PILLOW TALK

Q! and Miniloftmitte

Jonny Clark pays a visit to a pair of Berlin’s über-cool hotels known for their cutting-edge style and-design and finds it sure beats kipping in the back of your mate’s Trabant

West

Nestled in the heart of West Berlin’s Charlottenburg quarter and popular with Hollywood actors like Brad Pitt, the award-winning 77-room hotel that is Q! has been packing in guests since 2004 and, once inside, you’ll know why.

In the lobby, deep red curves go from floor to ceiling and walls blend into desks and chairs. All of a sudden you feel cocooned in warmth and German modernism. Created by Thomas Willemeit, Lars Krückeberg and Wolfram Putz, the trio behind design firm Graft, the concept is about interacting with furniture and space in a more lifestyle-friendly way.

And it works. Deep red lights and cool lounge music fill the corridors. Once inside your room, the colour scheme changes into white and dark oak. More curves guide you through the space, forming a seamless link between floor, bed and bath. Comfort is paramount and it’s hard not to be impressed with Q!’s ability to pamper. Aveda products, luxury linen sheets and wireless broadband all add to the pleasure. A spa downstairs completes the effect.

The bar/restaurant is guest-list only. But if you’re staying at Q! your name will be on it. Breakfast even includes shots of vodka for those who’ve stayed out too late. Q! may be too unconventional in design for some tastes, but for atmosphere and style it cannot be beaten. And, with doubles from €150, it’s not that pricey, either. 67 Knesebeckstrasse, tel: +49 308 100 660, www.loock-hotels.com/hotelq

East

In east Berlin, the only place to stay is the Miniloftmitte. Relaxed and extremely urban, the concrete and metal building is cutting-edge design inside and out, but stands in stark contrast to the glitz and glam of the west.

Sitting directly across from the Museum für Naturkunde, the hotel is located next to a funky array of restaurants and bars, and is within a 10 minute stroll of the Brandenburg Gate and Sophienstrasse shopping district.

The loft-like rooms are called either compact, classic, introvert or extrovert. The latter have a whole glass wall, facing onto the street. So, if you’re into exhibitionism, this is the place. The introvert has normal window space, though still open to view, while the classic and compact lofts are more boxy.

The interiors in all the rooms are minimalist and functional, as per classic loft spaces. The living area blends together, featuring a fold-down sofa bed, a dining area with kitchenette and another bedroom area fitted with bath and shower.

Staying here feels like a home away from home, except with top-notch service and a real alternative feel. The minimum booking is two nights but, believe me, you’ll want to stay longer. From €120 per room per night (sleeps up to four). Miniloftmitte, 5 Hessische Strasse, tel: +49 308 471 090, www.miniloft.de Get there with RYANAIR g Fly to Berlin from London Stansted, East Midlands and Dublin on Ryanair

While you’re there…

PARTY

All white on the night The Invalidenstrasse area (nearest S-Bahn Nordbahnhof) in Mitte, east Berlin, hosts one of the best clubs in town. And, yet again, the design comes up trumps. The hip and happening three-floor Bangaluu club, which celebrates its one-year anniversary this May, hosts exclusive parties for the bold and the beautiful, starting at a relatively early 8pm.

Head to the second floor and enjoy an incredible 10-course tasting menu, lasting three hours. Relax in this white space, which is filled with beds and soft cushions, before heading back down to party till dawn to Berlin techno and electro groove, on a dancefloor that’s whiter than a talkshow host’s teeth. Don’t miss Sunday’s gay nights, where anything goes and normally does. www.bangaluu.com