Telegraphenamt

This neo-Baroque telegraph office was built back in 1910, in an era when even utilitarian industrial structures were expected to serve a partly ornamental purpose. And today this landmark has been put to a use that brings it into more direct contact, inside and out, with the public. Hotel Telegraphenamt Berlin, or HTA for short, benefits from a central location in Mitte, a few minutes’ walk from Museum Island, and its style, which freely mixes stark bare brick and exposed girders with Deco flourishes and classic modernism, is perfectly emblematic of the historic patchwork that is present-day Berlin.

In the spirit of inclusion Telegraphenamt’s rooms range widely in size, from the very efficient Cosy rooms on up to a selection of suites that span two floors. At all levels they’re visually inventive, memorable, and plenty luxurious. But they’re not the whole story. Telegraphenamt is the work of the local restaurateur Roland Mary, and as that fact might lead you to expect, its social spaces are every bit as impressive as its accommodations. Root is a versatile, eclectic restaurant in a wide-open space, and Root Bar is similarly welcoming; coming soon is Japanese Bakery, which is not just a patisserie but a restaurant with dual specialties in baking and sushi.