaurant, styled after Vienna's famed coffeehouses, offers a meat-centric menu of German and Austrian specialties, with many ingredients sourced from nearby Brandenburg.

drinking

The small Aigner bar serves cocktails, as well as beer and wine

LOCATION

Getting Around

The Französische Straße U-Bahn and Gendarmenmarkt U-Bahn are less than two blocks away.

Restaurants

There are several gourmet food options, mainly French-inspired, on the lower level of the Galeries Lafayette (2-minute walk), a branch of the luxurious Parisian department store. The volume is loud and the crowd uber-fashionable at the modern, Italian-tinged Crackers (5-minute walk), housed in a former nightclub with a hard-to-find entrance.

Bars

Named after the legendary German photographer Helmut Newton and with his giant nude photos adorning the walls, Newton Bar (2-minute walk) is a chic, if pricey, spot for good cocktails. The Bavarian-style beer hall Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt (1-minute walk) serves mugs of cold Augustiner brew in a rustic, wood-paneled space.

WHY WE LIKE IT

With just 92 rooms, this luxury-brand hotel feels much more like a boutique property. The top-floor wellness center is small but well-equipped with a sauna, steam room and terrace. And the location near Gendarmenmarkt, one of the city's most beautiful squares with its historic French and German cathedrals, can’t be beat.