Back from my horror-trip to Berlin!

I stayed many times in Berlin and after I mostly stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in the past I thought I found my new adress after a good stay at the Adlon last year. Virtuoso ameneties are very good with often double upgrades in advance and breakfast was great.

I had to be in Berlin for 4 nights and it was the first Berlin-trip with my new girlfriend. It was a no-brainer for me to book the Adlon, the rate for a Superior Deluxe room with guaranteed upgrade to a Junior Suite (in the past an Executive Suite at arrival) was reasonable (322 € per night). I also booked a table at Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer (2 Michelin stars) for a romantic dinner.

A few weeks before my stay I read, that Obama will visit Berlin at this time. I did a little bit of research and found, that he stayed at the Rtz last time. As I had to do business in Berlin I thought the visit won´t affect our stay too much.

Check In

After we arrived at the hotel the doorman took over our car and took car of our lagguage.

A few weeks ago the Adlon got a renovated lobby. The result is very nice, the reception is much more inviting than before. My first impression was very positive. Check-in was fast, we weren´t offered an tour or an accompainment to the room. As I know the hotel very well, no problem.

New lobby and corridors:

Room

This time we "only" got the guaranteed single upgrade to a Junior Suite, but it wasn´t a problem for me. I was located at the addition and you had to use a spparate elevator to reach it. Our Junior Suite was more a full suite with separated living- and bedroom. The rooms were relative small but still nice. The wardrobe was a little small for my needs. Televisions are old and small.

Corridor to the suite:

The floor (had 579 in the past):

Entrance (with bathroom, toilet and wardrobe):

Toiet:

Bathroom:

Living room:

Bedroom:

View from the bedroom:

Unfortunately the room had some problems. Sometimes the light didn´t work properly, one day the television at the bedroom had no sound. Over all it showed a lot of wear and tear. Highlight was a non-removeable discoloration in the toilet!

To be fair the damaged control was fixed without notice:

As I tried to use the shoe-clean I had to discover it was already used....

The public spaces show also wear and tear, here an example from the elevator:

Dining

The first evening we ate at Sra Bua by Tim Raue. I had dinner there in the past and found it totally overpriced. We gave it a second try. Service was informal, food better this time and servings sized more reasonable. Bill came at 117 € with water, 2 starters, 2 mains and 1 (disappointing) dessert. Over all a good performance but not outstanding.

Breakfast

Breakfast was always great at the Adlon, one of the best I know. This time standards slipped down and didn´t reach the last experiences. The quality was not as good as last times and the choices were smaller. Still a good breakfast but no longer outstanding.

Nice decoration:

The stay gets desastrous

At check-in I asked if Obama will stay at the hotel but I got no answer. Later the day I read, that the polic will install a security-zone around the Brandenburger gate. At this moment I knew, that he will stay at the Adlon and I knew, that it´s not a good thing for us. If I had know in advance I had choosen another hotel.

One day later (Tuesday, arrival wednesday) we still got very few information. We were only told there would be a security-tent, they need all our passport-datas and it wouldn´t be possible to use our car during this days. Bad management.

On wednesday morning the first streets were closed and police took position.

Now I lived in the safest hotel in the world. When I arrived back at the hotel around 5 pm (I had a reservation at Lorenz Adlon at 7 pm and we wanted to rest and change) there was a tent were everyone was checked with a metal detector. When it was our turn they told us we weren´t allowed to enter as the police closed the hotel for Obamas arrival. He landed at 6 pm at Berlin-Tegel, they closed the hotel at 5 pm. Great! They couldn´t tell us how long we had to wait, no further information was given. After we did a short walk we were not even allowed to enter the street and it was raining cats and dogs.

To make it short: After over 2 hours waiting they reopened the checkpoint at 7:15 pm and we could enter the hotel. I was not in the mood to sped 500 € or so at Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer and canceled my reservatio . I was raeally angry, my girlfriend really affected. Later we heared that Obama and Merkel ate at Lorenz Adlon this evening (I guess in a separate room), so I guess dinner would have been another low.

Next morning I could see long queues in front of the check-point behind the hotel:

The entrance was also overfilled when I left the hotel for my meeting:

Later the day it wasn´t a too long wait but of course inconveniant. At the evening we went out for dinner. When we arrived back the entrance was again closed. No information how long it would be the case, same procedure than yesterday. No tent or something else to be kept warm was offered, you had to wait under the open sky. After around an hour we were told Obama was on his way. Throug the Brandenburger gate we could see the convoy.

Again like the day before they didn´t use the main entrance and drove dírectly to the garage. So absolutely no danger if people walk from the checkpoint to the hotel as the entrance to the garage is on the other side of the hotel. Absolutely unneccessary cosures. While we had to wait they started (after the closure was loosehed to serve champagne to the many waiting guests in paper cups. How classy!

At least I had never seen such an empty Brandenburger Gate as on the next morning:

Check-Out

At check-out Obama had left Berlin and the hotel was "free" again. At check out I was asked if I had enjouyed my stay despite the troubles. As you can imagain I wasn´t amused. I told them that I had absolutely no understanding and that I think it´s an impudence to sell rooms to regular guests under such circumstances. Again they told me they had no influence on it and they were not able to change anything. They also told me the transferred the domiciliary right to the police and the Secret Service. Again I told them that I don´t accept this justification as no one is forced to house the American President or should at least be able to inform gusts in advance or negotiate better conditions for them. But it seems they accept many unsatisfied guests for the pleasure to house Obama. Clear decision and I know which conclusions I draw from it.

After the discussion I was granted a 100 € discount on my nearly 1500 € bill which is nothing in my eyes. I had not the mood to discuss any more and left. They told me for security reasons they were not able to bring up my car, so they brought my lagguage into the garage and I drove out by myself.

Overall

I´m no longer a fan of the Adlon. My room was in a bad condition and the hotel full with convention-guests. Not a luxurious atmosphere. Even without the other problems I guess I would choose another hotel in the future. What followed with the Obama-visit was a impudence and absolutely unacceptable. Normally I should be paid for it. If I would charge my usual hourly fee per hour I had to wait useless in front of the checkpoints in the rain it would cover the whole bill. Simply because of principle considerations I will not stay at the Adlon any more, at least for the next years!