Berlin Hotels

Maybe the third time is the charm. Two previous visits to this hotel resulted in a "Not Recommended" review (August, 1988) and one "average" rating (July, 1992). This time was better. The Residenz is an amalgam of five pensions built for government workers around 1902. The result is several long, narrow buildings and seemingly endless halls, all connected around an inner courtyard. It serves as temporary home to movie makers and TV companies—actors, technicians and directors. A movie producer we met over a glass of wine had lived there happily for six months.

The quiet, smallish rooms are furnished with wardrobes, European-style double beds, desks, chairs and small, mostly shower-only, bathrooms. Our room had french doors opening onto a small balcony where we could look out onto the relatively quiet street. The hotel also has some studios and apartments available with kitchens. These attractive accommodations are mostly on the upper floor and have slanting ceilings and skylights. Both the antique-filled small lobby and the elegant (and expensive) Grand Cru restaurant have a pleasant "Old Berlin" feel.

Service and friendliness of staff are definitely categories in which the Residenz has improved. What was never a problem was the quality and quantity of the breakfast served in the chandeliered Grand Cru. One chooses from an array of fresh, dried and canned fruit; cereals; freshly baked bread; pastry and several varieties of fresh rolls; eggs, scrambled and boiled; two varieties of delicious fresh sausage; bacon; pickled fish and vegetables; yogurt; jam; chocolate; butter; margarine; various cheeses and sliced cold cuts. Unfortunately it is not included in the room price and costs an extra 22 DM ($16).