Why the Waldorf Astoria Berlin does not live up to its claim

“If it doesn’t shine on the inside, it can’t sparkle on the outside.” That’s how I would describe the Waldorf Astoria, which opened in Berlin’s Zoological Garden in 2013. In and of itself, it doesn’t exude the charm and service that one associates with the name that stands for luxury hotels. But one after anonther.

The name of the well-known hotel brand, which belongs to the Hilton Group, goes back to Johann Jakob Astor, who came from the tranquil town of Waldorf in the Electoral Palatinate. As a German emigrant, he found his fortune in the United States and became one of the richest men of his time through the fur and real estate trade.

Early on, Astor bet on an imminent population boom in New York and acquired plot after plot. He speculated, grew wealthy, and eventually bequeathed a vast fortune. His grandsons William and John Jacob Astor IV each ran a hotel in the immediate vicinity from 1893 and 1897 respectively.

When the grandchildren merged their houses – one called Waldorf, the other Astoria – the former parent house Waldorf Astoria was created, which stood on the very lot where the Empire State Building towers into the sky today. The world-famous Waldorf salad was also created here in 1896.

Secret platform in Grand Central Terminal

Today’s main building has been on Park Avenue since 1931 and was considered the largest, most renowned and highest hotel in the world at the time, with its own secret platform in Grand Central Terminal for its illustrious guests. It was the flagship of the luxury hotel industry. The then US President Hoover gave a special radio speech at the opening. Over the years, in addition to Franklin Roosevelt, Marilyn Monroe and the Kennedys, countless other prominent guests have resided here. Paris Hilton grew up here in her family’s suite.

Why am I telling all this? In order to make clear to you the height of fall that exists for the first and only hotel in the chain in Germany.

The first impression counts and the last remains: I enter the hotel, the receptionist sees me but does not greet me, looks to the side and finally disappears into a back room without saying a word. I have to wait a while before I can check in. Finally he comes back, looks around again, but walks away without consciously noticing me. At least this gives me time to take in the lobby better, which smells really pleasant of flowers.

I finally manage to check in here. In direct contact, the handling is then also friendly. However, a typical “Waldorf feeling” of warmth and cordiality does not arise; especially when you glance to the left in the lobby at the picture of the parent company in Manhattan, you miss a little the cohesion and flair of tried and tested service. Everything is fine here, but not everything is excellent.

I like the building of the hotel, even if the color is a little too beige and gray for my taste. The quality of the hardware is right. Worth mentioning here is the Guerlain Spa, the only one in Germany. Guerlain has received multiple awards as one of the best luxury spas.

The Waldorf Astoria in Berlin is on the fifth floor. It has a 1,000 square meter spa, five therapy rooms, a cloud-shaped pool, Finnish sauna, steam room, hydrotherapy, a Guerlain boutique and a 24-hour fitness center.

Arriving in the room, however, reveals what I described as the missing “Waldorf feeling”. A young man from the baggage service comes to the door, puts my bags down, turns around and leaves. No polite communication whatsoever, no asking if he should come in to assist me or if he could kindly explain the room to me. None of this is offered. That’s not bad, but just very sober in dealing with it.

Sober is probably the right word here. For the proud price of 409.50 euros per night without breakfast and for the brand name Waldorf, that is indeed sobering! Explaining the room to you – in my case, unfortunately, the water in the coffee machine was empty and the machine was unplugged – is standard at this level these days.

The room itself is beautiful, has high ceilings and convinces with its good facilities and the materials used. The bathroom is decorated in dark marble.

A small drawback, however, is the soundproofing of the windows, although there is massive double glazing. I don’t hear the Zoologischer Garten train station right in front of the door, including the passenger traffic, but I do hear the sirens of the police and fire brigade. In my opinion, this could have been solved a little better.

The paths to the bar and restaurant could have been marked better and more guest-friendly. There are only a few signposts, but the staff only watch you search the hotel instead of being helpful.

“Lang Bar” with good drinks and live piano music

Once there, however, the “Lang Bar” – named after the Berlin director icon Fritz Lang – in art deco style makes up for it with good drinks and live piano music on Thursdays. Here they try to uphold the bar culture that was significantly influenced by the parent company in New York.

After a short flying visit, I make my way hungry to the “Roca” restaurant, which advertises modern cuisine and Eastern-Mediterranean dishes at the highest level, but closes at 9 p.m. Since it is the only restaurant in the house, a member of the service staff directs me back to the bar shortly before 9 p.m., where they can offer me a snack.

Five-star hotel for over 400 euros a night? 21 clock? In the middle of Berlin? I’m lost for words. The New York Waldorf Astoria had a reputation like Donnerhall, but that has probably faded noticeably over the Atlantic. As I said, the hardware is very good, but Schmalhans is the master chef in the Berlin version.

I leave the hotel hungry and enter the three-star Hotel Motel One just around the corner. I am greeted warmly and the restaurant is of course open. The Berliner Bär tap-dances here, the store is good and on fire, a clear recommendation from me. From young to old there is a good atmosphere here and the food tastes good too.

Back at the Waldorf Astoria, I am at least approached in the elevator by an employee who engages me in small talk. That’s a little bit of the attention I would have previously wished for guests of a five-star establishment.

In the room I noticed that the bed had been made in the meantime and small chocolates were provided. A personal cover letter with a touch of local color in the form of a quote from Berlin resident John F. Kennedy is also a nice gesture. The water in the coffee machine was not refilled. If I as a house want to be among the best, that would be a point that needs improvement.