The Mandala
In our series “Hotel Crush” we follow hot on the heels of our magazine – into the best hotels in town. Each month we introduce you to a new Berlin&I partner hotel. If you’re really lucky you could even win a stay there… This month we are proud to present our newest partner hotel: the Mandala at Potsdamer Platz.
One of Berlin’s few five star hotels, the Mandala is the epitome of understated luxury in Mitte. What sets the Mandala apart from other top hotels is the friendly yet unobtrusive customer service and personal touches; this is not a chain hotel, this is a home from home (assuming you’ve got a really, really nice home with its own spa).
The History
The Mandala Hotel is located at Potsdamer Platz in Mitte, an area which has experienced Berlin’s tumultuous recent past more profoundly than any other. By the 1920s, Potsdamer Platz had established itself as one of the busiest squares in Europe but heavy bombing during World War II left the area unrecognisable; once impressive architecture from the likes of Karl Friedrich Schinkel was destroyed beyond repair. The area remained a wasteland during the Cold War because of its location in the no man’s land between East and West. Following reunification Potsdamer Platz took centre stage once more, with developers fiercely competing to play a part in its comeback. Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine Berlin’s cityscape without the imposing skyscrapers and modern architecture of Potsdamer Platz.
The Design
Although the unassuming entrance to the Mandala Hotel is located just off the bustling Potsdamer Strasse, the moment you cross the threshold you enter a different world; a world of calm and tranquility. The Mandala’s interior is luxurious, but not overwhelmingly so. Here, minimalist design is paired with stylish details, such as a golden mosaic water feature in the lobby. The rooms are of course large, bright and come with their own balcony, but it is the little details which make the guests feel at home, like the kitchenette or the well-stocked bookshelf.
The Frills
The Ono spa on the 11th floor takes the Mandala principles of relaxation to a whole new level. Whether you’re taking advantage of their wide range of spa services or working out in the fitness centre (which is free for guests) you’ll have some of the best views of the city. You can refuel in the Facil restaurant on the ground floor, with its debonair atmosphere and the “light” cuisine favoured by head chef Michael Kempf, one of the best in town. But the Mandala also does glamour and excitement; the Qiu Lounge is the best place to take full advantage of the hotel’s privileged vantage point over Potsdamer Platz. It’s a place to see and be seen.
The ‘Hood
Potsdamer Platz is once more the exhilarating urban heart of Berlin. The luxury shopping boulevard Friedrichstrasse, Mitte’s culinary smorgasbord of restaurants and most of the city’s top tourist attractions (the Reichstag parliamentary building, Brandenburg Gate, the holocaust memorial) are all within easy walking distance… and if you need to get away from it all, then the leafy expanses of the Tiergarten park are just on your doorstep. Not to mention a little event called the Berlinale film festival, whose star-studded red carpets centre around the square.
The Essentials
The Mandala Hotel
Potsdamer Strasse 3
Berlin-Tiergarten
+49 (0) 30 590 05 00 00
welcome@themandala.de
The Mandala Suites
Friedrichstrasse 185-190
Berlin-Mitte
+49 (0) 30 20 39 20
suites@themandala.de
…but you know what they say: an overnight stay is worth a thousand words. If you’d like to win a gift voucher for a night at the Mandala (plus one of the best breakfasts in town) then drop us a line or leave a comment below. The competition ends on Friday the 11th of May.
-evm
With pictures as amazing as these who wouldn’t want to spend the night there!
looks fantastic.
I take scrambled eggs for breakfast
I think I may be developing a little hotel crush too… I’ll know for certain if you let me win a night there. Please?
Look at that bed!
This place sounds right up my street, I’ll have to check the bar out next time I’m near Potsdamer Platz. If I won a stay that would be even better
Schöne Bilder!
You guys are too good to us – this place looks like heaven! If I don’t win a stay there I might have to go check out their spa anyway…
Please pick me guys, I’m already a true Mandala fan and have stayed there on my last two visits – it lives up to the hype!
We’re thinking of visiting our daughter on her year abroad. The Mandala looks like a great tip. Do they have an English-language website at all? We can only find German. Obviously we’d be delighted to win a stay too
Don’t mind if I do!
Toll!
Surprise weekend in Berlin? My girlfriend would be suitably impressed!
As if I needed an excuse to visit again…
In Rilke’s words: “Love occurs when two solitudes meet, protect, and greet each other” ….a melding in the heart of The Mandala seems the perfect place to prove his equation true.
My girlfriend and I would be on cloud 9!!
How do I not already know about this place? I’d love to win a stay here.
Schööööööön!
Luxurious but not gaudy – these guys have got it just right!
I stayed in the Mandala last time I was in Berlin – it’s a fantastic house and I’d love to win the opportunity to see it again! Please pick me, B&I!
Sieht fantastisch aus! Bitte bitte! Ich würd mich unglaublich freuen! Liebe Grüsse!
tube seems to be bigger than any bed i ever slept in-
HIER!
Wow, really cool design! Would love to see it in real life. Cool photos!
Wow! Is there any better way to visit Berlin starting from the Mandala Spa? I would love to win it!!
Phew, just made it in time! I’d love the chance to see the Mandala in the flesh, dearest Berlin&I. If it’s even half as beautiful as it is in the pictures then I may not want to leave…!
Diane
Fabulous, just fabulous!
Bin ich zu spät??? Ich würde so gerne im Mandala übernachten…
My parents stayed in the Mandala last time they visited me in Berlin and I have to say, I was rather jealous. I’d love to win a night here for me and my girlfriend!