Berlin is no unfamiliar name to anyone who’s even studied a little History in school: It is the capital of Germany and most people know about the Berlin Wall that divided the city after World War II, and what a significant day it was when Germany was reunified in 1990 (okay, I was three years old!) with the falling and demolition of the Wall.
With so illustrious a history, you would expect nothing less from modern Berlin, that has now risen to become a cosmopolitan hub for both the arts and sciences going strong in the start-up scene, tech, research, IT and other creative industries, and is an amazing place to visit for its vibrant culture, cutting-edge architecture, fantastic food and richly textured history!
I was privileged to have an opportunity to experience Berlin for a few days when Frasers Hospitality brought me to Berlin for the launch of the latest addition to their properties: Capri By Fraser Berlin.
If you read my last post on Fraser Suites Queensgate (in Londond) where I talk about staying in serviced apartments, you’d understand better about how a serviced apartment to me is like marrying the comforts of home with the facilities of a hotel.
While the Fraser Suites properties such as Fraser Suites Queensgate would be suitable for long-stay business travellers, small families or a group of friends travelling together, I would say that Capri By Fraser is the perfect travel accommodation for the casual business traveller or young couple on holiday – It is a little less luxurious, a little more practical and yet still 100% comfortable and convenient!
Capri By Fraser Berlin
In the heart of Berlin, Capri by Fraser brings its unique design-led style to this cultural and diverse city. Located on Museum Island, this brand new hotel residence is only a short walk to the famous museums in Berlin’s historic centre. Guests can choose from 143 stylish serviced apartments, ranging from Studios to One-bedroom units.
Designed around the ‘always on’ needs of today’s travellers, Capri By Fraser Berlin is ideal for leisure and business travellers looking for short stay apartments, as well as for extended-stay guests and group bookings. Everything you need is at Capri By Fraser Berlin, from a 24/7 gym to a drinks bar, a laundry room and even meeting facilities and a business center.
The concept of Capri By Fraser Berlin is fun, playful and quirky, and I love it! It’s not one of those stuffy and traditional old-fashioned hotels for sure, and you’ll feel right at home with the energetic vibes of Capri By Fraser Berlin.
Something cool that you’ll notice in the lobby is this: During construction of Capri By Fraser Berlin a site of archeological significance was discovered and is now covered with glass and carefully preserved!
Get a drink to unwind after a long day at the Drinx bar, right within the lobby! It’s open all the way til 1am, so why not?
I was put up in one of Capri By Fraser Berlin‘s Serviced Studio Apartment and I loved the stay!
The beds were luxurious and comfortable, no complaints there for sure.
The cosy apartment’s kitchenette has a washing machine, a sink, a microwave and even a convection stove. Although I personally wouldn’t cook any fancy meals from scratch here, heating ready-to-eat meals or putting together simple meals would be a breeze.
The bathroom was spacious and comforable as well, with a huge mirror and ample space!
There was also a good-sized work desk within the space as well as a small dining table with chairs, which made the apartment at Capri By Fraser Berlin pretty much perfect for me!
Breakfast at Kaffee Karamell
In the mornings, you can get breakfast at the casual and lively Kaffee Karamell downstairs – The breakfast here is a lovely spread and served all day with light choices from simple freshly squeezed juices, natural yoghurts, fresh pastries to a full cooked breakfast!
Capri By Fraser Berlin Official Grand Opening Party
Spot these two bears at the entrance?
These two bears were the winning entries in the #BuddyBear Design competition organised by the Singapore Embassy in Berlin in 2014 and are meant to symbolise standing hand in hand together for a peaceful world.
Frasers Hospitalities has its roots in Singapore, so I love how the bears are a proud tribute to Singapore!
The good folks over at Capri By Fraser sure know how to throw a mean party! The official opening party for Capri By Fraser Berlin was a huge blast and I loved it!! First, official speeches started the party off..
Followed by canapes that were cooler than usual. That’s soup in test tubes!
There was even an organic ice cream truck to serve up the most delicious ice cream cones at the party!
I never say no to ice cream and this was so good!
Electrifying, death-defying acrobatic performances!
The night ended with a whole lot of partying, grooving and dancing – I can attest to the fact that the Berliners do partying best!
Exploring Berlin
My stay in Berlin was just a short two nights, but I managed to roam about the city to explore some of its most historical sites and of course, food!
Looking for a city guide? Check out Oooh, Berlin.
For those looking for a great non-touristy guide to the city, I highly recommend checking out Oooh, Berlin, a city guide meant for Berliners and expats, but I feel would be just as enjoyable for any visitor in Berlin!
Oooh, Berlin offers free city maps/guides for various areas in Berlin, such as Kreuzberg, Mitte, Neukolln and more! These maps highlight really cool places like great cafes, restaurants, bars, shops and other interesting places all over Berlin in a well-designed map that can be downloaded into your phone. I found out about the best Texas smoked brisket of my life (more on that below) through Oooh, Berlin!
There were so many other spots I wanted to check out, but didn’t have enough time to. Please check them out for me! 🙂
Bus & Boat City Tour
One of the best ways to start exploring Berlin is to take the combined bus and boat tour around the city!
The city bus tour allows you to hop on and off at various landmarks and points of significance around Berlin, such as Checkpoint Charlie, Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin Cathedral and many more, while an informative audio guide accompanies the ride.
Berlin Wall
At part of the Berlin Wall, one of the most well-documented landmarks of German/European history!
When in Germany, have some bratwurst! Completely legit in a crisp baguette with ketchup and mustard.
Hackesche Höfe
We wandered our way to Hackesche Höfe, the famous traditional Berlin courtyards at Hackescher Markt. Hackesche Höfe dating back to the 18th century are the largest single courtyard complex in Germany and are now vibrant urban quarters home to art galleries, offices, restaurants and nightlife venues.
Taking an ice cream break at Hackesche Höfe!
It’s not uncommon to see the justaposition of new and old in Berlin, and one very striking example is the Berliner Fernsehturm TV Tower right next to St Mary’s Church (Marienkirche), one of the oldest churches in Berlin.
The exact age of the original church site and structure is not precisely known, but it was first mentioned in German chronicles in 1292.
Right next to St Mary’s is the Neptune Fountain, that was built in 1891 and was designed by Reinhold Begas.
There are many notable landmarks all within walking distance, and we eventually made our way past Rotes Rathaus (or Red City Hall), the town hall of Berlin. This building started construction in 1861 and is home to the governing mayor and the government of Berlin!
Berliner Dom and Museum Island
You definitely won’t miss Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom), one of the most imposing and majestic landmarks of Berlin and the largest church in the city!
I didn’t have time to explore within the cathedral, but it was plenty beautiful from the outside already.
Plus, we had really beautiful weather that day, so it was so lovely just to get a bit of exercise, stroll around and admire the city!
Do take at least a day to visit Museum Island, an island with five museums in the heart of Berlin! It’s just walking distance away from Capri By Fraser Berlin, super convenient! It is a UNESCO World Heritage and the five museums are world-renowned!
Really love the chill vibes of the local Berliners, I came upon a merry little party going on just along the streets with colorful bunting strung up between two trees and even balloons! The little kids and their mothers looked like they were having a ball of a time.
When it comes to food, Berlin is also a haven for all sorts of gastronomical delights! Don’t think of just bratwurst, pork knuckle or schnitzel, thanks to the influx of cultures and influencers from all over the world, Berlin is set to become one of the most exciting food destinations in Europe!
Markthalle Neun
(Eisenbahnstraße 42/43, 10997 Berlin)
A must-visit for the foodies is Markthalle Neun (Market Hall Nine), a food market that’s open every day and with special food showcases on various days/evenings! (I included a link to their website above so you can check it out)
I absolutely love looking at fresh produce in Europe! They just look so much more vibrant and fresher than the imports we get in Singapore.
We saw the vegetable and fruit shop outside selling some chanterelle mushrooms (fancy schmancy seasonal mushrooms) for cheap, and took the liberty to purchase some and request for a special order pasta at the Italian pasta stall in Markthalle Neun 🙂
It was without a doubt one of the most authentic and delicious pastas I’ve ever tasted outside of Italy!
We also had some of their ravioli, which although plain-looking, was flavorful and scrumptious!
A flank steak sandwhich put together with bread from the bakery that we brought to the butchery – It was so hearty and wholesome and just really, really satisfying in the tummy.
If you spot one of these Photoautomats around, pop in and pay two euros to get your likeness captured in a four-strip printed photo, developed the traditional, analog way. It’s an awesome souvenir, and also fun to experience the very first vintage photo booths in history!
The Pit BBQ
(Reichenberger Str. 120 10999)
Who would have thought you’d find such great Texas smoked beef brisket in Berlin, of all places? This restaurant came highly-recommended by Oooh, Berlin, the city guide I shared above – We weren’t disappointed a single bit with our dinner here!
The incredible 18-hour smoked brisket was so tender and melt-the-mouth that we wolfed down at least 700g of meat between two people! Completely worth all the trouble we took to hunt down the tiny BBQ smoke house and a definite winner in our culinary books.
Price point was reasonable although I wouldn’t say it was cheap – But for beef brisket that’s been hand-smoked using only natural oakwood, I think it was worth every euro!
I am indeed missing Berlin very much after spending the past few hours revisiting those memories while writing this post, and I do hope that the next time I’m in Berlin, I get to spend more than just a couple of days there!
Would I return to Berlin again, and put myself up at Capri By Fraser Berlin again? The anser is a very definitive, YES!
About Capri By Fraser Berlin
Scharrenstraße 22,
10178 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 30 2007701888
Capri by Fraser Berlin’s website here
Capri By Fraser Berlin is just one of many gorgeous properties managed by Frasers Hospitality. Thank you, Frasers Hospitality for putting me up! I’ll be sharing on more properties across UK/Europe, so stay tuned 🙂
Europe/UK Sep’17
FRASER SUITES QUEENS GATE, LONDON – I LOVE SERVICED APARTMENTS
HOTEL DU VIN WIMBLEDON, LONDON – NOT JUST TENNIS
MALMAISON OXFORD – A LUXURIOUS PRISON STAY
CAPRI BY FRASER BERLIN – EXPLORING BERLIN