Tag Archives: Week-end

Berlin, Germany: Alexanderplatz, A Little Shop & Communist Remains

Why going to Alexanderplatz?

For its architectural remains of the communist era. See how the architecture of the late sixties (even restaured) remains an absolute ugliness! It’s so ugly that it could lead to a kind of aesthetic which reminds me of the excellent German film Good bye Lenin by Wolfgang Becker with Daniel Brühl! 

Picture below: The Urania-Weltzeituhr, the universal clock dating from 1969. You can also go there for very practical reasons: the Park Inn (hotel opened in 1970!), The Kaufhof Galeria department store (for his food center), near the quaint streets of the trendy Mitte.

And the little souvenir gift shop, Aus Berlin: Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 17, open from 10am to 10pm (pictured above).

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Berlin, Allemagne: Alexanderplatz, une boutique et des vestiges communistes

Pourquoi se rendre à l’Alexanderplatz?

Pour ses vestiges architecturaux de l’ère communiste. Constater combien cette architecture de la fin des années soixante (même réstaurée) reste d’une laideur absolue! C’est tellement laid que ça peut déboucher sur une forme d’esthétique qui revue et “stylisée”, me fait penser à l’excellent film allemand Good bye Lenine de Wolfgang Becker avec Daniel Brühl!

Photo ci-dessous : L’Urania-Weltzeituhr, l’horloge universelle qui date de 1969. On s’y rend aussi pour des raisons très pratiques : l’hôtel Park Inn (inauguré en 1970!), le grand magasin Kaufhof Galeria (pour son food center), la proximité des agréables rues du Mitte tendance.

Et par réaction à tout ce gigantisme de masse, une petite boutique à souvenirs branchouilles, Aus Berlin : Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 17, ouvert de 10h à 20h (photo ci-dessus).

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Park Inn: A Room Overlooking The Berliner Fernsehturm, The Berlin TV Tower

The view from my room at 24th floor

(picture above)! The two unique interests to book a room at Park Inn Berlin, are its location in the center of Alexanderplatz (or 5 minutes walk from the trendy Mitte, 1 minute from the Galleria food center, and 2 minutes of U ban – the subway and bus stops) and especially its incredible view of the Berliner Fernsehturm, the Berlin TV tower.

Inaugurated in 1970, it’s the tallest hotel of Germany (123 meters). But it’s also a “4 star” hotel-factory, really impersonal (1012 rooms and I do not even mention the reception hall and the breakfast restaurant)! And so “rationalist”: from the “automated” service at the reception desk to do your check in, to the room where every inch has been optimized at its maximum.

So you can easly have the impression of being in the airlock of a spaceship (without a futuristic design, no!), than in a hotel room. We could see an “airy” version of the philosophy of capsule hotel. Although there is no bathroom: a shower block which is separated from the toilet block, by a block-sink mirror in front of a wardrobe-minibar-safe block. Many blocks!

The double bed is comfortable and the all of decor is strictly rationalist (the most enthusiastic ones qualify it as “minimalist”), kind of Ikea furniture and not the most exciting selection of the catalog. For the same price, I recommend smaller hotels, with a warmer and more creative atmosphere, in less touristic neighborhoods. Especially if you stay several nights and/or if you travel lovers!

For a short stay of one night in Mitte, the Park Inn is an attractive option. It seems that the terrace of the restaurant at the 37th floor offers panoramic views of the city. I didn’t have time to check it.

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Park Inn Berlin  

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