Hotel Lux 11

The Lux 11 stands on a discreet little street in the now rather exclusive Mitte district of the city. It is close to 3 metro stations (Alexanderplatz, Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz and Weinmeisterstrasse) and is certainly feeling the effects of the recent increase in interest in this once sad little part of former East Germany. Now there are countless art galleries, boutiques, lively bars, hotels, and even celebrities in this part of town, not to mention the monuments, museums and other tourist attractions (including the television tower, the Museum of the Former GDR, various churches, etc).

Most visitors to this ultra-contemporary hotel, a member of the coveted Design Hotels collection, are unfamiliar with its past, but its history goes back a lot further and is far more interesting than you would think! Indeed, these buildings once housed KGB agents, which explains the intricate corridors... Thanks to its success, the Lux 11 is soon to be joined by a second hotel, so keep an eye on this location.

It's hard to imagine the futuristic world concealed behind the elegant facade of the Lux 11, and harder still to find the entrance to this extra-terrestrial hotel! As soon as you step foot in the lobby, you'll realise that the Lux 11 is no ordinary hotel, perhaps due to the Adidas uniforms the receptionists are wearing, or maybe because of the immaculate white surroundings of the reception, perfectly complemented by the fuchsia pink of the corridor... As you get to spend more time here, you'll realise that your first - undoubtedly good - impressions were right, particularly as you venture into the green lights of the lifts and wander around the dark intricate corridors. One thing you will notice is the lack of a spa, which, when you take the rest of the hotel into account, could have been a real architectural and decorative treasure. Nevertheless, the Lux 11 does compensate in some way for this with the neighbouring beauty salon, where guests can enjoy a spot of pampering, and a clothes shop. There is no business centre here either but there is a laptop computer available to guests on request.

It is not permitted to alter the general layout of this former KGB building, so the corridors, although not unpleasant, are still as intricate as they were back in the day and the period stairwell (complete with an antique lift and doors) is light years away from the futuristic surroundings of the rest of the hotel. Although all of the hotel's 72 guest rooms vary in size, they do all feature the same heterogeneous design cleverly combining straight and geometrical lines with feminine colours. The soft shades of the walls and furniture provide the perfect accompaniment to the brightly-coloured fabrics. Indeed, opposing worlds attract and complement each other at the Lux 11. In terms of amenities you'll find everything you need and more, including a plasma screen television, DVD player, fax, phones (corded and cordless), safe, Wifi, individual air conditioning, flip flop-style slippers, bathrobes, and even a fully equipped kitchen! The bathrooms, which open onto the bedroom area, are also amazing and come with a rain shower and a selection of hospitality products from the Korres brand. You might be interested to know that the building also houses 4 superb penthouse suites and there are rumours that the hotel has already played host to certain celebrities...

Although all of the guest rooms have their own fully-equipped kitchen, the hotel's restaurant, the Luchs ('Lynx' in German and pronounced 'luxe', meaning 'luxury' in French!), is well worth a visit! In terms of decor, it should come as no surprise that, true to form, the Lux continues to shy away from the expected, so you'll find the restaurant bears no resemblance to the rest of the hotel. A variety of Italian-Germanic dishes, with salads, pasta dishes, and various other main courses starting at £19, are served in the plush surroundings of the large, 100-seater dining room. There is also a tiny bar at the far end of the room that is open from 6:30pm to 2:00am (4:00am on weekends). Apart from drinks it serves only peanuts, which is just as well as this is a smoking area!