Hotel Adlon, Berlin: history, location and what's within a short walk

The Hotel Adlon is Berlin's most famous hotel, and its location is hard to beat: on Pariser Platz, right beside the Brandenburg Gate, where the boulevard Unter den Linden begins. Its story mirrors the city's own, from imperial glamour through destruction and division to reunification. This guide covers that history, how to get there, the sights you can reach on foot and who the hotel suits.

A grand hotel for imperial Berlin

The original Adlon was opened in 1907 by Lorenz Adlon, a successful Berlin restaurateur, with Emperor Wilhelm II at the opening. It was built to rival the great hotels of London and Paris, with modern comforts that were rare at the time, and it quickly became the meeting place of Berlin's high society, diplomats and visiting celebrities.

Destroyed and rebuilt

The hotel came through most of the Second World War, but a fire in 1945, just after the fighting in Berlin ended, destroyed most of the building. A surviving rear wing stayed in use for some years in East Berlin, and the last of it was pulled down in 1984. For decades the site stood empty in the shadow of the Berlin Wall, which ran just beyond the Brandenburg Gate.

After reunification, Pariser Platz was rebuilt, and today's Adlon, a new building in the style of the original, opened in 1997. It's run today as the Hotel Adlon Kempinski.

Where it is and how to get there

The hotel is in Mitte, the historic centre, on the south side of Pariser Platz.

• By train and S-Bahn: the Brandenburger Tor station, served by several S-Bahn lines and the U5 underground line, is steps from the door. Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the main station, is a short ride away.
• From the airport: from Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), airport express and regional trains reach the city centre in roughly half an hour; change for the S-Bahn or U5, or take a taxi from Hauptbahnhof.
• Getting around: Berlin's public transport covers the whole city with one ticket system, and the sights below are all walkable.

The Brandenburg Gate

Step outside and you're at the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin's symbol, once isolated in the no-man's-land of the Berlin Wall and the backdrop to celebrations when the Wall fell in 1989. It's crowded by day, so come back after dark, when the square is quieter and the gate is lit.

The Reichstag and the Tiergarten

A few minutes north is the Reichstag, the seat of the German parliament, crowned by a glass dome with a spiral ramp and views over the city. A visit to the dome is free, but you must register in advance through the parliament's website; check the current rules and bring photo ID. Behind it stretches the Tiergarten, the city's great central park, with paths, lakes and beer gardens, and the Victory Column at its centre.

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Just south of the hotel, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe covers a whole city block with more than 2,700 concrete slabs of varying heights on undulating ground. Walk into it slowly; the experience changes as the slabs rise around you. An underground information centre tells the stories of individual victims. It's a place for quiet reflection, not photographs posed on the slabs.

Unter den Linden and Museum Island

Then follow Unter den Linden east, past the State Opera and Humboldt University, to Museum Island, about a 20-minute walk. Its five museums on the Spree, from ancient art to 19th-century painting, form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the Berlin Cathedral beside them. Some buildings have been closed for long-term renovation, so check what's open before you go. The elegant Gendarmenmarkt square is a short detour south of the boulevard.

Who it suits and when to go

The Adlon suits first-time visitors who want Berlin's landmarks on foot, travellers with an interest in history, and anyone who values a classic grand-hotel atmosphere. It's less suited to travellers who want Berlin's nightlife and neighbourhood cafés, which are concentrated in districts such as Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg.

May to September is best for walking and outdoor cafés. Winters are cold and grey, but from late November through December the Christmas markets bring the centre to life. The where to stay in Berlin guide compares Mitte with the city's other neighbourhoods if you'd like a different base.

Nearby alternatives

Mitte has many upscale and mid-range hotels within a few minutes' walk of Pariser Platz, around Gendarmenmarkt, Friedrichstrasse and Potsdamer Platz. Staying slightly farther out in Prenzlauer Berg or Charlottenburg often means quieter streets and more local restaurants, with a short train ride into the centre.

Practical tips before you book

• Check the room's outlook. Rooms facing Pariser Platz and the gate are the most sought after.
• Plan the Reichstag visit early, because dome slots can book up days ahead in busy seasons.
• Berlin charges a city tax on overnight stays, calculated on the room rate. Check the current rate when you book.
• Big events such as New Year's Eve at the Brandenburg Gate close the area around the hotel and fill hotels early.

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Cover photo: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons