Concierge tips for a successful Mother’s Day and Father’s Day

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day – these are special days when you have the opportunity to thank those who have given you all that unconditional love. So how can you make the most of this day with your family and what should you do if you don’t have a gift yet? Julian Darenberg, concierge at the Regent Berlin 5-star luxury hotel, shares his best tips for bringing a smile to your mother’s or father’s face.

Who is Julian Darenberg?

Born in Oldenburg, he has been in Berlin for 13 years and began his career at the Regent Berlin exactly 10 years ago. He is now Assistant Head Concierge at the 5-star luxury hotel at Gendarmenmarkt and knows the city like the back of his hand. He earned membership of the Les Clefs d’Or concierge association in 2016 and wears the Golden Keys on his lapel.

He is tireless in his continued exploration of his chosen home, and is always on the look out for the next excellent recommendation for his guests. One of his personal favourites is a Berliner Unterwelten guided tour of Berlin’s subterranean history as well as a visit to the Boros Bunker which his guests regularly return from full of enthusiasm.

One of your guests would like to spend the day in Berlin exclusively on the Spree with the whole family. Where would you recommend they go? And does your hotel offer gourmet picnic baskets?

Berlin is particularly beautiful – and particularly green – to observe from the water. That’s why a boat trip in May is the perfect time-out for the family. My personal preference is hiring a lounge raft or BBQ boat from Berlin Bootsverleih.

An insider tip I really recommend is the Charlotte & Fritz picnic basket, which is filled with lobster, fresh fruit salad and delicious baguettes, and of course Champagne – the perfect accompaniment for celebrating a toast on the river.

Your guests would like to take their parents on a special tour of Berlin: what would you recommend?

Berlin is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 2019. To mark this special occasion, we are offering a package where you can book an exclusive and individual tour with a private guide, following in the footsteps of history.

A Trabi tour with a personal guest driver is another option for rediscovering the city from a different perspective and taking a trip back in time. Trabi Safari offers a wide variety of different tours for discovering the city in a convoy of Trabis.

A guest has forgotten their gifts for both parents. Where can they create gifts on the same day themselves?

Guests often ask my advice for purchasing distinctly classy and stylish gifts at the last minute. Montblanc is a company that prides itself on its elegance and style, where you also have the option of having their products personally engraved or embossed.

For women, I recommend an exclusive fragrance tour at Frau Tonis Parfum. You can create your very own Berlin fragrance at their studio. In the exclusive Fragrance Workshop, the professionals will take you on a journey into the world of fragrances and at the end you will hold a uniquely individual perfume in your hands.

You can express your creativity by pouring a completely personalised gift into a Ritter Sport mould at Gendarmenmarkt, producing your own unique chocolate variation from an abundance of ingredients (Smarties, gold stars, pink pepper, and many more). In this world of chocolate, spread over three levels, you can also learn plenty of interesting facts about chocolate and book a chocolate workshop.

Brunching with the family: Where are your three favourite places?

I have discovered some really great restaurants over the years, as I also enjoy going for brunch myself. These are places where it is a true delight to start the day together with family or friends. These include Café Anna Blume in Prenzlauer Berg and the 24-hour breakfast restaurant Benedict with its various regional dishes, and Spindler in the heart of Kreuzberg is another place that shouldn't be missed.

High-quality gifts made in Berlin: Where should your guests go shopping for a Father’s Day or Mother’s Day gift?

Porcelain is still made by hand at the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur (Royal Porcelain Factory) in Berlin. Founded in 1763 by Frederick the Great, the company has been based in Berlin ever since. Therefore I recommend guests buy these exquisite, high-quality products directly from the factory. They are symbols of individuality, tradition, precision and Berlin, and make wonderful gifts.