A dream come true for porcelain lovers: At the “ KPM Hotel & Residences ” in Berlin, visitors can admire not only outstanding architecture and chic design, but also exquisite pieces from the manufactory. Daniel Zeeh, 36, and Damian Brunner, 34, won one of our giveaways—and shared their impressions in our WEISS Magazine No. 4.
Be our guest! - KPM Hotel & Residences in Berlin
BE OUR GUEST!
A weekend for two at the “ KPM Hotel & Residences ” up for grabs: When Daniel read the announcement on the Instagram page of KPM Berlin , he spontaneously entered the contest with a few lines. “I didn’t expect to win at all—which made me all the happier,” the 36-year-old says with a laugh. He traveled there with Damian; the two had just moved in together in May. Daniel, who is from Leipzig and works in supply chain management at a large furniture company, now lives near Zurich in his partner’s hometown; his partner is a client director at an asset management firm. “We own KPM vases from the Bauhaus era and plates, cups, and bowls from the LAB series. With their clean lines, they fit perfectly with our Scandinavian interior design style,” he says, explaining his affinity for KPM Berlin.
At the new KPM Hotel & Residences, which opened in September 2019, the two felt right at home from the start. It’s located in a central yet quiet spot on Englische Straße, right next to the factory. A tour of the factory was, of course, on the agenda, along with a porcelain workshop and dinner at “Dong A.” “We liked it so much that we’re coming back in August,” said Daniel. “It’s already booked!” Could there be a better compliment?
ON A DISCOVERY TOUR
“Everywhere in the KPM Hotel & Residences , you’ll discover unusual exhibits: in the rooms, in the hallways, in the restaurant, and, of course, in the lobby by the front desk. Because the colors gray, black, and anthracite dominate, the white KPM figurines and objects really stand out. The fact that KPM has been manufacturing all its products at its factory in the heart of Berlin for more than 250 years—and hasn’t outsourced production anywhere else—is something I find absolutely remarkable. The Tiergarten is just around the corner, and since you can rent bicycles at the hotel, we took a short ride out into the countryside and through Charlottenburg right after breakfast.”
FINE CRAFTSMANSHIP
"During the tour of the manufactory, we went through the individual stages of porcelain production: from processing the raw material to firing."
"In the hands-on factory, a KPM craftsman explained to us how the figure KRÖTE is created. It is not modeled, but the body and legs are cast individually and assembled later. We were allowed to try it out: sanding down the edges again and again until everything fits - that was fun."
MAXIMUM ENJOYMENT
"On the first floor of the hotel is the Dong A restaurant, which serves modern Asian cuisine: We had a delicious meal here in the evening. A life-size KPM figure figurine stands on a table in the middle of the room - a real eye-catcher. The wall, which is covered in white KPM coffee filters, is also very original - an installation by Berlin artist Michael Felix Langer. Later, we took our drink to the sun terrace on the roof and enjoyed the view: You have a great view over the city from there. Incidentally, we were able to play table tennis in the playroom on the fourth floor, which was pretty cool. There's also a table football table - but after dinner, you might prefer the small cinema: with a projector and space for ten people."
A RELAXING TIME
"We were completely delighted with the room: it was generously proportioned and equipped with a fold-out pantry kitchen that disappears into a smart wall module. We particularly liked the wonderfully comfortable, slightly raised bay windows from which you can look out over the Royal Porcelain Manufactory ."
There are a total of 117 rooms in five categories. They are between 25 and 45 square meters in size. Daniel and Damian stayed in an Executive room.
“In fact, there are many unique spots in the hotel. Take the two atriums, for example, located between the 1st and 2nd floors and the 4th and 5th floors. You can sit on comfortable Bauhaus-style lounge furniture, meet other guests there, or marvel at the five-meter-high wall with built-in glass display cases: A wide variety of artifacts from the history of the “ KPM Berlin ” are on display here.”
WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS - Europe's Leading Design Hotel 2021
KPM Hotel & Residences is one of Europe's leading design hotels and was nominated for "Europe's Leading Design Hotel 2021"at the World Travel Awards.
Pictures: Franz Grünewald
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