Sponsored post: This post is brought to you by the people at Adlon Hotel Kempinski, who kindly hosted me while I was in Berlin last week.
Berlin is quickly becoming one of my favorite European cities. It's got that pulsating undercurrent that all the best cities have, yet it's dominated by a quiet calm.
Last week I went in Berlin to teach and scout some locations for a winter weekend yoga retreat. It was a quick trip, but really productive, and I've got my fingers crossed for putting something awesome together. If you want to be kept in the loop, let me know.
Living area
I stayed at Hotel Adlon, where I was put up in a beautiful two room suite. There was a starbucks right across the street, so I grabbed a tea (rooibos vanilla, my fave) and headed back up to the living room area to edit the meditation and morning yoga video I filmed there.
Bedroom
The bedroom was wonderful. See how the night stand has an open drawer? That's where the lighting and temperature control was, which was pretty cool. The bed was comfortable, the carpeting was plush, and my only complaint is that I didn't have more time to lounge around there!
Did I mention the view?
Location, location, location!
Sigh. The view of the Brandenburg Gate was pretty amazing. I could've watched the tourists all day! It's probably safe to say the Brandenburger Tor is one of the top tourist destinations in Berlin, but despite the constant crowds, I didn't hear a thing when the windows were closed. You really can't beat the location of this hotel. It's within walking distance of a huge park and great shopping.
Little detox bath action using Valentina's products.
Wearing: OPI nail polish
These days, my favorite part of traveling is getting to take a bath since our current apartment doesn't have one (and I may or may not have bought a baby bathtub to soak in - desperate times call for desperate measures, people!). The hotel provides bath salts, but I used the packet of Valentina's bath salts I had brought along because I love they don't have any synthetic ingredients or fillers.
Fitness facility at Hotel Adlon Kempinski
I tested out the fitness facilities at Hotel Adlon and I was pleasantly surprised. They've got a pretty great set up. There is a small gym with a beautiful hardwood floor, warm, inviting lighting and plenty of machinery and treadmills. I did an interval workout because I was pressed for time, but I actually kind of enjoy these workouts. I did a 25 minute program and I find that every time I do these types of workouts, the time flies, which is important, because who enjoys cardio?! Here's the breakdown:
5 minute jog at 7% incline
2 minute run at 5% incline
60 second walk at 10% incline
2 minute super fast fun at 3% incline
60 second walk at 10% incline
Then I just repeat that, varying the inclines and speed and go through two or three times depending on my energy level. So good!
Indoor pool at Hotel Adlon Kempinski
The fitness area also has a gorgeous indoor pool and sauna area, and there's a little pool bar with a light menu.
Spa at Hotel Adlon Kempinski
From there, I headed off to check out the spa. The spa is beautiful. It's flooded with natural light, and has a few different areas. There's a full service hair salon in one section, and a body treatment area in the next section. I had a Swedish massage that was out of this world. The environment is everything you'd expect from a high quality spa - a calming environment, clean rooms, plush linens, and excellent therapists.
Dinner at Sra Bua by Tim Raue
Sra Bua by Tim Raue
Dinner at the hotel's restaurant Sra Bua by Tim Raue didn't disappoint either. Like the spa, the restaurant's main dining room was flooded with natural light thanks to an entire glass wall. The dining was casual and the food was top notch. I had a green curry cod and I haven't had curry that good since my trip to India. Truly, fantastic. There's also a bar are where they have jazz on Fridays and a DJ on Saturdays.
Breakfast at Hotel Adlon Kempinski
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, so I finished my stay by heading down to breakfast before packing up. The breakfast spread is far too long to list, and contains everything from caviar to satay to omelets. Then there's the drink choice which ranges from champagne to fresh juice to looseleaf tea. Add the International New York Times and it's probably the best way to end a quick trip to Berlin.
Hopefully everything works out and I can put together something fantastic for a yoga weekend this winter. Fingers crossed!