Theo Randall @ The Intercontinental London Park Lane, England, United Kingdom

After having mixed experiences at Theo Randall's one year earlier we decided to give it a new try after the restaurant went through a full transformation and renovation in late 2015/early 2016.

The space had considerable brightened and looked much more contemporary and rustic with wood panelling and interesting light features.

The acoustic had also improved. It wasn't as loud as before. It could have had also to do with there being mostly couples.

The welcome was much warmer than last time around. We were promptly brought to our table, which was large, wooden and squared.

We had given the vouchers for two glasses of Prosecco we had received at check in to the maître d' and the Prosecco arrived promptly.

Our bottle of Acqua Panna and the Three Moons Cocktail with Masala and fig-thyme syrup were next. The cocktail was very strong and nuanced. It was delightful.

The greetings from the kitchen was bruschetta, which we already knew from our first visit and loved. It's one of the best we had so far, besides the one we enjoyed at the Hilton Dublin Airport.

We ordered insalata mista and beef carpaccio with zuccini as starters. Both were delicious.

Our main courses included sea trout with datterini tomatoes, aubergine, peppers, courgette, capers and Tagliatesch olives and parpadelle a la ragout (slow simmered beef in Chianti) and Parmesan cheese. The fish dish was colorful and had all the Mediterranean flavors I imagined it would have. The parpadelle were an indulgence.  It was rich and moreish. He had ordered the appetizer size, remembering from our first time visit that the portions were generous.

Dessert rounded up our meal with the infamous Amalfi lemon tart and one torta caprese, a chocolate almond cake with almond ice cream. The lemon tart is my fiancé’s favorite dessert at Theo Randall's. He liked the tart and sweet flavor combination. My torta caprese was generous in size too and delicious, but felt slightly too large.

Service was warm and attentive. We had also the chance to chat with the restaurant manager about the renovation and could compliment him for good service, better design and even improved food, which tasted even better than a year earlier.

The bill was 105.75 GBP, ca. 118.60 Euro or ca. 129.60 USD.

When we visit London again in our future and look for an upscale Italian meal we would gladly return to Theo Randall at the Intercontinental London Park Lane for our dinner.

©2016

Skateboarding

A big thank you to Mads Song and PP for sharing their experience and giving me insights into skateboarding.

The story is inspired by a trip to Eindhoven, where there were really scateboarders at Stadhuisplein. 

Fin was relaxing at Stadhuisplein in Eindhoven, watching teenage skateboarders. They were a group of boys. A little girl with red blond hair was trailing behind. She tried to emulate the older kids, but wasn’t capable of pulling off the tricks the older kids managed to do. Fin, who hadn’t been skateboarding for years, knew what was wrong.

The older boys were poking fun of the girl and trying to get rid of her. Seeing she wasn’t wanted, the girl watched with drooping shoulders and barely kept from crying. The boys ignored her.

Thinking he should keep out of it, Fin realized he couldn’t. He approached the girl. Fin guessed she was about eight. “You need more speed.” He explained in English, hoping she understood him. “I’m scared.” “True, you can have bad falls. I had my fair share of bloody knees, scraped elbows and hands. If you wear protective gear the injuries can be minimized, though.” “Guy broke his wrist.” “That can happen.” The girl suddenly remembered she shouldn’t be talking to strangers and fled. Fin shrugged.

He was busy the next days and didn’t return for a while.

When Fin returned, the girl was there again and was now fully kitted out with a helmet, wrist guards and elbow and knee pads. Even so she was now better protected, she was still scared. Fin thought about his own children. If his daughter Casey would have been behaving that way, he would have gotten her out of her shell by tickling her ego. Casey was similar to him and if he had told her she wasn’t able to do it, she would have wanted to proof the opposite.

It wouldn’t have worked with his son Sol, who was self-assured and calm, doing only what he believed he could do or was right.

Explaining why speed was necessary and what technicalities the Bigspin trick involved was a better solution to nudge Sol in the right direction.

Fin tried to figure out how he would get over her fear.  He wondered if she could do the Ollie and the Shove-it. If she could do the latter she should have been able to learn how to perform the Bigspin. “Okay, so, you want to show the others how it’s done?”  The girl nodded vigorously. “Sure?” “Yes.” “What’s your name?” “Marigold van Waal.” “I’m Fin Noose.” “Are you American?” “Yes, absolutely right.” “Do you skateboard a lot?” “I did when I was younger. I was pretty good at it. So, Marigold, can you show me your Ollie?” The trick was normally used to jump onto, over or from obstacles or to avoid unfriendly terrain like stairs and grass. It involved popping, kicking and jumping on the skateboard at the same time, leaping into the air.

Marigold performed the trick perfectly. “Very good and now do the Shove-it.” The Shove-it demanded a 180 degree spin of the skateboard, to catch it at the right time and land on it. It proved more difficult for Marigold. “You need to spin faster and concentrate on catching the board. I’ll show you.” Marigold only noticed then that Fin wasn’t dressed for skateboarding. He was clad completely in black. The clothing looked expensive. Fin wore dress pants, a t-shirt and a formal jacket. Dress shoes completed the outfit.

Fin felt skateboarding was like riding a bike. Once you had learnt how to do it you didn’t forget it. He mastered the Shove-it at first try. While performing the trick, Fin explained what he was doing. Marigold watched closely and listened carefully. She realized she had to forget about her fear of getting injured and simply go on. It wasn’t that easy, though. Her next tries were bolder, but still not good enough. Marigold was about to give up, when Fin encouraged her to repeat the trick. “Better. Again.” Fin asked Marigold a few more times. Before she was going to be too exhausted, Fin gave Marigold a break. Marigold’s mother had given her a Kinder Bueno as a treat, so Fin and she shared it companionable. “What’s your favorite cake?” Marigold asked suddenly. “Oh, it’s depending on my mood, but I love any cake that involves chocolate. My wife makes a mean chocolate and dulce de leche cake. Sacher Torte is another favorite of mine beside coffee cake. My newest addition are cinnamon balls. They are so simple to make and so delicious. And yours?” “Boerencake met appel en kaneel.” Fin knew a few words in Dutch, so he could guess appel meant apple and kaneel was cinnamon. Marigold confirmed it. “Okay, ready for a few more tries?” Fin asked after Marigold seemed rested enough. “Yes, but can you show me again?” “Sure.” Fin repeated the Shove-it twice, then handed the skateboard back to Marigold. “Your turn.” Marigold got the hang of it and broke into a big smile, when she managed to do the Shove-it perfectly thrice in a row. “Well done! I would suggest you keep up the training and when we meet again I will show you how the Bigspin functions.” “Are you going away?” “No, I’m just going to be bogged down with work.”

Fin had completed his job within three weeks and thought it had been enough time for Marigold to improve.

He went to Stadhuisplein numerous times, but there was no sign of Marigold. Once or twice he encountered Marigold’s brother Guy and his friends. Fin didn’t want to let them know he had helped Marigold, so he didn’t approach the youth.

Fin was a bit concerned what had happened to the little girl, so he followed Guy. He was relieved, when he found out she was at home and seemed okay. Fin continued to be at the usual meeting point. It paid off. After a few days Marigold was already showing off her skills, when he arrived. She had perfected the trick and was ready to move on to the Bigspin. Fin explained: “Okay, you have to ride with your front foot on the front bolts and your back foot on the toeside of the tail. You must shove the skateboard hard. The main force is your back foot. You have to jump in the same direction as the board. Spin it 360 degrees and you will have to rotate 180 degrees in the same direction. You catch the board in the air just before you complete your rotation and land.” “Uh, that sounds complicated…” “It’s not as difficult as you believe. Lots of training should get you there. I’ll show you.” Fin tried to do it as slow as possible, so that Marigold could follow. Marigold shook her head. “I couldn’t see it.” Fin repeated the trick. It still didn’t work. “Come back tomorrow. I’ll bring my video camera. You can film the trick and watch it in slow motion. I think that should work.” Marigold agreed. The next day Marigold filmed Fin perform the trick. They studied it carefully and Marigold began her first tries. One ended badly. Marigold fell awkwardly and split her lip in the process. It hurt a great deal. Fin expected Marigold to burst into tears. She felt she was not a little girl anymore and suppressed the need for bawling. The only outward signs were her watery eyes. Fin was concerned. “Let me see.” Fin suggested. “Are any teeth lose?” Marigold shook her head. “Good. You look like Dracula.” It made Marigold smile. “We better staunch the bleeding and clean your wound.” Fin was worried Marigold might had a concussion or the split needed stitches. He had clean tissues and gave them to the girl. She pressed one of them on the wound. It bled profoundly and the tissue was soaked through fast. Fin advised her to take a bigger wad. He knew from own experience a cut lip could bleed heavily. He was relieved when the bleeding stopped after a few minutes and more tissues. “Does anything else hurt?” Fin checked. “No. Ouch!” Using Marigold’s lips was painful. “I’ll bring you home now.” “No! I can’t come home looking like this!” Marigold protested. “Okay, let’s go to my hotel room and get you cleaned up. Then we’re taking a taxi to your house.” “Okay.” Fin was glad the Dutch had a less suspicious mind and didn’t think he was a pedophile, just because he was “hanging out” with Marigold.

Marigold was impressed by the hotel Fin was staying at. It was the former Philips light bulb factory and he was staying at the original Art Deco Building. The ceilings were very high and the overall feel of the floors and room industrial. Marigold completely forgot about her throbbing lip or the blood on her blue shirt when she saw the writing desk. In a previous life it had been a work bench. “Wow!” She exclaimed and couldn’t resist to touch it. The desk felt unusual and nothing like her father’s oak wood. “I’ll get some ice for you, while you clean the wound.” Fin directed her to the bathroom. The door was immensely high and heavy. “I’ll be back in a sec.” Fin was a bit impatient when he returned and Marigold had been dawdling. She was inspecting the mini bar closely. She jumped guiltily, when she saw Fin’s stormy look. “Sorry. I just… I’m scared of washing out the wound.” “It will hurt a bit, but it’s for your own good.” Marigold still made no signs to go to the bathroom. Fin sighed, thought for a moment and told her about his own children and how they dealt with something unpleasant or painful. His son was slightly younger than Marigold and Casey a bit older. “Sol always dreads to get any wound cleaned. He wants to hold on to his favorite soft toy dragon, called Grisu, and then I have to tell him the story about the blood cells fighting germs.” “Does he cry?” “Sometimes. It depends how bad it hurts.” “And you let him?” “Of course I do.” “He’s a boy he shouldn’t.” “Says who?” Fin asked mildly. “My Mama and Papa.” “Hm, well, I sometimes cry too, and I’m a man.” “My Papa never cries.” Fin didn’t want to get into a discussion about what men and boys should or shouldn’t do. “Can we agree we don’t agree on the subject?” “Okay.” Marigold wasn’t interested in an argument. “Casey on the other side is very brave and wants to get it behind her immediately, even if it’s painful.” “I think Casey has the right attitude.” “Okay, let’s clean the wound then.” Fin was careful, so it wasn’t too bad.  Afterwards Marigold rested, using the ice cubes wrapped in a towel to cool the injury and reduce the swelling, on Fin’s king sized bed and watched the Disney Channel while he took care of her shirt.

The stain didn’t vanish completely. Fin hoped Marigold’s parents had a stain remover and a few more washes would get rid of the spot. He dried the shirt with his hairdryer and it was as good as new.

“Ready to face your parents?” “Yes.”

The taxi ride was short. Marigold lived at the De Bergen neighborhood of Eindhoven, not far from a riding school.

Mrs. van Waal was shocked what had happened to her daughter. She was grateful to Fin. Marigold and he had decided to leave out he had been teaching her. “Can I offer you something to drink? Maybe a coffee?” “No, thank you. I have a few things to do…” Fin said good bye and took the taxi back to his hotel.

Mrs. van Waal was concerned and discouraged Marigold from skateboarding. Marigold was a bit shaken and not sure if she wanted to keep it up in the first place. Interesting enough was supportive and told her it was like riding a horse. “You have to get back in the saddle, when you have fallen off.” Mr. van Waal said: “It’s your decision, but if you really like it you should keep doing it and improving. I guess one of the tricks did fail, didn’t it?” Marigold confirmed. Feeling encouraged she returned to Stadhuisplein and with the help of her brother perfected the Bigspin. They got closer in the process. Fin watched from afar. He was glad the siblings were closer and shared a passion. His job done he returned to his own family.

©2016

Intercontinental Park Lane London, United Kingdom

In June 2016 we stayed for the fourth time in four years at the Intercontinental London Park Lane. We had enough IHG Priority Club Rewards Points left, so we used them to pay for our stay. When we made the reservation we made a mistake and noted there would be three persons sharing a room instead of two. I called the hotline to rectify it and promptly received a new reservation, stating two guests.

During the weekend the Queen officially celebrated her 90th birthday, so London was very busy and we had the chance to sign the congratulatory book at London Heathrow’s Queen’s Terminal. In exchange we received Union Jack flags and a paper crown as a keepsake.

When we arrived via the Tube at Hyde Park Corner we were surprised to see lots of naked cyclists. The cycling event takes place annually. Navigating through the throng of bikers wasn’t easy, but at least I had some eye candy, while he was fed up within a few minutes. Having finally made it to the Intercontinental we were warmly greeted by the door man and the greeter. Check in was a breeze and done in a friendly and personal manner. The receptionist did even know we were celebrating our anniversary and this was one of the reasons to stay at the hotel.

The check in sheet showed that there were three persons staying, so it seems the information hadn’t been passed on to the hotel directly. It wasn’t a problem. The receptionist promised to send a member of staff up to remove the rollaway bed, since we didn’t have a need for it. We had been upgraded from an entrance category room to a London Room. He also handed us vouchers for two glasses of Prosecco at Theo Randall’s. We were surprised by this because normally they are only given to either to Intercontinental’s loyalty program’s Ambassadors or highest tier members of the IHG Priority Reward program. It was a nice touch and we felt spoiled.

It was our second time we had received a London Room. The two were identical, only the views and layout were slightly different. This time we had Hyde Park view, which was very much appreciated.

As always the room was comfortable and even with a rollaway bed it wasn’t very cramped. The color scheme in blue and brown was to our taste too and felt fresh and elegant at the same time.

We were around 15 minutes in our room, when housekeeping arrived to take away the rollaway bed, which looked comfortable too. We hadn’t tested it, while waiting, so we can’t comment.

There was a book on the room, called “Love London”.

We used the shoe shine service and received the Financial Time as complimentary newspaper as requested. Both services were reliable as usual.

We had in room dining twice. Once we had late lunch with a Stamina Boost and a Vitamin Shot, the Spa Bento Box, which all came from the Wellness – “I’m worth it” section and a little indulgence, a massive Chocolate Brownie and Dark Cherry Sunday. It was all high quality and of course the dessert left as always a lasting impression.

In the morning we had the Wellness – “I’m worth it” The Healthy Start breakfast. It included green tea, one Energy Jolt juice, organic low fat yogurt, fruit salad, all bran with soy milk and multigrain toast.

The late lunch cost 67.50 GBP (ca. 75.70 Euro / ca. 82.75 USD) and the breakfast 22.50 GBP (ca. 25.25 Euro / ca. 27.60 USD), since the portion was generous we shared one set.

We also had dinner for our 2nd time at Theo Randall’s (review to follow), which we enjoyed.

Another nice touch was the cake that was delivered to the room due to our anniversary.

We had to check out fairly early, since the second reason for our stay was an exhibition visit, called Cycle Revolution, at the Design Museum at their former location at Shad Thames near the Tower bridge before it closed and moved to their new location in Kensington. While checking out we had a chat with the receptionist about the exhibition, since he was a cycling enthusiast, but hadn’t heard about the event.

We would stay at the Intercontinental London Park Lane again, since we were always well treated.

©2016

Restaurant Ibaizabal @ the Barcelo Bilbao Nervion

During our stay at the Barcelo Bilbao Nervion (Please see also review) in May 2016 we had two meals at the Ibaizabal Restaurant.

The restaurant has an open plan concept and gives a choice of an a la carte or Prix fixe menu. There are international and regional dishes available.

The Prix fixe menu offers outstanding value, but the cost varies. Our Saturday meal for example was around 18 Euro per person / ca. 19.70 USD, while Sunday's was a bit more elaborate and cost 20 Euro per person / ca. 21.90 USD.

The quality of the dishes was of a high standard and the cuisine simple and light.

When we arrived at ca. 20.00 hours the restaurant was not that busy and only a few patrons were there. Some where Spanish and our neighbor were a group of French ladies. The later it got the more guests arrived.

The staff brought us to our table and gave us the menus. We ordered a bottle of still Font Valle water. Studying the drinks menu we realized the wine was very affordable and a glass of Rioja cost just 2 Euro (ca. 2.20 USD), so he had one.

It was a young one and good in his opinion.

Next we could choose from different types of bread.

We received welcome starters, which were stuffed pepper with cheese and salad. It was delicious.

Our appetizers were endive salads with smoked salmon. The salmon was smooth and the endive salad crunchy, so the contrast between the textures was good. While the leaves were bitter the salmon was salty and the dressing a bit sweet, so an umami effect was created.

The main course was cod with Ratatouille. The dish was colorful and beautifully presented.

He had a Crème Bruelee as dessert, while I had an almond cake with vanilla sauce. Both were very good and the cake fragrant.

Staff was attentive and friendly.

The dinner cost 40 Euro (ca. 43.80 USD).

Breakfast had been included in our overnight rate. When we arrived the restaurant was already full.

Thank goodness we were brought to our table and didn't have to search for a free one by ourselves like at some other hotels. It's a pet peeve of mine to have to look for myself.

Tea, coffee and juice was self-service.

The buffet was large and included a wide choice of hot and cold items, including egg dishes, bread, pastries, muesli, cereals, gluten free items, ham, cheese, yogurts including low fat, vegetables and much more.

We had the bad luck to sit near a couple, who made a big mess on their table and had a huge amount of food waste too.

Having to look at it wasn't very appetizing. The other patrons were better in this regards and left their space as clean as possible and with as good as no left overs.

We enjoyed both meals and would return, even if the breakfast service can be busy, because the staff is friendly and the quality of the food/choices and value are good.

©2016

Career Advancement

This short story is connected to Ability and describes how Fin gets Charles to accept David is going to steal the stamps.

David Beasley, who was twenty four, had red-brown hair and blue eyes, had been engaged by Fin Noose to help with a heist in Bangladesh. He got excited when he heard he would work together with another legend, Charles Harold Fox. To his dismay Charles was haughty, and David preferred Fin.

Fin, who was five years older than David, light ash blond and had blue grey eyes, was sometimes gnashing his teeth, when Charles's behavior drove him mad. He wondered why Charles had no respect nor intuition how it made others feel. At least he had himself that much under control he didn't punch Charles, like he had done once in the past. The temptation was there, though. They had thank goodness security figured out quickly and planned accordingly. The only thing Fin was unsure about was who was going to do what. Of course he was sure each of them could break into the Museum of Independence and lift the stamps easily. Fin wondered if he should let Charles, the oldest of the three with slight built, light brown haired and had green grey eyes, or David go ahead with it. Whoever wasn't going to the Museum of Independence would steal the Buddha relief with Fin. Thinking about it carefully and weighing up what made more sense, Fin came to a decision. He invited Charles to a small snack and tea for breakfast. Fin had his favorite little tea stand, where he went every day to relax. He liked the cha, which was black and served with condensed milk and sugar. The neighboring stand offered pitha, which was made from rice flour and covered in ghur, a syrup made from the sap of date trees. It was delicious and looked a bit like small pancakes. Charles rolled his eyes, when Fin was warmly greeted by the stall owners, who knew him pretty well. Naturally Fin could order in Bengali too. Charles wouldn't take the pitha, because he believed he would end up with Bangla Belly and was sceptical about the tea. "The stall owners are meticulous here, so everything's spotlessly clean and they use bottled water only." Settling down at one small table Fin said to Charles: "I have come to a decision and I wanted to tell you before speaking with David." "That sounds ominous." "In a way it is. See, you and I are established, but David isn't, so he needs a success more than we do. David will take care of the stamps." Charles frowned. He wanted to protest, but seeing the set of Fin's chin and Fin's determined facial expression, he knew he wouldn't get his will. "I would appreciate if you would accept gracefully, when we meet up with David." Deep down Charles admitted it would have been good for his own ego, if he had been chosen to steal the stamps. He also admitted freely David had common sense and was capable, so there wouldn't be an issue with getting results. Fin was a bit surprised Charles backed down immediately. He had thought there would be an argument before Charles agreed. "I'd have loved to go to the Museum of Independence by myself, but you are right. I won't make a scene, when you offer the job to David." "Thank you. I really appreciate your cooperation." "Oh, well, don't believe I will make life easy for you, should I ever need your help." "When did you ever?" Fin asked sarcastically. "I was on my best behaviour this time around, wasn't I?" Fin was about to say something about Charles treating the hotel staff, David and himself, but kept quiet. He feared if he told off Charles, he wouldn't want to do the heist and that would have caused another headache. "You weren't too bad, but as the saying goes there's always room for improvement." Charles decided to ignore Fin's comment. Instead he inhaled the steam of the cha. It smelled good, so he took a cautious sip from the tiny cup. The tea was bitter, sweet and strong. Charles loved it. The pathi wasn't entirely to his taste and Charles let Fin know immediately. Fin swallowed his impatience. "If you want something else, go ahead." Fin gave Charles two twenty Taka notes, which was around 0.50 USD. It meant Charles could get easily a full Bangladeshi breakfast with tea, mixed vegetables, dal and paratha or a dozen singara, which were similar to samosas, but differently shaped and had a flakier consistency. Charles took the money, but didn't get up. "Have you heard of the seven-layer-tea served in Srimongol?" "No, I haven't. Where is Srimongol?" "In the north-east of Bangladesh. Thought it might interests you..." Fin confirmed it was fascinating. He hadn't realized Charles also liked tea. Sometimes Fin’s acquaintance was full of surprises. Fin knew when Charles gave his word he would keep it, so when both had finished their tea they returned and Fin told David about his decision, who was overjoyed he was going to get the chance to prove himself.

©2016

Barcelo Nervion Bilbao, Spain

Having not stayed before at a Barcelo hotel, but having very good experiences during a visit of the Barcelo complex in Caleta de Fuste in Fuerteventura we decided to book the Barcelo Nervion Bilbao during a one night weekend break in May 2016.

Checking the hotel out online we liked the modern design, colorful lobby and fascinating artwork.

After an eventless flight with Aer Lingus we took a taxi from Bilbao Airport to the hotel. It cost 26.50 Euro / ca. 29 USD and travel time was ca. 20 minutes.

The Barcelo Nervion was very well integrated with the surroundings.
 
The entrance was to the left, while to the right was the hotel's parking garage. The hotel's logo included the Nervion Estuary.

The open plan lobby was bright and had lots of seating space, a colorful wooden art piece on one wall, a beautifully decorated cow, which had been part of "Cow Parade", and a small gym to the right.

There was also a modern fire place and a post box.

The reception was straight ahead and when turning left there was the bar and cafe, the restaurant Ibaizabal and the vinoteca.

We had our dinner and breakfast - the latter was included in our overnight rate - at Ibaizabal. Review will follow.

Check in was done quick and friendly. We were given a map of Bilbao and the receptionist explained where all the important sights and shopping areas were located.

Our one-bedroom suite with a view overlooked the Nervion and main street.

The room concept was interesting. When entering there was the living room with two tables pushed together, a dark upholstered sofa for two, a credenza with mini bar, coffee/tea making facilities and a flat screen TV.

The art work was depicting a forest with trees painted in rainbow colors. There were also some coffee table books "Cow Parade", where the cow in the lobby could be also found, and one about Mallorca.

The mini bar contained sparkling wine, beer, still and sparkling water, Coca Cola and Toblerone.

The bath room was in the middle and could be closed off with sliding doors on either side leading to the bed room or living room.

In the middle was the sink, while the Japanese set up bath tub and shower were to the left and the toilet to the right in a separate room.

The wardrobe was located also in the bath room and there were Pure Herbs Amenities with Rosemary, Melissa and Thyme, including body scrub and bath salts.

Other materials used were porcelain tiles and light wooden furniture.

We liked the Pure Herbs amenities and thought it was interesting that there were a few more products than the usual line-up available.

The bedroom was large with a wooden floor, a big, comfortable bed, a seating area with a green carpet, a flat screen TV and a writing desk with wooden chair, which wasn't that comfortable. I can't imagine working there for hours on end. There were also stylish lightning features.

The TV channels included as expected a lot of Spanish channels, some German, Italian and French and CCTV, Bloomberg, BBC World and CNBC.

Room service was available from 11.00 hours to 24 hours. There was also a pillow menu.

The free WIFI internet was very fast.

We spent most time in the light filled bed room with floor to ceiling windows, but used the living room too.

Artwork was similar to the one in the lobby, only on a smaller scale, and a print of the Zubizuri Bridge was over the bed.

We liked the location, which was just around ten minutes from Santiago Calatrava's Zubizuri Bridge and around twenty minutes to the Guggenheim Museum by foot.

A supermarket, called Eroski, is also nearby (just across the Zubizuri Bridge).

We enjoyed our short stay, the location, friendliness of the staff, the design and the comfort. For those reasons we would return again.

 

©2016

 

Ability

David Beasley was nervous. He was mussing his hair and swearing. David combed his hair for the second time in as many minutes. David had heard of course about Fin Noose and he felt privileged to maybe get the chance to work together with the best in his field, but he was worried. Fin's mercurial temper was legendary. David had heard Fin was a perfectionist and always dressed to the nines. David normally preferred more casual dress. Being unsure what to wear, he thought it was best to put on a suit and tie.

It was time to go. David didn't want to come too late. A good impression was important and David didn't want to set off Fin's temper at the beginning. David had liked learning from Ruth. She never shouted and led by example. He feared Fin would be the total opposite. He had also heard rumors that Fin was violent and had punched a team mate, because he had failed in his task. Reassurances from Adam, his middle man, Fin was a good guy, hadn't helped.

Having arrived at Fin's room, he took a deep breath and knocked. A minute or so later - what felt like ages - the door opened. David had expected Fin was formal dressed. To his surprise it was a mix between black dress pants, a black t-shirt and a suit jacket in the same color. Fin's age was a surprise too. David had always believed Fin was in his forties, based on how much he had done.  Fin looked barely older than him, was tall, blond and had blue grey eyes. David's host smiled at him. Fin noticed David, who had red-brown hair and blue eyes, was nervous. Fin tried to ease David's tension. "Come on in." Originally David had expected Fin was staying in a suite. He found out both had the same room type only different views and a slightly different layout. David liked that Fin didn't put on airs. Fin had watched a Spanish news channel while waiting for David. "Do you speak Spanish, Mr. Noose?" "Yes and please call me Fin." "David." Fin smiled at his colleague and shook his hand. Fin offered David a seat. "If you want to get rid of your tie to be more comfortable, I have no issues with that." David was glad Fin made the suggestion. While removing his tie, David checked out the room further and noticed it was tidy. This was fitting with being a perfectionist. "Would you like something to drink or eat?" Fin offered. "Coke, please." Fin went to the minibar to retrieve the soft drink for David and a bottle of Vichy Catalan for himself. When settling down again, Fin said: "Tell me more about yourself." "Well, I guess I should start with my parents. Don't get me wrong, I really love them very much, but I believe they were simply crazy..." Fin's eyebrow rose, but didn't reply to the statement. "They had it all - a great job at the United Nations Headquarters for my mother and my father was an investment banker, both pretty successful. According to them their lives were too stressful and they decided to quit it all, when they had enough money together. They moved to rural Wyoming and bought a cattle farm. On the side they grow organic vegetables and have a few free roaming chicken. While my older brother loved it, I was bored as hell. I was up to a lot of mischief. A dare caused me to find my true calling. My friends bet that I wouldn't dare break into the ramshackle house of an old, deranged lady. Of course I was tempted, so I did my homework and broke successfully in. Even so my friends were waiting outside, I brought a token that I really was inside. Naturally I was the hero. I liked the thrill, but also the organization behind a heist. Some maybe find it tedious, but I thrive... At home I was also famous to be a fixer. If somebody needed something I knew where to get it from. When it was time for me to go to college I had heard through the grapevine that Ruth Frankham was open for tutoring. I approached her and after meeting up a few times she agreed to take me on. I told my parents I was going to L.A. and studying subjects involving security. They don't know what I do. To cut a long story short I learned everything I could from Ruth and I'd like now to start out by myself." "Ruth is specialized in museums burglaries, isn't she?" "Yes." David told Fin about the break ins Ruth and he had done together. "You can show me what you have learned. I want you to break into the Alto Museum and get me this figurine." Fin showed David a photograph of the item he was looking for. David was a bit taken aback. Fin had requested it friendly, but it was clear it was an order. He had hoped Fin would trust him enough to employ him immediately. It felt like a slap in the face. Grudgingly David accepted the challenge. He left soon afterwards, grumbling to himself. Of course the job was simple enough and he managed to figure out the low security quickly. Within a week he brought the figurine to Fin, who smiled warmly and said: "Well done. I'd like to discuss the job with you and to have your advice, but before we'll start can you return the figurine?" David was speechless. All the work for nothing? "It wasn't senseless. I needed to check you can fulfil the tasks at hand, since I don't know you. You have proven you can do the job and I didn't expect anything else, when you come highly recommended by Adam. You don't have to break in again to return the artwork. I'm sure you will find a creative way to return it." It seemed Fin was able to read David's mind. The explanation made sense and David felt flattered by the compliment Fin had paid him and their middle man. "Alright. After the figurine is back, I'll be in touch with you." "Of course." David didn’t need long to develop a plan. He cleaned the figurine to make sure none of his finger prints were on it. He packaged it and approached a homeless man. David offered the homeless 100 Euro if he would deliver the box. Of course the man agreed to do the job. The homeless left it one morning on the door steps of the museum. The staff was glad to have the figurine undamaged back.

Fin invited David a few days later for a tapas lunch. They talked about private things, likes, dislikes and family. David was at the moment single. In his own opinion he was too busy to take care of a girlfriend. Fin could understand David. If he hadn't met Frieda, who could live with his absences and philandering, he would have had no relationship at all. "Have you ever been caught as a teenager for breaking and entering?" "No. I was lucky, I guess. And you?" "My parents caught me stealing. All hell broke loose afterwards." "I can imagine. Once my friend and I had the brilliant idea to throw stones into some windows of our neighbor's home. My mother was very displeased, when the local sheriff brought me home. He let my mother deal with me and there weren't any official repercussions." "That's good. My parents didn't go to the police." "Well, I guess that's what loving parents would do..." Fin cleared his throat. His eye color changed to blue. "It hadn't anything to do with caring for me. My parents were concerned about their own image. It would have embarrassed them no end to have to admit their son was a criminal." David sensed he was on shaky ground now and changed the subject. The dinner was enjoyable and the two seemed to click. Both believed they could work together. David and Fin made an appointment to discuss the heist in privacy. David was surprised it was in Bangladesh. He had never been to Asia before, so it was going to be a culture shock. He looked forward to the challenge and working together with another genius, Charles Harold Fox, within in the burglar community.

Fin proved to be pleasant, took David’s finding serious and was open to his suggestions. The same couldn’t be said about Charles. He was the oldest and most experienced, no doubts about it. He looked harmless with his slight built, light brown hair and green grey eyes. David was impressed how arrogant and dismissive Charles was. David wasn’t looking exactly forward to meetings, where all three discussed security issues and what needed to be done. Fin was civil to Charles, but David noticed he struggled to keep his temper in check. David admired Fin’s self-control and diplomacy. He somehow managed to keep them on track and achieve their goals without coming to blows or having big arguments, especially when Charles put down David. The youngest member of the team at age 24 tried hard to shrug Charles’s behaviour off. It wasn’t easy and sometimes he was still seething after the meeting was over.

Fin and David didn’t have to spend time together, when they weren’t planning the heist, but they enjoyed each other’s company and shared regularly meals or went exploring Dhaka. Charles didn’t mingle with them. David thought Charles believed himself to be above Fin and him. David wasn’t happy Charles had a big ego. He was glad, though, Charles didn’t want to hang out with them. The atmosphere would have been tense and it would have been only a question of time until either Fin or he would have been thoroughly fed up with Charles. David didn’t need to spend time with someone, who so clearly didn’t like him.

Soon the planning had reached its end stage and Fin had to make up his mind, who was stealing the first stamp set issued after the independence of Bangladesh and who was taking an antiquity. The team was going to split up. Two were going to steal the Buddha relief and one the stamps. David hoped he didn’t have to work together with Charles. His biggest wish was that he was going to be allowed to steal the stamps. Fin let Charles and him know he had come to a decision and would tell them in his room. David was nervous and excited at the same time. It was a struggle for him not to mess up his hair again. Charles was already there, sipping a glass of Mum water. Fin was looking out of the window, enjoying the magnificent views over the city. It seemed the two hadn’t talked while waiting for David. “Take a seat, David.” Fin said. He was pacing the room now, before he settled down on the bed. “David, you will break into the Museum of Independence and get the stamps. Charles and I will take care of the Buddha Relief.” David wanted to hug Charles and Fin, but contained himself and said simply: “Thank you. I really appreciate you give me the chance to proof myself. I won’t let you down.” “No problem. We’ll do the jobs tonight.” Fin smiled. Charles congratulated David. He seemed genuinely happy for David. Was something wrong with Charles? David didn’t bother to find out the reason for Charles’s unusual behaviour. He focused completely on the break in. All three had staked out the security of the two museums they intended to burgle, discussed the best way to enter and where their meeting point was going to be afterwards.

David didn’t have issues with disarming the alarm system. What was a bit tricky was opening the entrance door. Finally David had unlocked it. Having come well prepared he knew where the stamps were located. No one disturb him, so he picked the lock of the show case and took the stamps out without leaving any trace, stowing them in his shoulder bag. He left the same way he arrived and didn’t encounter anyone.

Fin and Charles had been successful too.

The team disbanded soon after handing over the hot items to a middle man.

Having proven David could work alone as well as part of a team he was soon on the way to a stellar career as master burglar. 

©2016

Mesa @ The Grand Hyatt Berlin, Germany

While staying at the Grand Hyatt Berlin (Please see also review) for one night in
April 2016 we went to Mesa for dinner.

We liked the sharing concept and the design of the venue by Tony Chi. It had very high
ceilings and floor to ceiling windows. Shelves provided some privacy. The dark
furniture was elegant and understated.

Staff was friendly and attentive. We received a breadbasket to start with and
ordered a bottle of still Seltzer water and two orange juice.

Studying the menu we decided to have an apple-celery soup with smoked salmon,
one Brandenburg mozzarella with cos salad, two curry sausages with fries, potato
wedges and two desserts, the lemon foam with rhubarb and strawberry and milk,
apple and chervil.

We enjoyed the modern interpretation of the dishes. Everything was of high quality, good value, light and delicious.

The bill was 51 Euro, ca. 55.75 USD.

When back in Berlin and the Grand Hyatt we would eat here again.

©2016

Gendarmentmark Berlin, Germany

When we visted Berlin in April 2016 we spent some time at the famous Gendarmenmarkt, a square not too far from the Brandenburg Gate.

It is a romantic place with the Franzoesische Dom and Deutscher Dom to each side. In the middle is the concert hall.

Sometimes there are buskers playing classical music.

The square dates back to the 17th century and was remodelled in 1773 by Georg Christian Unger.

The Franzoesische Friedrichstadtkirche is still active and integrated within the French Dome. The visit is well worth it and if you want take photographs of the interior it's 0.50 Euro / ca. 0.60 USD. Otherwise it's free.

It's only a small church and simple in decor.

There are some Free Mason elements visible as well. Check if you can find them, when you are next time there.

A nice touch, and something I haven't seen anywhere else so far, were copies in German of sermons from the previous weeks. It was interesting for me to read them from an outsider perspective, since I'm not Protestant, and from a philosophical angle.

When in Berlin we will return to the Gendarmenmarkt and the church again.

©2016

Grand Hyatt Berlin, Germany

Having enough points left to stay at the Grand Hyatt Berlin, we decided to use them, booked a Grand King Room and added a night in Berlin in April 2016.

When we arrived at the hotel there was no one else at check in, so there was no waiting involved at all.

The gentleman was friendly and efficient, as expected from a Hyatt property.

We weren’t upgraded, but had nice views over the city, the entrance, the modern Opera and beyond which we enjoyed.

Our beautiful room was located on the 4th floor and directly opposite the elevator to the Club Olympus Spa.

It was medium sized and held in muted tones in black, brown and beige and wood was used a lot to accent the modern beauty of the room.

There was no writing desk, but a large glass table, comfortable chairs, a Bang & Olufsen TV with international and regional channels, a mini bar and safe.

The mini bar and tea/coffee making facilities were cleverly hidden. The mini bar was fully stocked with the usual beverages and Granini Juices. Some more unusual items were the different Austrian chocolate bars.

The lamps and night stands were design driven and the switches well integrated.

Of course there were also magazines, (Monopole, Berliner for art and culture, H.O.M.E. and 128 is the magazine of the Berlin Philharmonic), a map of Berlin, a shopping and cultural guide and to our surprise books. They included “Like a rolling stone”, “Royal Palaces”, a German business dictionary and a novel in German called “Kains Toechter”.

The large bathroom was accessible via the hallway or bed room by sliding doors. It had a Japanese set up including separate bath tub and shower, a sink and Pharmacopia amenities from California. He liked them. I was less fond of them due to the smell.

There was also a toilet room.

Artwork was about Berlin.

There were automatic blinds and Japanese curtains in the bed room.

Most of the items within the room could be bought, which we found interesting.

We received two apples as a welcome gift.

There was 24 hours in room dining available.

We used room service once for our breakfast, since our flight to Dublin left in the early morning and the restaurant hadn’t open yet.

We chose the Hyatt Breakfast, which included hot chocolate, cold cuts, cheese, different types of bread, pastries, Staud’s Jam, an omelet with tomato and cheese and Andechser Natur Bio Yogurt with raspberries. In addition we ordered a gugglhupf. Usually there would have been an extra charge, but for some reason it wasn’t on the bill, which we found fortunate.

The presentation was beautiful, like an afternoon tea, and the quality was very high.

We enjoyed spending time on our room. It felt cocooning, luxurious and comfortable.

The entire hotel was designed by Tony Chi. The most interesting part was probably the inverted diamond shape in the atrium of the hotel.

We saw some art pieces we had already encountered at the Park Hyatt Zurich and know that the same very large farmer’s tables are on the rooms of the Intercontinental Geneva, which had been also the responsibility of Tony Chi.

We had a look at the meeting room facilities and liked the colorful artwork and that every room was named after a famous architect.

Of course the Grand Hyatt had dining outlets as well. Chef Benjamin Haselbeck is responsible for Vox Restaurant, which serves regional cuisine with an international influence and sushi. The Tizian Lounge offers international and local dishes, while Mesa Restaurant serves innovative German cuisine to share, where we had dinner once. Review to follow.

Other places to while away time were the Vox Terrace and Bar. The bar has one of the largest whisky collections in Berlin and maybe even Germany with over 300 on offer.

Check out was done in a quick, efficient and friendly manner.

We enjoyed our stay very much. It was too short, of course, and next time when staying there again, we would prefer at least two nights.

©2016

Franzoesische Friedrichstadtkirche Berlin, Germany

The Franzoesische Friedrichstadtkirche is still active and integrated within the French Dome. The visit is well worth it and if you want take photographs of the interior it's 0.50 Euro / ca. 0.60 USD. Otherwise it's free, when we visited in April 2016.

Since wanted to take photos we paid the obligatory 0.50 Euro cents, it's well worth it and goes towards the upkeep of this splendid church located on the Gendarmenmarkt.

It's a small, but beautiful church and simple in decor with memorable large windows and an airy interior.

There are some Free Mason elements visible as well. Check if you can find them, when you are next time there.

A nice touch, and something I haven't seen anywhere else so far, were copies in German of sermons from the previous weeks. It was interesting for me to read them from an outsider perspective, since I'm not Protestant, and from a philosophical angle.

When in Berlin we will return to the Gendarmenmarkt and the church again.

 

©2016

 

VAU Berlin, Germany

During my fiancé’s birthday travel in April 2016 we decided to have lunch at VAU. It has one Michelin star and is just off the Gendarmenmarkt, where the Franzoesiche Dom and Deutscher Dom are located, on Jaegerstrasse in the heart of Berlin, Germany.

It is in a quiet area and VAU has as a direct neighbor the Greek Embassy. The classic building has a vibrant color and a Mediterranean feel.

The interior was designed by Meinhard von Gerkan. He was also responsible for Le Canard Nouveau in Hamburg, where we had lunch only a few days earlier. Please see our review.

There are some things both restaurants have in common: The chairs and the use of wood. Otherwise Le Canard Nouveau is understated and Japanese/Asian, while VAU is inspired by the sunnier climates of Southern Europe.

VAU is divided into two spaces. One at the back, which contains the most of the tables, and another, bright space where ca. 10 people can sit. The window is very large, and reminds us more of a show window of a shop which lets in lots of natural daylight.

Another reason was the personality of the chef Kolja Kleeberg. He is very creative - not only in the kitchen. He is a musician and actor as well.

The first thing, when entering, we encountered was the bar, which looked stylish and right out of the 1930s.

We were warmly welcomed and brought to our table near the window.

There was an elderly couple already enjoying their lunch. Later a group and a single business man arrived. The atmosphere was good and the staff made us immediately feel welcome and at home.

The table was covered with a white linen cloth and had a flower in a vase as decoration.

We were offered Seltzer water, which was included in the price of the lunch, and asked if we would like to have an aperitif. We checked if they had alcohol-free cocktails. The bartender came to us and asked if we wanted a classic or modern one. We decided for the latter. It was made with Matcha green tea, lime, grape juice and soda and was served in a Martini glass. We both loved it. The combination was just right, not too sweet and not too dry.

Next bread and salted butter were brought to our table which we enjoyed, a good start.

We chose from the lunch menu and decided on three courses. Our starters were roasted cod, onion tarte fine, rocket salad and anchovies and asparagus ceviche, elderberry, pomelo and watercress.

It was followed by crisp pike perch, spinach, brown butter, almonds and pink grapefruit and pink fried duck breast with wild broccoli and radicchio trevisano.

Desserts were Piedmont hazelnut cake with cream praline and sea buck thorn and Tarte Tartine with rum raisins and walnut.

My fiancé wanted to try the other non-alcoholic drink with orange juice and Sun-bitters. It came in a long ball glass and was decorated with skewered orange pieces. The "classic" was equally memorable as was the "modern" non-alcoholic cocktail we enjoyed earlier.

With the choice of our coffee, Cappuccino, which was also included in the meal, we received Canele, the same pastry as we had at the FG Restaurant in Rotterdam, The Netherlands earlier during our travels. Please see also our review for more.

The menu was well prepared, the flavors balanced and fitting to the ambience of the restaurant.

The invoice came in at 115 Euro / ca. 130 USD.

The service was attentive, warm and very well aware of our allergies and dislikes.

The lunch was delicious, of high standards and beautifully presented, beside this we enjoyed the location and service, plus the overall setting of the Restaurant VAU.

When in Berlin, we would eat here lunch or dinner again in our future.

©2016 

Restaurant Quarre @ The Adlon Kempinski Berlin, Germany

During our stay at the Adlon Hotel Kempinski in Berlin in April 2016 - please see review - , we booked a table for our dinner in advance at Quarre which is the casual, yet upscale brasserie at this famous landmark hotel.

Quarre is in a corner location. One side offers views over the Brandenburg Gate. It also has outdoor seating, which was in high demand, during our stay as the weather was sunny and people enjoyed the outdoors.

Sadly, the maître d' didn't make us feel like we were a valued guest and seemed unpleasantly surprised we were joining them for dinner.

Our table was in a more private location, which we appreciated. There was no view to the Brandenburg Gate, though but since we value privacy it was okay for our evening.

The interior felt like a Mediterranean villa.

At first there were only a few fellow diners, but the room filled quickly up with couples and a larger group.

We were given the menu and offered drinks to start with. We chose Liz water and shared two bottles during the meal.

The waiter was professional and efficient, but again lacked somewhat the warmth we had been expecting while dinning at such a famous hotel.

Our dinner included two Brandenburger Buffalo Mozzarella with roasted vegetables, one Wiener Schnitzel, one Pistachio Polenta, mushrooms and lemon and one Rocky Slide Brownie.

The mozzarella was interesting, because it was already melted and added a nice contrast to the vegetables. He said the Wiener Schnitzel was one of the best he had so far and the polenta was nice too.

Together with the dessert we ordered a hot chocolate and green tea.

The Rocky Slide Brownie was not entirely to our liking. It was a bit too sweet for us. It looked great and was creatively presented, though. We would try another dessert option should we eat at this bistro again on another occasion when in Berlin.

The bill came in at 120 Euro / ca. 137 USD.

We enjoyed the atmosphere and the quality of the food, so we would return, but we hope that next time we would receive a warmer welcome/service which actually matches a hotel of this caliber and heritage.

Would we recommend this restaurant to a friend? YES, it's good to be near beside the Brandenburg Gate.
Would we want to enjoy lunch/dinner again at this restaurant? YES, but we hope for a warmer welcome next time and a different dessert.

©2016 

Adlon Hotel Kempinski Berlin, Germany

Shortly after the Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin opened its doors for the first time in over fifty years in 1997 we visited it and were impressed by the grand lobby. We swore we would stay there at some stage. Our dream came finally true in April 2016.

We arrived by train from Hamburg and took a taxi from the main train station. It was maybe half an hour before official check in time. Our Executive Room - an entrance category room - wasn't ready yet. We went for a walk, taking in the sights of the Brandenburg Gate, which is just a few steps from the hotel and the Memorial of the Murdered Jews of Europe. When we returned it was after check in time now, but our room was still not ready. We went around the block again to get another perspective of this landmark hotel and finally the room was ready.

The area surrounding the reception was crowded and the Lobby Lounge and Bar was also nearby, which would lead to a security issue later.  I will come back to the incident in a few moments.

We had chosen the entrance category room, because we liked the looks and design from images on their website.

The walk to the room was long and it was located in the new wing, the Kempinski Palais. We didn't mind, since there were photographs of former famous guests, an attractive indoor garden area and the stunning lobby with a cupola and elephant fountain all which beckons to be explored.

Our room we received was luxurious as expected with its own hallway and the furniture was top notch and classical. The color scheme was different shades of brown, beige, grey and green.

We were located beside the British Embassy and had views over the roof tops of Berlin and the TV tower in the distance.

The large wardrobe contained the safe and minibar. There were some interesting items in the minibar, like vodka, brewed in Berlin, Thomas Henry soft drinks (Ginger Ale, Bitters, Tonic), Talent iced tea and Charitea, a selection of Ruinart Champagne half bottles, Berliner Kindl beer and sweets, like yogurt gums, gummi bears and jelly beans.
The soft drinks and beer started from 5.50 Euro (ca. 6.25 USD), the Champagne from 65 Euro (ca. 73.80 USD) and the sweets from 6 Euro (ca. 6.85 USD). We had some of the gummi bears which had been packaged especially for the hotl. They were lovely.

There was also a club chair and coffee table, a writing desk with a tablet. At first the tablet wasn't working, because it hadn't been plugged in, but after this it functioned well. The writing desk had two chairs.

The large bed was comfortable and allowed for a good night’s rest. Inside the top drawer of the night stands on each side were switches for the lights and to raise or lower the automatic blinds.

We appreciated turn down left a large bottle of Evian water every night and that the wakeup call each morning was personalized with tea or coffee and a pastry provided and was punctual on the dot.

The environmentally friendly message was on a little felt tree shaped figure. It had to be placed on the bed, if the linens shouldn't be changed.

Artwork consisted of four etchings of Italian landmarks and a flower and bird painting in the bathroom.

Of course there was also entertainment including My Kempinski, fashion and life style magazines and the LHW catalogue and a flat screen with regional and international channels. They could be sorted by language or alphabetical, because there were so many.

In room dining was 24 hours available and we used it for one dinner and two breakfasts during our two night stay.

We had the vegetable curry with rice, the Adlon currywurst with Havellaender apple fed pork and fruit salad "Three Flavors". All was very good.  It cost 51 Euro (ca. 57.95 USD).

We tried two different breakfasts. One was the Continental with hot chocolate, carrot juice, bread and pastry selection, butter, Rosenrot & Feengreen jams, Berlin honey, Nutella, cheese, cold cuts and fresh fruit salad. We had a French Toast with it as well. All was beautifully presented and delicious. It cost 41 Euro / ca. 46.60 USD per person.

The other was the European, which was the same as the Continental, but included a hot dish - our choice was the egg white omelette with Nuremberg sausage - and gravad lax, smoked trout and mackerel. It cost 47 Euro / ca. 53.40 USD).

We enjoyed our meals through room service, it represnts good quality and value IMHO.

The bathroom was large with separate bath tub and shower, double sinks and Kempinski own branded toiletries, which we liked.

The toilet and shower were in separate cubicles and there was storage space under the sinks.

Since the Adlon is a grand hotel it has many amenities, including diverse restaurants, lounges and bars including Le Petit Felix, Restaurant Quarré (where we had dinner and a review is going to follow.), Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer and Sra Bua by Tim Raue.

Of course there is also a spa and a clef d'or concierge service desk.

Now to our problems with security and billing.

The TV has the function to connect you to your invoice. We checked it one morning and were surprised to find a charge from the Lobby Bar on it, since we had not used it. When I called reception I was thanked for informing them and promised this would be removed. Checking again later on the TV it was not showing anymore. We thought this was now done and dusted.

Wrong!

We believe someone must have overheard our name and room number, when checking in and used it. This is easily possible, since there were so many people lingering about near reception. A fraudster could easily pretend to wait for someone or to be in the queue. Our name was dropped quite frequently. Of course I understand this is a sign of luxury, but prefer not to be addressed by it due to privacy concerns.

When checking out we received a printout of the bill and the incorrect charges were still there. It was a bit disappointing.

We believe the layout of the lobby should be rethought or only staying guests and customers with a restaurant reservation allowed entry. This may change, because the Adlon Hotel Kempinski is going through a renovation currently as of Sep. 2016.

Another thing we disliked was the prohibition of taking photographs in the lobby. Security was discreet about telling my fiancé he wasn't allowed to use his camera, so that was good. As soon as we were advised he stopped doing so and never used it again in the public space, so the reminder on another occasion was unnecessary and not appreciated.

Having now experience with a few Kempinski hotels/resorts around the world and there were always some issues we came to the conclusion that this hotel chain is not really suitable for us and probably will not stay with them again in our future with the execption in markets where Kempinski operates hotels and it looks like there's no suitable alternative available. However, overall we might not "gel" with Kempinski and what they offer and how they offer their product.

Would we recommend this particular hotel to a friend? Maybe, depends on the occasion.
Would we want to stay again at this particular hotel in our future? Maybe yes, maybe not, as we experienced some serious flaws at this hotel, but equally we experienced also some "highs" at this hotel, interestingly we equally stayed at Das Stue [earlier in 2015] and the Grand Hyatt [after the Adlon. Review to follow] in Berlin, both of which are flawless in what we experienced with them in terms of especially service, design, F&B and room product.

©2016