View from the Room: Berlin Marriott
Wonderfully centrally located, this Marriot is a ten-floor modern hotel with a huge atrium in the middle. Don’t look down if that worries you as it did me.
We were let down initially with a long wait to check-in (at the appropriate check-in time) with one person on duty. We battled for queuing space with the guys putting up the smaller Christmas tree in the reception area. After several minutes with no acknowledgement, suddenly two more members of staff appeared and we got to the front to be greeted by an excessively chatty receptionist. Mistakes were made and he had to start the process again, as we watched people who’d come in after us, saunter off to their rooms. To add insult to injury, after we’re trotted to the other side of the hotel to get the lift to the sixth floor, We walk in and I start taking customary photos to post here before filling the room with our personal effects, only to walk into the bathroom where in place of the requested bathtub (I ask for this on every hotel booking), is one of those pointless showers that take up the same amount of space. Back down we go and infuriatingly join the even longer queue to get the room changed to the one we requested.
This is not the German efficiency I know and love. So it was a bad start but the room was well equipped with stunning light effects over the large desk/table.
There are good pillows on a large comfortable bed, armchair and footrest, reminding me of my reading chair at home and another chair for the table. At least the original room did, the one with the bathtub had a small sofa instead.
As in the Warsaw hotel (I just had to check to make sure I hadn’t got the two mixed up), there is a handy long shelf under the TV, which is directly opposite the bed.
We were only here for two nights so didn’t have too much to store in the two wardrobes as I only unpacked a couple of outfits. The sliding doors afforded us full-length mirrors and other than that, our room had just one drawer on one side of the bed so wardrobe shelving had to suffice for the smalls. The mirrors in the lounge were unnecessary and off-putting. Who needs to see themselves in bed? (Don’t answer that).
I loved the splashes of orange across the furniture and that the door/window was openable for some immediate fresh air.
I do like that next to the two mugs, the little kettle was in place to be switched on without having to move it to a plug point. An ice bucket alluded to an ice station somewhere that we didn’t need and the teas/coffees in a little leather-look box. It was refreshing to see the fridge actually opened although there was no milk of any kind; we had to ask for it each time. A little carton/bottle in the fridge would be nice.
The bathroom was equipped other than the lack of body lotion. This varies so much that even in 4 or 5-star establishments so I always have to pack plenty.
The aforementioned lights were lovely but surprisingly there was one switch, so it was all or nothing. No mood lighting here other than the reading lights.
Finally, the bin had two compartments, so I assumed one was for recycling. I will never know as hotels no longer leave any information notes in the room so everything is down to guesswork. An email or QR code for info would be good.
November 2021
