Ku' Damm 101

The Scene

Ku’ Damm 101 is conveniently located for both tourists looking for a fashionable stay in West Berlin and business travelers (thanks to its proximity to the Internationales Congress Centrum, or ICC). It’s frankly a bit outside the normal or expected tourist center of Mitte but only a 10 minute ride on the tram. The location alone is worth if you’re after some of the best shopping in Berlin on the Kurfürstendam (and if it’s shopping you’re after, a visit to the KaDeWe department store is a must). For a great landmark-heavy trek, go directly north for a spell and you’ll run straight into the Charlottenburg Palace and more than a few impressive museums along the way.

The Concept

The famous Le Corbusier’s tenets of architecture shape Ku’ Damm 101, especially his belief that all people should live peacefully (and beautifully). There are almost no walls, creating a feeling of not only openness but also a fluidity of design. Sustainability and wellbeing drives the design as much as Corbusier’s ideas; for example, there’s no carpet but instead natural rubber floors (green and hypoallergenic, of course). The front desk offers bike rentals---perfect for seeing Berlin like a local thanks to prevalent bike culture and spacious bike lanes---and also jogging trails in the nearby area. We won’t say this often, but the breakfast may be one of the best hotel buffets we’ve encountered.

The Look

Ku’ Damm 101 is the epitome of what people either love or hate about “contemporary” or “modern” design: stark white (and uncluttered, clean lines to go with it). If you’re a fan of this style, we’re positive you’ll find Ku’ Damm 101 just as refreshing and peaceful as we do. The furniture fits in perfectly with Corbusier’s ideas of furniture as a tool, but young German designers created many of the pieces you’ll find. In a turn for the remarkably fun, Ku’ Damm 101 encourages you to move your furniture around to make it a more functional space for you. (In other words, the design works for you and not the other way around.) Enjoy the enormous windows that let plenty of natural light in. The sleek and spare wellbeing area is a beautiful antithesis to the hubbub of the outside city; for the ultimate in relaxation and rejuvenation, slip into the calming steam room or book an acupressure session.

In Short

When what you really need is a calm hotel that doesn’t take itself too seriously, Ku’ Damm 101 is just the ticket in Berlin. Relax and rearrange as you please in this ultramodern hideaway in Charlottenburg.