The Mandala Hotel, Berlin, Germany
The Mandala Hotel 5 Stars
"A zen-like calm emanates from the Michelin-starred Mandala, creating a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of Potsdamer Platz."
Hotel Overview
Review of The Mandala Hotel, by Jeroen Bergmans
The Mandala is a tranquil oasis, tucked away behind the three iconic skyscrapers built by Renzo Piano, Dr Kollhoff and Helmut Jahn that preside over Berlin's shiny new Potsdamerplatz. Originally built as an upmarket apartment block for retired, wealthy Berliners, this luxury hotel (formerly the Madison Hotel) is both spacious and stylish.
As the Berlin Film Festival has its headquarters in the same building as The Mandala Hotel, it has become a favourite with film stars, producers and directors who come for the fabulous food, excellent facilities and central location.
The facilities
The exclusive restaurant Facil has sunny terraces and a retractable glass roof. It is popular with Berlin's gourmands who flock here for chef Michael Kempf's excellent, modern European dishes. The buffet breakfast is pricey but known for being one of the best in Berlin.
Clubby bar Qiu serves cocktails, whiskeys, cognacs and sours to a fashionably loungey soundtrack.
A fully-equipped fitness centre and spa spanning 450m2 can be found on the 11th floor of the luxury hotel. Two saunas (one eucalyptus and one Finnish) a massage room and roof terrace decked out with Dongin furniture are all at the disposal of the Mandala's guests.
The rooms
The Mandala Hotel's 166 rooms are all non-smoking and very quiet as they look out onto a central courtyard. More than half have balconies.
Black and white Herb Ritts prints line the corridors and adorn the smart, contemporary room interiors. Heavenly beds and large desks will appeal to guests staying for both business and leisure. Comfort Zone toiletries add a dash of decadence and the copy of the Declaration of Human Rights by the bed instead of the bible is a quirky touch.
Executive Suites are best as they overlook the city to the East or to the West. 1104 and 1106 have extra-large 8m balconies. A couple of new 2-bedroom suites have been kitted out with kitchenettes to cater for long-stay guests and families.
Facilities
Hotel Policies
Awards
"5 Best Business Travel Hotels in Germany", Impuls 06Who stays here?
Mandala is a favourite with big-shot film producers and directors, particularly during the Berlin Film Festival whose administrative offices are in the same building. Sports stars like Pelle have stayed as have many famous musicians who hole up here as the Philharmonic is only steps away.
Come for...
- Fifth-floor Japanese garden
- Swiss Wellness Centre
- Space - the building was originally apartments
- The atmospheric lounge bar Qiu T
- The sceney restaurant Facil
Not Suitable for...
- Traditionalists and fans of old-school Teutonic interiors
- Those looking for a cosy, quirky bolthole - this is a sleek, business-minded hotel
Children
Baby-sitting services and extra beds are available on request. Children are given discount rates.
Eating in
Michael Kempf is the youngest Michelin-starred chef in Germany and his fresh, inventive and sophisticated dishes justify this lofty accolade. Dining at Restaurant Facil isn't cheap though, and bookings need to be made way in advance.
The Press Say
"Too many boutique hotels offer you a glorified cupboard with low-watt lights, and tell you to get on with feeling groovy …This is different: comfortable and straightforward, with intelligent, rather than intimidating, design." Sunday Times 06Reviews
Review of The Mandala, by Caroline Major
Look out for the small-understated entrance of The Mandala from Potsdamer Strasse; this luxury hotel is disguised as a cinema complex; the first of many pleasant surprises.
The facilities
The corner of the very Swiss Wellness Centre overlooks the restaurant and offers guests massage treatments and saunas. This tranquil spot is devoted to lounging with tea in the afternoon sun. At the other side, the manned gym with its bouncy floors, sports the latest in fitness technology.
On the fifth floor a Japanese garden is set behind a conservatory-style restaurant. This is the perfect spot for breakfast and, with its Michelin star, has become one of Berlin's gourmand hot spots for lunch and dinner. In fair weather, a table in the garden is an aural pleasure as the breeze rustles the bamboo.
The suites
Surrounding the suspended garden are the 80 light, bright and comfortable suites of The Mandala. Big windows flood the rooms with light and super-smooth silver shutters purr into place and dim the light. Most of the rooms have a balcony and those that don't have a lovely winter garden or glass conservatory, which can be used for most of the year (March-October).