Hotel-Pension Funk Berlin at Kurfürstendamm
Discover local culture on a Berlin city break
Step off the iconic Kurfürstendamm boulevard onto a side street – and back in time to early 20th-century Berlin. Tucked away in this hotel hideaway nestling between smart townhouses, galleries and boutiques, you can enjoy the city in sophisticated retro style. Marvel at carefully preserved Gründerzeit-era architecture and Art Nouveau details straight from the former home of a silent film star – all just a stroll from City West with its famous theatres, designer shops and refined restaurants.
A sophisticated hotel in elegant surroundings
The warm and welcoming Hotel Pension Funk Berlin will whisk you back a century into the past – to a time when the area now known as City West was just emerging as a byword for art and culture across Europe. Housed in the former Charlottenburg home of Danish silent film star Asta Nielsen, this magnificent Gründerzeit-era building became a centre for the Berlin intelligentsia and cultural crème de la crème. As a hotel, the building retains its original 1920s and 1930s details, either painstakingly restored or carefully replaced. You can feel the history in this place, with its authentic Art Nouveau flavour. High ceilings and old-style chandeliers in the rooms add a touch of elegance.
The hotel is on Fasanenstraße, a stately side street just off the lively Kurfürstendamm – fondly known as Ku’damm. Here, you can sample all the delights of this busy part of the city in the peaceful surroundings of elegant old buildings and stunning townhouses. Delightful boutiques, cafés and restaurants are all on the hotel’s doorstep, and it’s a short walk to explore City West and its own attractions, from museums and theatres to restaurants and upmarket boutiques. If you’re tempted to venture a little further, there’s plenty more in store, including charming spots such as Ludwigkirchplatz and Savignyplatz. Tour operator “Zeitreisen” also offers tours themed around the Roaring Twenties or Babylon Berlin.
Live like a local just off Ku’damm
The neighbourhood nestling between Fasanenstraße and Schlüterstraße is a charming contrast to glam Ku’damm: here, you can spend long afternoons on pleasant strolls in the shade of old buildings and leafy trees. Browse the hidden-away boutiques, design shops and bookshops at your own pace, stopping here and there at friendly cafés for a cuppa. Opposite the hotel, you’ll also find the Käthe Kollwitz Museum, a gallery dedicated to the renowned artist.
Head a little further south from the hotel and you’ll find the lively neighbourhood around Ludwigkirchplatz, centred around the stunning square with St. Ludwig’s Church. Stop at Benedict Berlin, a stylish restaurant renowned for offering breakfast 24 hours a day. If you’re ready to head back to the bright lights, luxurious Ku’damm and quirky Breitscheidplatz with the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church are just a short walk away.
A cultural oasis around the Hotel Pension Funk Berlin
The neighbourhood around Fasanenstraße and Ku’damm remains a Berlin cultural hotspot to this day. The hotel is a short walk away from numerous fascinating galleries and exhibitions, such as the Helmut Newton Foundation’s Museum of Photography near Zoologischer Garten station, and the one-of-a-kind Hidden Museum near Savignyplatz, documenting works by forgotten 20th-century female artists.
If you fancy a little evening entertainment, look no further than the lovely theatres nearby. They include the majestic Theater des Westens on Kantstraße and local institution Bar jeder Vernunft, housed in a retro mirrored tent. The Schaubühne on Lehniner Platz and the Vaganten Bühne also put on fantastic performances. If you prefer the silver screen to the stage, you can round off your evening with a stylish night at the movies at the listed Astor Film Lounge, less than five minutes’ walk from the hotel.
Enjoy a shopper’s paradise at Hotel Pension Funk Berlin
Just 200 m north of the hotel, the famous Ku’damm is synonymous with Berlin shopping. West of Fasanenstraße, as you head towards Olivaer Platz, the iconic boulevard amps up the luxury factor, with boutiques from globally renowned designer labels. East of Fasanenstraße is where busy, quirky Breitscheidplatz joins Ku’damm. Here, you’ll find the distinctive, heritage-listed Bikinihaus, home to a concept shopping mall with all kinds of exciting outlets.
Fasanenstraße offers a shopping experience that’s a little more off the beaten track. Here, you’ll find lots of cute galleries, quirky boutiques and sophisticated jewellery stores. The kilometre-long stretch from Fasanenplatz to Kantstraße is the perfect place to window shop and soak up the neighbourhood, with stores ranging from small art shops to the Living Berlin design centre on Kantstraße.
Fine flavours in vibrant City West
All that culture and retail therapy is bound to work up an appetite. Luckily, the area around Ku’damm isn’t short on spots to sample delicious food and drink. Just a stone’s throw from the hotel, for instance, you’ll find Café Wintergarten in the Literaturhaus – the perfect place to stop and enjoy coffee and cake or a tasty dish of the day between browsing books and boutiques.
Feel free to delve deeper into each little neighbourhood to discover its local foodie highlights, too. Lively Savignyplatz near Kantstraße is known for its global cuisine, while rustic Ludwigkirchplatz is home to Austrian restaurant Ottenthal. Exclusive meets arty at the Paris Bar, where the great and good of the local and international art scenes meet to enjoy a glass of wine or two.
