"Positive Changes At Hilton Berlin
By Doug Krikorian
In my latest December visit to the Hilton Berlin, an annual rite that dates back several decades, I found a couple of changes that made the stay even more enjoyable than usual.
For one thing, the Christmas Market was back in action across the street at the historic Gendarmenmarkt Square between the iconic French and German Cathedrals and in front of the Konzerthaus (concert hall) after a two-year absence because of a major paving renovation project.
And, oh, was it back in action in a most modern architectural fashion with enchanting gold canopies festooned around the premises with sparkling gold lights atop each one giving a majestic glow to the ambiance.
The place was jammed every night I visited it as the patrons filled the restaurants, crowded the bratwurst, Gluhwein, beer and candy outlets and navigated en masse the lengthy arts and crafts tent when they weren't standing in front of the large stage being entertained by choirs, singers, dancers, acrobats and comedians.
It was, as the WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt always had been, the perfect location for the Hilton Berlin since all you have to do to reach it is walk across the street, which hadn't been the case since 2023 when you had to make a 15-minute trek to its temporary site that was next to the Unter de Linden on a Humboldt University square.
And one of many reasons I've become so fond of vacationing in Germany in December is its divine Christmas Markets, when the glad gatherings of so many cheerful folk, especially parents with their children, revives remembrances of my youth in the 1950s when my parents would take me and my sister to Christmas festivities at the fraternal organization my father belonged to where there was food and music and dancing and much gaiety and of course Santa Claus.
And I've been to all the famed ones in Germany---Nuremberg, Dresden, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne etc.---but the one at Gendarmenmarkt Square remains my favorite.
The other major change at the Berlin Hilton was its totally new Executive Lounge, re-located from the far end of the lobby to the first floor next to the Beletage Restaurant which still serves a top-flight breakfast.
I've often rated the Hilton Berlin's Executive Lounge as the top one I've visited in Europe because of its always courteous, helpful staff and extraordinarily tasty food offerings that too often have kept my wife and me from going to one of the many elite restaurants nearby.
Well, at the new facility that overlooks the Gendarmenmarkt Square, the food even has been upgraded---a greater assortment of delicious salads and cheeses to go with spring rolls, chicken wings, wontons, etc. And there are now three modern coffee machines---to go with soft drinks, beer, wine and various high quality liquors.
But what makes this one superior to its predecessor is its stylish furnishings that evinces a feeling of being in a high-end nightclub. You walk in, and are stunned by the many plush couches and tables sprinkled throughout the expansive premises accompanied by comfortable armchairs.
The Hilton Berlin has been undergoing widespread renovations, and all the suites on the sixth floor are being upgraded, as are selected rooms throughout the hotel.
But the other positive parts of the 601-room establishment has been maintained as its maid service still is prompt and thorough with new sheets, towels and wash clothes delivered daily without request.
The fitness center is first-class with all the prerequisite cardio bikes and weight lifting equipment. The concierges, Tony Hofmann and Rene Pfitzner, are engaging, patient and informative, and even one, the legendary Gerhard Buskies, whose employment goes back to when the building's location was a part of East Germany and known as the Stadt Hotel, still makes an occasional appearance.
The long-time, award-winning front office manager, Doreen Maurer, often mistaken for Claudia Schiffer, oversees a most efficient desk reception that makes queues disappear in moments.
There are a lot of other things to like about the Hilton Berlin---the Stadtmitte U-Bahn station is across the street and its Metro trains can have you at the most luxurious and largest department store in continental Europe, the KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens) in 15minutes. And many other places of interest like the Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, Checkpoint Charlie, Potsdammer Platz are in the vicinity.
But my greatest fondness during my seven-day stay this time was that my most beloved Christmas Market was a New York minute away."
