Did you know that Berlin has more bridges than Venice and Amsterdam combined and is nine times the size of Paris? It’s the only city with three active opera houses and it has over 180 museums, 420 galleries, and three UNESCO World Heritage Sites! Arts and culture are pervasive in this vibrant, eclectic and edgy city.

In April, Covington’s President and CEO Josée Covington attended the annual Virtuoso Symposium held in Berlin. The event brought together more than 500 of the industry’s most prominent travel agency owners and managers as well as top-level supplier executives. Attendees from 38 countries congregated to network, discuss key issues impacting travel today, and to take in the sights of the host city.

Josée visited Berlin once before on a family vacation – in 1980 before the wall fell. She remembers being closely observed and mirrors run under the car as they entered the former East Berlin through Checkpoint Charlie. Today, Checkpoint Charlie is an active tourist attraction lined with stores selling everything from trinkets to food, interspersed with the former military sentry huts. Her impression was of a very busy and upbeat area, a significant change for the good from the intimidating border patrol of the past.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Approximately 80% of Berlin was destroyed during World War II, and it suffered economically during the Cold War, but since reunification, the vast city is enjoying a glittering economy. Berlin is the third most-visited city in the European Union and is among the top three convention cities in the world. Berlin hosts large-scale trade fairs in Europe’s largest convention center and it has nearly 800 hotels to house all those guests.

Luxury Hotels in Berlin

During the three day Symposium, meetings and meals were held in four Virtuoso member luxury hotels in Berlin, each of which, Josée reports, is spectacular in its own right. Beyond the merits of the individual hotels, guests who make reservations with Covington Travel (or any Virtuoso member agency) receives complimentary value-added amenities at these fine hotels. Virtuoso amenities include room upgrades, breakfast daily, food and beverage credits and early check in/late check-out at no additional cost to the traveler!

The Ritz-Carlton stands at the pulse of this re-emerging city on the lively Potsdamer Platz with its dizzying array of architectural and artistic venues. Guests step inside to a luxurious world of warm hues, soft feather beds and unique service (the on-call Bath Butler, for instance). A traditional brasserie offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and the elegant bar resembles the style of a British Gentlemen’s Club. The rejuvenating Berlin Day Spa and Health Club can replace all worldly concerns.

Rocco Forte Hotel de Rome offers a combination of stylish design and personal service in a historic, beautifully restored bank building from 1889. Intimately scaled with only 146 rooms and suites and its incomparable location on Bebelplatz, it is a true architectural gem in the heart of Berlin. Enjoy Mediterranean cuisine in restaurant Parioli, afternoon tea in the Opera Court or cocktails in the contemporary Bebel Bar. In summertime, the rooftop terrace offers stunning views over the city’s sights. Spa de Rome is housed in the former bank vault and offers a 20-meter lap pool, sauna, fully equipped gym and wide range of beauty treatments.

Hotel Adlon Kimpinski is, in Josée’s worldly estimation, “the Grande Dame of Berlin hotels.” Business and leisure travelers alike find respite in the hotel’s exquisite designs, materials and colors. The illustrious Restaurant Quarré and the two-Michelin-stars Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer beckon, with their fine fare and spectacular views of the Brandenburg Gate. More dining experiences await in the Japanese-Thai Sra Bua and at le petit Felix, serving French cuisine. The 9,700-square-foot Adlon Spa by Resense is a lovely retreat from the busy city. Virtuoso held a splendid Roaring 20s-themed dinner and dance here, followed by special-arrangement fireworks over the Brandenburg Gate!

Regent Berlin is touted by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the best places in the world to stay. It’s known for its classy atmosphere and impeccable service — the staff pays close attention to the small touches that make one feel right at home. The intimate five-star-superior hotel boasts a perfect view of the historical Gendarmenmarkt square, in the heart of the city near the Friedrichstrasse. State-of-the-art technology is softened by warm fabrics and furnishings in all guestrooms, and a gourmet restaurant, Fischers Fritz, waits to tempt your palate. The lavish fish and seafood specialties have earned the establishment two Michelin stars.

Das Stue is not currently a Virtuoso member, but is certainly an up-and-coming hotel to watch, having received “Best of” accolades from all of the heavy hitter travel publications. It’s Berlin’s first luxury boutique hotel nestled in the lush Tiergarten Park and adjacent to the Zoo. The building, situated in the diplomatic district, was formerly the Danish Embassy, and the décor is ultra-modern.

The Human Aspect of Travel

Although the Symposium participants enjoyed luxurious accommodations, fine dining and engaging sightseeing, Josée reported that her most prized element of the event was networking with industry suppliers and peers about the effects of technology on the future of travel. There’s been an ugly rumor for years that the internet will be the end of the professional travel advisor, yet our business continues to grow.

The event’s general session conveyed a central message of optimism for the travel advisor community: luxury travel is not a transactional business; it needs human interaction to make it truly successful. Virtuoso Chairman and CEO Matthew Upchurch cited examples of how in today’s data-driven world, the role of the travel advisor is to “automate the predictable so that you can humanize the exceptional.”

Covington Travel Advisors do this every day, for every traveler. With worldwide contacts, a wealth of personal experiences and an intrinsic desire to help people get the most from their travel, we have the resources to deliver the exceptional, every time.