Consience

Holiday Michael Noose's face lost all color. Two out of the three video tapes he had kept in the safe had vanished.

Mike, as Holiday Michael liked to be called, asked his wife Gretchen, if she knew where they had gone to. She was the only other person, who had access to the safe. "You remember that private investigator, asking about your and your brother Fin's childhood?" "Yes." Mike replied to Gretchen's question. “He told us when we remembered anything we should contact him. I’ve never seen the tapes. I only found them recently because I knocked them over, when I was looking for my jewelry box. I was curious and watched it. I thought it could be important for Mr. Otto, so I contacted him and he promised to return the tapes as soon as he has made copies.” Mike felt his blood pressure rising. Deceptively calm he asked: “And you didn’t consider to discuss the matter with me?” His voice was rising in volume with the next question. “Don’t you think they were in the safe for a reason?” Gretchen took an involuntary step back. She wondered why Mike was so upset. His temper very rarely flared and he was a sweet, quiet man. Gathering herself together Gretchen replied: “No to your first question. You never wanted to talk about why you broke with your parents a few months after your grandmother’s death. Now I know. They were monsters. Poor Fin. No wonder he has turned out a bit weird. To your second question, yes, I think you didn’t want everyone to see what went on at your home.” Mike rubbed his face. He was speechless. “See, I wanted to help Fin…” Mike stopped what he was doing and was shouting again. “Help Fin? Are you crazy?!” “I… I thought Fin wouldn’t like to be accused of being a liar. If there was evidence, that clearly showed he was abused as a child, then he would be happy…” “Oh my God! You don’t understand Fin at all. He gave me the tapes. In that case Fin would prefer to be called a liar instead of strangers seeing what he had to go through. He’s going to kill us.” Mike was so angry with Gretchen he wanted to strangle her. Of course he didn’t do it and instead went to the bedroom to pack a few things. “What are you doing?” Gretchen, who had followed him, asked concerned. “I’m leaving, because I can’t trust you. Gretchen, you have Fin and I betrayed. I can’t live with you – I don’t know if it’s just for a while or permanent, but I can’t stay.” Gretchen didn’t try to hold back Mike. Outwardly she was strong, but in reality her heart was breaking. As soon as her husband was gone, Gretchen broke into tears.

Mike could have stayed with a friend, but he preferred to check into a hotel. He had to think and come to a clear decision. Lying on his bed he weighed up if he should keep quiet about it or inform his brother. Mike feared Fin would find out anyway. Fin had turned into a master burglar and counted as the best in his métier. He had an extensive network in the underworld, so Mike knew the grapevine was going to work. One example was that Fin had been aware of the investigation Steven Otto was conducting and had called Mike, asking him what he had done with the tapes and if he still had them not to give them to the private eye. At the time Mike hadn’t known Gretchen had shown own initiative, so he told Fin he had already spoken with Steven Otto and hadn’t handed over the tapes. It was better Fin heard the truth from Mike than from a different source. Mike thought Fin might really did consider to send an assassin and kill his own brother and sister in law. He hoped of course Fin would come to his senses, but he was sure Fin was going to be angry and upset. Mike’s brother was also very unforgiving. Mike hoped it wasn’t the end of their relationship. Theirs had always been a difficult one, because Mike was the preferred son and could get away with things Fin would have been punished for. Mike admitted he had been a brat. When he was under ten he frequently abused the situation, making sure he escaped a scolding or spanking, by claiming Fin had done the misdeed. Of course Fin was the one ending up with a sore rump. Mike could understand why Fin hated him as a child. When Mike got older he took in most cases the responsibility for what he did wrong. Fin slowly started to forgive and trust Mike. Now all their hard work was being undone by Gretchen. Mike was still very upset with his wife.               

Having come to the conclusion to tell Fin the truth didn’t make it easier. Mike picked up enough courage to call Fin the next afternoon.

Fin answered promptly. Fin sounded busy and as if he had been interrupted in a deep thought process. “Fin, it’s Mike. Ahem… I have…. Bad… Gretchen has… She gave the video… Mr. Otto has received them. I’m truly sorry. I didn’t know she would do that.” “What? Can you repeat?” Fin hadn’t caught on immediately what his brother tried to tell him. When he did he shouted: “I never ever want anything to do with you or your goddamn, self-righteous, interfering bitch!” The line went dead after Fin’s outburst. Mike shook. He feared the worst. His brother was normally very much in control and even when he was angry, he had never shouted at Mike or anyone else before. In fact Fin spoke very quiet when he was losing his temper, so it must have been really bad. Mike’s first instinct was to warn Gretchen and to run as far away as he possibly could. Being rational Mike realized no matter where he would go into hiding to, Fin or one of his friends would find and liquidate him. He decided to stay put.

Two days later someone knocked on Mike’s door. He opened cautiously, asked: “What are you doing here?! Aren’t you in Seattle?” Then Mike shut the door in Fin’s face. Fin knocked again. Mike leaned in shock against the door. He was surprised how quick Fin had found him and had a hard time not to faint with fear. Mike believed his last hour had arrived. Taking a few deep breath he was calm enough to face his brother. Keeping his face blank, Mike opened the door. When it was closed behind them Mike begged Fin to spare Gretchen and kill only him. Fin’s jaw dropped. He recovered and ordered Mike: “Sit down.” “No!” “I have no intention of blowing out your brains. Sit!” “I’m not your dog!” Mike protested. Fin replied exuberated: “Okay, stroppy cat, please sit down.” Mike laughed against his will and obeyed finally. It was a twin room, so Fin took a seat on the bed opposite Mike’s. “Thank you. I came to apologize in person. There is no excuse I lost my temper and I shouldn’t have called Gretchen names. You didn’t deserve my outburst, because you didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sorry and I hope you can forgive me.” “So there is no professional killer trying to ambush us?” “No, why would there be? I love you and wouldn’t do anything to hurt you on purpose. Can you forgive me?” “Sure. I guess it was too much for you, and I can understand why you were very angry with Gretchen…” “Yeah, well, Gretchen and I talked. We are turning a new leaf.” Fin also suggested if Mike found it in his heart, he should forgive Gretchen as well and return home. Mike promised to have a think about it. In reality Mike didn’t have to. It was obvious he loved Gretchen. Her betrayal might still hurt, but he was sure he could start new, especially if his brother could, who was infamous for holding long grudges. Mike packed his things and went home.

Gretchen was more than relieved when Mike was back. She had missed him, apologized tearful and promised to do better in the future. Mike was sorry too. “If I had been open with you from the beginning this wouldn’t have happened, so I’m as much to blame as you. It’s just… I don’t like talking about it. It’s painful, because I loved my parents. The first crack appeared when I walked into a spanking Fin received and from then on it was clear Fin never pretended sitting hurt, when I suspected he simply wanted attention. I guessed there was more going on when I overheard a conversation between Fin, Mom and Dad a few years later. He mentioned some video tapes, which would be embarrassing for Mom and Dad if they were made public. Neither party wanted to admit anything like that existed. I searched for the tapes, but never found them. When Lil died it changed. Fin was treated abysmal by Mom and Dad and he wanted revenge, so he gave me the tapes, knowing exactly it would mean I would be disgusted and break with our parents. I hate them and for a while I hated Fin too, because he had lied to me and only because it fit his plan gave me copies. He claimed he hadn’t done so earlier, because he didn’t want to destroy the good relationship I had with Mom and Dad. I’m not sure if that really was his motive or if he had staked out his plan long before my grandmother died… It was the only time I’m aware of he’s been lying to me, though, and that’s the reason why I decided to give him another chance unlike Mom and Dad. It’s not normal to film a punishment, gloat about it on tape, discuss the reaction in detail and scheme for another spanking.” Gretchen agreed with Mike and was glad he finally told the truth. It took a while until all the wounds were healed, but it made Mike’s and Gretchen’s marriage stronger. 

©2015   

Dog?

Coldham Fintan Noose III was asleep. He dreamed a West Highland White Terrier was jumping onto his bed. The dog licked Fin, as Coldham Fintan wanted to be called, all over the face. When Fin's mind slowly resurfaced to reality he realized he wasn't dreaming. Only the licks weren't from a pet. His daughter Casey was giving him wet kisses. "Daddy, wage up!" His wake up call had arrived. Fin felt a rush of love. He picked up his one and a half year old daughter and tickled her. She had fun and giggled uncontrollable. Before it got out of hand, Fin stopped and kissed Casey. He had to get ready for work, so he left the child in her mother's care.

©2015   

John Cranko Lounge @ The Althoff Hotel am Schlossgarten Stuttgart, Germany

On our full day in Stuttgart we went to the Mercedes Benz Museum and afterwards stopped at the bar of our hotel the Althoff Hotel am Schlossgarten (Please see also review.).

The lounge is named after John Cranko, a ballet director, and specialized in Rum cocktails.

It is a contemporary space in muted colors with restaurant, bar and lounge style seating.

The bar was already busy with couples and a group of business men.

There was a cocktail of the month too and it was well priced at 8.50 Euro, ca. 9.60 USD.

One of the bar tenders was Frau Manamat (Hope I caught the name right.), we already knew her from in room dining service.

She is a great asset with a friendly and outgoing personality, making us feel welcome each time.

We ordered two cocktails, one Indulgense and one Havanna, and a Crème Brulee.

The Indulgense was cream based, while the Havanna was inspired by Cuba and contained Gossling Rum and citrus fruit juices.

The Crème Brulee was moreish, while the Havanna was tropical and the other cocktail as the name suggests indulgent.

We paid 28.50 Euro (ca. 32.10 USD).

We would return to this bar, because the atmosphere is good, the staff attentive and the drinks fantastic.

©2015  

Althoff Hotel am Schlossgarten Stuttgart, Germany

We are fans of Leading Hotels of the World and ever since seeing the Althoff Hotel am Schlossgarten in one of the catalogues we wanted to stay there.

Being in contact with the hotel before our stay we were very satisfied how warm, prompt and professional the e-mails were answered. They even sent us the in room dining menu, because it hadn't been available online.

The Althoff Hotel am Schlossgarten dates back from the 1960ies and was opened as a competition to the other Grand Hotel, the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin.

The Hotel am Schlossgarten has around thirty rooms fewer than the Graf Zeppelin.

The Althoff is located opposite the main train station and allows easy access to the airport, all over Stuttgart and other destinations within Germany and neighboring countries.

The castle, a park, museum and shopping are just around the corner.

We had a pleasant journey with a slight delay from Berlin Tegel with Air Berlin. We took the S-Bahn from Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport. It took around thirty minutes. We took a wrong exit at the train station, but it wasn't a problem since Stuttgart is planned in such a way you can't get lost.  When taking the right exit the hotel can be reached within 5 minutes.

Check in was pleasant and quick. We received a room on the 6th floor out of seven. When we tried to enter our room the key card didn't work. I went down to the lobby again. We found out that the key card was working, but the receptionist had given us the wrong room number. On our floor again we tried to open the new room and voila we could enter.

The Superior Room, which we had booked, was very large with its own hallway and a door to close off the bed room. A door to the right led to the bathroom.

The bedroom was kept in classic dark brown, black, red, gold and grey colors. We overlooked the main train station and the hotel's entrance.  There was also a massive building site near the station. We couldn't hear any noise, so that was good and we liked the view.

There were two paintings depicting plants and flowers of the season they grow in. We had spring and summer.

The bed was large and comfortable.

We liked the seating area with a coffee table and two club chairs.

It was ideal to have in-room dining there or to chat. There were also German magazines.

The swiveable flat screen TV was above a credenza and allowed watching from the seating area or the bed. TV channels were mostly German, but there were also international ones like BBC World and Bloomberg.

The minibar was well stocked with Vaihinger juices at 3.10 Euro, ca. 3.50 USD, other nonalcoholic beverages and spirits like Moskowskya Vodka or Monkey 47 Gin from the Black Forrest at 5.50 Euro (ca. 6.20 USD).

Complimentary bottled still / sparkling water had been provided and restocked daily, often twice with turndown service.

There was also a large wardrobe and a big safe.

The bathroom was small, but had double sinks, toilet and a bath tub / shower combination.

The bathroom amenities were by Penhaligon Raquets. We know Quercus, which we really love, and Raquets was not an exception.

We enjoyed spending time on our comfortable room and had in-room dining a few times.

Dinner included Wiener Schnitzel and Maultaschen (Swabian ravioli), Alsatian fish soup and Crème Brule.

The quality was of a high standard and the cost worth paying for it.

We generally paid between 40.00 and 42 Euro for two main courses. That's between ca. 45.05 USD and 47.30 USD.

We had breakfast twice during our two night stay.

Once at the dedicated breakfast restaurant and once in our room.

The restaurant offers continental breakfast in buffet form. It costs 25 Euro per person, ca. 28.20 USD. A la carte hot dishes can be also ordered against a surcharge. For example the Eggs Benedict we had were 7.50 Euro per person, ca. 8.50 USD. They were a bit unusual, because the poached eggs came on toast bread and with spinach. It was delicious, though.

The buffet was small, but the choice was big enough to satisfy nearly every taste. It was also a trip down memory lane.

There were some cold cuts I loved as a child.

The presentation was beautiful too and had an Asian understatement to it.

The staff was very attentive and friendly.

When we had in room breakfast the next morning all our favorites were included, so the staff must have noted our preferences and prepared the meal accordingly.

There are other restaurants and bars of course.

The Zirbelstube by Sebastian Pruessmann is the fine dining Michelin starred restaurant, while the Cafe am Schlossgarten is the all-day dining outlet. There are also the Vinothek and the John Cranko Lounge.

Once we had drinks and a dessert at the John Cranko Lounge. A review will follow.

Soon check out arrived. We realized on the day of departure that there was a public transport strike. The staff was very good, giving us a late check out on very short notice and advising us that a few trains were still running to the airport, including timing.

One of the biggest assets of the Althoff Hotel am Schlossgarten is the staff. They are all very intuitive, friendly and professional.

Special thank you to Frau Manamat (Hope I have spelled it right. Apologies, if it isn't correct.) and Frau Ernst for the tips, chats and making our stay very memorable.

We are looking forward to stay again at the Althoff Hotel am Schlossgarten in the heart of Stuttgart.

©2015 

Reinhard's @ The Bristol Kempinski Berlin, Germany

After our lunch at The Casual by Paco Perez at Das Stue (Please see reviews.) we strolled through West Berlin, passing the Zoo, Kaiser Wilhelm Gedaechtniskirche and a few hotels, like the Waldorf Astoria, the Palace Hotel, Swissotel and Hotel Zoo.

We stopped at the Kempinski Hotel Bristol for refreshments.  Reinhard's was clearly visible, because they have outdoor seating.

The weather was beautiful and warm, so we decided to sit outside.

It wasn't clear for us, that there was a separate area for the bar and restaurant section. We weren't that hungry, so we didn't come for a meal and had to change tables. It was a bit strange in my opinion and slightly embarrassing.

From then our visit was pleasurable.

We ordered one Evian Pure, one cherry juice, one non-alcoholic cocktail called "Long Distance Runner" and fruits and sorbet.

The cherry juice was just right between tangy and sweet. The Long Distance Runner was prickly, slightly spicy and dry.

The fruits and sorbet were very generous and we could easily share it. They were delicious and refreshing.

The service was attentive and friendly.

We paid 24.20 Euro (ca. 27.35 Euro).

If you're looking for privacy we wouldn't recommend to sit outside. While we were there, passers-by stared at us.

Afterwards we used the opportunity to check out the public spaces. We liked the shopping arcade and the grand classic design and would consider staying there in the future.

Near the entrance is also a plaque commorating the Kempinski family, some of whom lost their lives under the Nazi regime.

We recommend Reinhard's, but next time we might try the Gobelin Hall instead, which is located in the expansive lobby of this luxury hotel.

©2015

Green Eyes

Coldham Fintan Noose III, nicknamed Fin, reeled back from the garbage bin.  Something was inside the bin and staring at him.

Was it a rat? Fin shuddered at the thought. Since he wanted to get at the bottom of it he approached the bin cautious.  Huge green eyes in a small red furred face were looking at him curious. Fin laughed relieved. It was a cat - to be precise a kitten. It meowed at him.  Fin picked it up and wrinkled his nose, when he pulled out the cat. It stank to heaven and the fur was sticky. Fin wondered how the animal had ended up in the bin.  Had it unnoticed sneaked in? Fin didn't think so. Holding it at arm’s length he set the kitten onto the ground and wanted to leave it to its own device. The cat had different ideas. It cocked it's head and then started brushing Fin's legs.  Fin sighed.  He got rid of his trash as planned, nearly knocking over the kitten, who was in the way.  Fin swore. The kitty was still trying to get attention and affection from Fin, who wasn't interested at all and didn't like animals specifically. Fin tried to shoo her  away, but the small cat simply followed. Fin didn't know what to do with the own minded creature. He tried to get as fast as possible into the house without letting the cat in. He wasn't quick enough. She managed to slide in between his legs, nearly making Fin trip. He had a swear word lying on his tongue again, but stopped just in time, when he saw his one and a half year old daughter Casey toddling towards him. His chance of avoiding to take in the kitten had vanished. It was love on first sight. Casey's eyes lit up with delight and she shouted: "Gad!" It meant cat. As fast as her short legs could carry her, she raced towards the red striped miniature tiger. The cat enjoyed the attention and didn't mind being squeezed hard. Casey wasn't bothered at all by the cat's smell or the stickiness. If Fin didn't want to break Casey's heart, he had to accept grudgingly he had now a pet. Since his wife welcomed the kitten with open arms too and mothered her, he didn't stand a chance.

Fin made it  clear he didn't want anything to do with the little intruder, so Frieda took the cat to the veterinary. It was a her and between eight to ten weeks old. She was healthy. The veterinary showed Frieda how she could get rid of the sticky stuff in the cat's fur.

Frieda and Casey named the cat Ginger. When she was a bit older she was neutered and received all necessary vaccinations.

Fin ignored Ginger. The cat really liked him, though, and won him slowly over. Ginger was always there, when Fin was sad or his emotions in turmoil. She had a sixth sense, when he needed undemanding company. Ginger liked to curl up on his lap. Stroking Ginger calmed Fin. Soon he couldn't imagine living without the new family member.

©2015

The Casual @ Das Stue Berlin, Germany

To reach The Casual we had to pass the infamous crocodile sculpture, the staircase and the reception, turning left before the bar.

The dining room was small, modern and held in monochrome colors - grey and black. There were lamps crossing each other.

The Casual wasn't busy. There was a small group, but they were about to leave.

There was no staff, so we took a seat by ourselves. It didn't matter to the employees, who arrived shortly afterwards.

We were offered the menu in German or English. We chose English, since this is the language we use every day - at home and at work.

Having researched the menu online already we had a fair idea what we wanted to have.


We ordered a large bottle of still water and two glasses of Tarlant Rose Champagne.

The champagne is interesting, because it is family owned by the Tarlants for around ten generations. Their first Champagne was produced in 1687.

We also decided to have three dishes we were going to share tapas style.

We had Arturo Sanchez Jamon Iberico de Bellota with Coca Bread and tomato. The company is famous for making the finest Black Pig products. The ham was served on a large plate, the bread came in a separate basket and the tomato paste in a small bowl.

Another dish was Sant Andreu de Llavaneres Pea Stew with beef and Iberian Pork meatballs.

Our third tapas dish was Tortilla de Patata with Gilda.

They all arrived at the same time and were delicious and high quality.

To round up the meal we ordered two Latte Macchiato, a pineapple crème Brulee with caramel ice cream and a hazelnut coulant with macadamia nuts and chocolate ice cream.

Another dessert on the menu, which we had a day before through in room dining is the Crazy Coconut. It was our favorite, so we shared it again for lunch too.

The hazelnut coulant was similar to a chocolate fondant and hot hazelnut sauce was flowing out when opening the pastry.

The pineapple crème Brule was sweet and sumptuous, but light too.

During our lunch the restaurant got slightly busier with a business meeting going on beside us on a larger table. There was also a single man, working on his laptop and a Korean couple. As expected of such a restaurant, the guests were international.

Overall we had a good experience. The staff was warm and helpful and the meal delightful. The experience wasn't flawless, though. For example they forgot one of our coffees and the bill was wrong, but everything was rectified very quickly and without a quibble, but with a smile.

The bill came in at 121 Euro (ca. 134.30 USD).

Should we be staying at Das Stue again, we will happily return.

©2015

Das Stue Berlin, Germany

We spent a lot of time on which hotel we should book for our 2night/3days in Berlin, where he was also going to celebrate his birthday.

Making up our mind was difficult. We had wittled down our list to two hotels - The Adlon and Das Stue. Should we take a classic hotel, which was similar to the other two hotels we had chosen in Oslo and Stuttgart, these destinations were part of the same itineary, or should we break the mold and check into a design driven hotel?

What spoke for The Adlon was the Leading Hotels of the World membership, the location, being in the center of everything, having a wide selection of restaurants including Sra Bua, which we always wanted to try (and still have to in our future), the heritage and the prestige.

What spoke against it was the location, the prestige and the value.

We were already quite busy in Oslo and Stuttgart. We thought we would overdo it, if we were out and about in Berlin too and it would be more suitable to have a celebratory and quiet birthday.

Having experience how overrun some famous hotels, for example The Arts in Barcelona, can be and how even staying guests are treated, we were a bit wary. We also followed the reviews on Trip Advisor. There were indications we might not be able to enjoy our stay to 100 % at the Adlon during this time.

Our stay was from a Saturday to Monday. We were comparing rates and found out that The Adlon was available during the week for half the price when booking an entrance category room, so we thought it wasn't worth to spend much more for the same category.

Of course we know rates are demand driven and that Berlin is a weekend destination.

As a note: Some Berlin hotels up their rates during weekends, while others require a minimum stay of two nights we found out during our research.

Das Stue had a slightly higher rate on the Saturday to Sunday than Sunday to Monday.

What spoke for Das Stue?

We had followed the progress since we heard about the development of the hotel. Das Stue opened in 2012. We liked the contemporary design, unusual concept and playful elements.

We also liked the membership. The hotel had joined Design Hotels. Das Stue was our first.

Even though the hotel was new the building has a history.

It was opened in 1939 as the Royal Danish Embassy. The architect was Johann Emil Schaudt, who was also responsible for the Kaufhaus des Westens (short KaDeWe), Germany's largest and best department store.

Later the building was used as a training center for Deutsche Telekom and the Postal Service.

When Das Stue, which is Danish and means the living room, was redeveloped as a hotel, different architects were engaged.

Axthelm Architekten from Potsdam was responsible for the modern extension.

The public spaces were designed by Patricia Urquiola and the rooms by LVG Arquitectura.

Patricia Urquiola is Spanish, but lives and works in Milan, while LVG Arquitectura is based in Spain.

We also liked the dining concept, which includes two restaurants, Cinco and The Casual, and Das Stue Bar by Paco Perez.

The location of Das Stue was also good. On the one side it was in a quiet residential upscale neighborhood and near embassies; on the other side it wasn't too far from the zoo, Kaiser Wilhelm Gedaechtniskirche, the Kudamm and the KaDeWe.

We thought Das Stue was a better fit for our needs and had to decide what room type to take. We were considering the Embassy Room or Junior Suite. In the end we thought the Embassy Room was large and if we were able to get a balcony too, which is offered in selected rooms, we would be very happy indeed.

We contacted Das Stue via email and advised them about our wishes and the anniversary.
 Since rooms with balconies are rare, we weren't promised anything. The replies were warm and very quick.

We took a taxi from Berlin Tegel, arriving from Oslo with SAS. It was an enjoyable flight. The taxi journey took approximately 20 minutes and the cost was slightly below 20 Euro ca. (22.25 USD) each way.

While the facade of Das Stue is classic, the interior isn't.

We were greeted by a crocodile (sculpture), a reminder that the hotel is bordering the zoo, and a long stylish hallway. It was filled with natural daylight and there was also a contemporary seating area and the original staircase. The staircase was beautiful and the views from the top amazing. There were books and magazines on each landing. Guests can make themselves comfortable at the many designer seating arrangements and order drinks or some snacks, while browsing through the libraries.

The concierge and reception were hidden from view to the left and right underneath the staircase.

Check in was very friendly and fast. The receptionist remembered the birthday. When all formalities were behind us we were accompanied to our room.

We were given a brief tour and then left to explore it.

The room was dominated by the large bed, which was on the harder side, but very comfortable and allowed for a good night's rest.

The design was clean cut, stylish, luxurious and comfortable.

The color scheme was black, brown, grey, gold and cream.

There was a touch screen for all light features and the airconditioning - it took a few attempts to understand how it worked, but after that it was easy.

Our room had wooden floors and very high ceilings. To our delight we also had a fully furnished balcony with views over the residential area and the Tiergarten. We spent there considerable time. We were lucky with the weather during our stay. It was warm and sunny.

Another favorite place was the seating area with a contemporary chair, coffee table, a colorful carpet and reading lamp.

There were also electronic blinds and two telephones - one was cordless, both by Jacob Jensen.

The writing desk was large with an Apple TV, which was very sensitive. The contemporary writing desk chair looked like sitting a long time would be problematic, but it was the whole opposite.

TV channels were varied, ranging from local ones to Asian, including the complete line up of Sky Germany, Arirang, BBC World, CNN, Bloomberg and much more.

Our artwork was a bit unusual. One was a woolen giraffe in all imaginable rainbow colors, ranging from blue to orange, a photograph of a windblown curtain and a painting of an ostrich, playing tennis.

The mini bar was very tempting and fairly priced. We loved especially Charitea, the coconut water and Candy Kittens Sours.

Snacks start from 2.50 Euro (ca. 2.80 USD). Alcoholic beverages included Mama Vodka, three types of Gin and a half bottle of Louis Roederer Champagne, which was the most expensive item with 45 Euro (ca. 50 USD).

Beside the minibar we had also a Nespresso Coffee machine.

The wardrobe and drawers were interesting because they hadn't any visible handles.

Another interesting feature was the alarm clock. It was cube shaped and completely black, but when pushing the back the time came on digitally, like magic.

In room dining is available 24 hours and is catered by Paco Perez incl. dishes from his Casual restaurant.

The bathroom was large with separate freestanding bathtub and rain fall shower. The shower was huge in space, as was the oversized rainshower head.

We had two sinks and a separate room for the toilet.

The bathroom amenities were by Floris and Gilchrist & Soames. It was the most complete set we've ever seen in a European hotel and included a loofah, lip balm and mouthwash.

The bathroom was filled with natural daylight and had it's own blinds and curtains, which were drawn each night at turn down.

Turn down included free water from Austria.

We had in room dining incl. dinner and breakfast twice.

The in room dining menu is similar to The Casual.

Paco Perez is a famous Spanish chef and holds 5 Michelin stars.

We tried different dishes including Wiener Schnitzel - the only nod to German cuisine -,  Gnocci from my friend Zio, Quinoa salad, monkfish and peas "Catalan Style" with "Buttifarra" and mint and the chocolate bonbons (chocolate flan, Cacao biscuits and coffee ice cream).

Needless to say the in room dining was high restaurant quality and served on white linen.

I will also write a review of our lunch at Casual. As you can expect from such a high-caliber hotel, our lunch was memorable for the right reasons.

We had twice in room breakfast. Once the continental and once the continental plus a hot item each.

The continental breakfast included a hot beverage and juice of our choice. We had Cappuccinos, freshly squeezed orange juice, two water, one milk, four bread rolls, different jams, including strawberry, blueberry and apricot by Faller from the Black Forrest and two large organic yogurts by Coop Latteria Vipiteno from Italy - each time a different flavor, like Forrest Berries or strawberry. It was 25 Euro (ca. 27.45 USD) per person. It might seems high priced, but the quality was matching.

Our hot items were scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and omelette.

We used the shoe shine service as well. It was reliable. Our shoes looked like new after they were returned.

On my better half's birthday a cake was delivered to our room. It was delicious and shaped like a flower. The cake included berries, citrus flavors and chocolate - everything he likes. We appriciated the gesture and thanked the staff later in the day.

There is also a spa, which is reasonable priced. Products used are by Susanne Kaufmann. Massages start from 75 Euro (ca. 82.25 USD) and facials from 85 Euro (ca. 93.20 USD). One of us might give it a try, when staying again at this hotel in our future.

The staff was warm and efficient. Switching from English to German and visa verse was not a problem for them.

Some of them recognized us and greeted us by name.


Our take:

The hotel took it's inspiration from the zoo. Some rooms have views over the ostrich enclosure and it is also visible from the beautiful staircase.

We liked the luxurious atmosphere, the peaceful location, how detailed Das Stue was, the history, the wonderful food, the contemporary design and the friendliness of the staff.

This is a hotel we would gladly return for more beautiful memories.

©2015