Travel: Soho House Berlin

Earlier this summer we had the pleasure of checking into Soho Berlin for a couple of nights whilst overseas on a European research trip. Located in a beautifully renovated 1920s Bauhaus building near Mitte and Prenzlauerberg, the now five-year-old house is tucked gently at a literal cross roads of two very cool, and distinct neighbourhoods. It’s certainly one of the larger houses in the global franchise, boasting an impressive sixty-five guest rooms, twenty various sized apartments, and four lofts.

The building itself has a history as complicated and tangled as the city itself, with the bones once serving as a Jewish department store, a Hitler Youth headquarters, and later a Communist Party archival depot.

For us, Soho House has become a home away from home, and the Berlin house offered up an elegant reprieve from the general cool-guy nonchalance of the city. Sometimes you need a break of the non-stop “whatever” attitude and just need a nice coffee and freshly baked cookie, you know? With a remarkably well-supplied library, private screening room, fitness centre, Cowshed spa, event space, rooftop pool, and trendy ground floor shop, the house offered its members and guests pretty much no reason to ever leave the premises. Not to mention the amazing programming behind the houses on going events calendar that makes it a hot spot for the booming art and culture communities in the city.

Despite the large size, the house exudes an air of intimacy, inviting feeling of belongingness you find in nearly all the houses. The abundance of like-minded guests made it easy to socialize and make new friends while strangely running into old ones who just happened to be in Berlin as well.

The hotels idiosyncratic rooms come in various sizes from ‘small’ to ‘XL’ all feature the same level of attention to detail in design. Replete with 300-thread count linens, free-standing bathtubs, rain showers, flat-screen televisions and a cookie jar refilled daily, everything was more than provided for in each room. Other amenities included in-room coffee and tea facilities, mini bar, flip-flops, robes, hair dryer, flat irons, tooth brushes, razors, condoms and an enviable range of Cowshed bath, body and skin care products! It was almost like having a spa in your room.

We had the chance to stay in one of their serviced apartments on our last stay at the house. Monitored by various staff over five times daily, the apartments include a large kitchen and dining area, perfect for intimate dinners or cocktail parties if you felt like cooking, as well as lounge areas and an elongated balcony. While we found ourselves only ever enjoying a cocktail or afternoon tea at most in our room, the kitchen was equip with everything you might need including pots, pans, cutlery, spices, and utensils, a cook book, and even a counter top herb garden to make a lovely meal. We did however take advantage of the in-room bartending service offered every night between 6pm an 8pm in which a bartender will come and mix the house cocktails in your room while you get dressed and ready for an evening out.

The adjoining store on the ground floor of the house was the perfect companion shop, offering up everything from coffee and cold pressed juice made on site, as well as an incredibly well-curated selection of designer clothing, candles, beauty products, accessories, books, cool magazines, home products, and vinyl records. Aptly named The Store, it was the perfect place to stop by on your way in and out of the house, to grab a quick snack or gift.

After only a few short days at the house, we must admit we were rather impressed with the Berlin house. Not only is it perfectly situated, the perfect place to hang out casually or formally at pretty much any hour of the day in various cozy nooks (and maybe spot a celebrity or two), the staff and vibe house was unlike any other we’ve visited in the world.

Take a closer look inside the house below now and head here to book your next stay (even if you’re not a member).

Club Amenities & Common Spaces