Wilmina Hotel

Rooms

You sleep in the former prison cells – but you’d never guess. Everything oozes calm, understated comfort. Some rooms combine two cells, some three, others are in a new penthouse extension; but all are full of light and warmth, with carefully chosen artworks and sparse beautiful furnishings. Nothing is superfluous here.

Entry-level Cosy rooms are compact (11 sq.m.) – better for single travellers or shorter stays – but very cocooning. We loved climbing onto the raised platform bed. They combine two cells – one for the bedroom, the other for the bathroom – with partly barred windows as a nod to the history.

Classic rooms are larger at 14-19 sq.m. – most were made by merging three cells – with kingsize beds and bigger windows to create a bright monastic ambiance. Some can combine with a Cosy to make a family suite. Others (dubbed Extended) have an extra sofabed behind a sliding door, perfect for a child or teenager .

Garden View rooms look – generally through two large windows – onto leafy courtyards with dappled shade. We love the delicately framed pressed flowers in these (and all) rooms.

Super-spacious Penthouse Suites (25-35 sq.m.) are housed in the new fifth floor (don’t worry, there’s a lift) with floor to ceiling windows, and views over the hotel’s courtyards or living rooftops. Metallic-gauze drapes keep them private, and cast a shimmering light within. You get a sitting area with pendant lights and a kettle with delicious cleansing teas.

If you’re staying a while, book the Garden Loft – a fully-fledged apartment – with open-plan kitchen-dining-sitting area (fridge, dishwasher, microwave – but no stove) and access from the garden via a private staircase.

All rooms have a Cocomat bed, slimline TV, safe, workspace, fast WiFi and a rain shower (or, in some suites, a tub) with Frama toiletries.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Central heating
• Cots available
• Fan
• Hairdryer
• Safe box
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

Reached through an aquarium-like passage, Lovis restaurant is housed a high-ceilinged, red-brick space with atmospheric eco-lighting, minimalist Zen tableware and garden views. When we visited on a Tuesday evening, it was buzzing with locals – always a good sign.

Chef Sophia Rudolph, who trained under Alain Ducasse, has created a modern German cuisine with French (and further-flung) touches: Teutonic perfection meets Gallic indulgence, if you will. The highly curated menu (typically 3-5 mains) is seasonal, hyper-local and always revelatory. Think mushroom ravioli in Szechuan jus, rhubarb salad with fennel and lime, then roasted guinea fowl supreme or dry aged German entrecotê. My confit egg yolk, meadow mushroom and salted lemon jus was simply sublime. Portions are small, perfectly measured and impeccably arranged on Zen earthenware plates: not for lovers of Bratwurst and Sauerkraut!

Afterwards, check out the innovative cocktail list which is divided into taste groups – such as damson-almond-smoky, or pear-coriander-herbs – so you can see what tickles your buds and let the brilliant mixologist work his alchemy. My cherry-caramel-sumac concoction was divine, and bartender Nils had even picked and infused the cherry himself.

For lighter fare, healthy snacks (including a good vegetarian and vegan selection) and aperitifs head to their daybar and cafe Lotta (open 1100-1800 daily) in the summer garden across the serene inner courtyard, (you can also find it via separate entrance on Pestalozzistrasse). They also have an in-house bakery Wilmina Brot next to the hotel entrance, where you can watch their fresh bread being baked daily, and choose from their various sourdoughs and other delicious baked goods.

Breakfast – like everything in this hotel – is a bit special. Don’t expect a groaning buffet of croissants and omelettes; instead a curated seasonal spread of quirky and delicious dishes is laid out in the hotel library. We savoured homemade peach and plum jam, chocolate-cardamom spread, white kidney bean hummus, pumpkin and ginger compote, Bircher muesli, regional cheeses, smoked trout and more besides. You won’t go hungry.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Explore nearby Lietzensee park (10 mins’ walk away), stopping for lunch at Engelbecken for classic German and Austrian cuisine
  
• Soak up Berlin’s royal past in the gardens of beautiful Charlottenburg Palace, 10 mins’ cycle away on one of the hotel’s bikes
  
• Soak in the views from Wilmina's rooftop pool or lose yourself in the jungle-like gardens
  
• Wander down Kantstrasse – the vibe moves from grittier to prettier – to Bleibtreustrasse for quirky boutiques and bookshops; plus funky art galleries around Savignyplatz
  
• Just beyond are the iconic KaDeWe department store, the evocative stained-glass Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church, and the endless green park of Zoo-Tiergarten
  
• Berlin’s main highlights – Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, the big museums - are half an hour by S Bahn (Charlottenburg station is 7 mins’ walk away); or you could cycle in a similar time

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Shopping / markets
• Theatre

Kids

Children are welcome and will enjoy the gardens. Babies and toddlers can sleep in their parents' bed for free; otherwise, most rooms can fit a cot – or in some cases an extra bed – for a charge. Children up to 6 breakfast for free.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

All rooms except Cosy rooms can fit a baby cot. Classic (Extended) rooms and Penthouse Suites have sofa beds which can take a child up to 16 years old. If travelling as a family of 4, some Classic rooms can interconnect with Cosy rooms to make a 2 bedroom suite; book one of each and, in your message, request a connecting pair.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Shops: 1 minute

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Wilmina Hotel is in the Charlottenburg district of west Berlin, on Kantstrasse. Charlottenburg station (S-Bahn) is 7 mins’ walk away.

By Air:
Fly to Berlin Brandenburg – now the city's only airport – and take the S-bahn, RB (Regionalbahn) or FEX (express) to Charlottenburg (45-60 mins). Or you could take a taxi to the hotel (30-45 mins' driving time).

By Train from UK:
Daytime trains from London St Pancras via Brussels and Cologne take 10-11 hours; or you can take an overnight sleeper train leaving London mid-afternoon. See Seat 61 for details.

By Car:
There is no point in having a car in Berlin, but if hiring a car for your onward journey, see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed instructions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.