A symbol of a reunited, welcoming Germany
The coincidences of history have made November 9th a very special day for the German people: it is the day that marks not only the advent of the Republic (1918), Hitler's pitiful "Beer Hall Putsch" (1923), the sinister "Crystal Night" (1938) but also the happy Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The "iron curtain" that divided West and East Germany and which symbolised the Cold War for 28 years, was built in 1961 at the dead of night by masons working under the protection and surveillance of the police and the army. It was 3.6 metres high, 160 kilometres long and was guarded by 300 watchtowers, but finally gave way to the overwhelming pressure of Germany's citizens. The scars can still be seen in several parts of the city (6 sections of the wall have been preserved for posterity), but are now well and truly healed. The Best Western Premier Airporthotel Fontane was built in 2002 on the site of the former wall, not far from Schoenefeld Airport, the German capital's future major airport, currently undergoing extension and modernization. Today, it is a pleasure to see this elegant building with its numerous large windows, particularly when one remembers the walled-up windows of the buildings and houses in East Berlin overlooking the "former" wall. The hotel's renowned sense of hospitality and warm personnel, its open outlook, so suited to international visitors, whose every whim it caters to, and its remarkable collection of work by a Spanish artist from Lanzarote, set the scene, taking on special meaning in this context.
In its own fashion, the hotel thus plays a role in the reconstruction of Germany, whose art de vivre it also embodies. Theodor Fontane, after whom the hotel is named, was a leading 19th century German realist writer who lived in Brandenburg, the charms of which he praised. Among the many appeals of the German capital's Land, its cuisine is far from the least noteworthy. The Téodors Restaurant of the Best Western Premier Airporthotel Fontane serves a fine selection of local delicacies, ranging from Berliner Weisse - a beer brewed exclusively in Berlin and often mixed with raspberry syrup due to its sourness, to the famous Berlin Currywurst, pork sausage served in a curry sauce - a must for any visitor to the capital.
The visitors can begin to explore a city that abounds in rivers, canals, parks and lakes and which is also home to a fine assortment of ancient classical architectural monuments. Berlin is however, above all, a showcase of fantastically rich and varied cultural and artistic events. From Herbert von Karajan to David Bowie, the Akademie für Alte Musik to the Love Parade or the KitkatClub to the Staatsoper Unter des Linden, the range of events, artists and stages, devoted (past and present) to music is one of the richest in the world. Cinema also takes pride of place during the Festival in February and its Gold Bear has rewarded some of the silver screen's most prestigious artists.
Back at the Best Western Premier Airporthotel Fontane, visitors will be ready to relax in the establishment's superb sauna, Turkish baths and Jacuzzi. Premium but unobtrusive comfort is the watchword of the hotel's design. Its luxury resides more in the faultless quality of its materials and the soberly decorated rooms, which display the same beautifully crafted light wood furniture that can be seen in the restaurants. The quality of its cutting-edge, but entirely inconspicuous technical facilities provides to hotel's guests a gloriously peaceful setting and a faultlessly ordered organisation.
| Best Western Premier Airporthotel Fontane Berlin |
| Jonas-Lie-Strasse 5, Mahlow, Berlin, DE, Berlin, Germany - 15831 |
| Phone: +49 (0) 3379 204 0 Fax: +49 (0) 3379 204 200 |
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