Design & Lifestyle

Nhow Hotel Berlin; by Karim Rashid

May 25, 2013

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

I have always wanted to know what does Karim Rashid eat for breakfast, mostly because I am curious what feeds his brain and where does he get all his inspiration and creativity from. Not once did I pass through his office space on 17th street in Meat Packing District in New York, but I never had the courage to get inside and ask. I have seen his website, I read articles about him but nothing prepared me to see his creations in real, moreover, a big one, such as a hotel. I have heard about Nhow Hotel Berlin only three days before my visit to Berlin and I knew I had to see it and shoot its interiors if possible when I’m there.

Nhow Hotel Berlin is known and nicknamed as The Music and Lifestyle Hotel, mostly because it is the only hotel in Europe that offers two professional music studios, well equipped with recording booth, mixing and pre and post-production options. Therefore, among the guests you can find business travelling cosmopolitans, international jetsetters, night owls and the hottest bands who stay at the hotel both for the love of music and for the great experience the hotel can offer. I didn’t have the chance to peep into these studios but for other public spaces I did.

The hotel is located on the banks of the Spree river in between two of Berlin’s coolest districts; Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, and has three towers. The East and West Towers on the side of the building and the upper tower which extends beyond 21 metres out of the building over the Riverbank. This silver colored tower serves as a reminder of the former city harbour area on the bank of the river.

Berlin, Nhow Hotel, Interior, Karim Rashid, Germany

If you have the opportunity to stay at Nhow Hotel when you are visiting Berlin, just grab that opportunity. If not, keep reading my post and enjoy the pictures and the visual tour.

The Breakfast Room:

By the time I got into the breakfast room, the food was already taken from the pink bubbly table display. All I could find were colorful membranes that served as decoration probably. The tables and chairs are funcional grey color and a pop art posters of celebrities such as Johnny Depp and Mother Teresa next to each other are on the dining room’s walls. I’m sure breakfast time is quite interesting there.

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

Fabrics Restaurant: 

Just next to the breakfast dining room on the ground floor, separated by a light white curtain, Fabrics restaurant is a blast of colors and a feast not only to the palate but also to the eyes. The color combination of pink fuchsia and minty – neon green is a winner. The restaurant is situated in a corner with glass exterior walls and offers a magnificent view of the Spree River and the Oberbaum bridge. But not only the color combo is a winner. Also the food and the masterpiece dishes that seem to follow a similar color scheme. The head Chef Patrick Rexhausen is creating a new menu every six weeks, based on German-French cuisine. The restaurant is opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (Menu can be found here).

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

The Envy Bar and Lounge: 

Imagine a giant golden face hanging over the barman, and matching the golden chairs…Imagine drinking a colorful cocktail, based on sake and tequila, developed by one of Germany’s best bartender, Christina Schneider. Imagine 100 gold, pink, purple and black seats that allow you to dive into comfort, while overlooking the Spree river and sipping a ginger lemonade. This, and more, one can find at the Envy Bar. (No wonder they called it ‘Envy’).

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

The Lounge: 

The lounge is just right after you pass the reception. On a blue rug with pink strips, you can either have a drink, rest a bit or just lounge on colorful psychedelic cushions. The big windows are over looking the river and wash the lounge with bright light. The ceiling is dotted with pink plastic tubes.

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

The Elevators:

Taking the elevators has never been so enjoyable and fascinating. Each elevator is in a different color and when you look up, there is always an interesting painting to look at. It reminded me a bit a scene of Pedro Almodóvar‘s movie, probably for the a-symmetric figure.

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

and once I took the elevator to the rooms and the door was opened, all I could see was that!

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

The Rooms: 

I wish I could see most of the rooms in the hotel as I have no doubt they don’t look the same. However, the 304 rooms are divided into three -room categories; Standard rooms, superior rooms and junior suites. What makes the rooms unique is the option to choose between three color schemes; Pink, Blue, Pink/Black or Blue/Black all depends on the rooms’ location. Rashid thought about every little detail and it seems that everything is synchronized and working perfectly; The wall papers go along with the floor papers that work well with the beddings and the curtains. All look like a great visual symphony. Every room has wireless connection and well equipped for PC, Mac, and iPads. The bathroom is separated from the bedroom with a shocking pink glass and I’m sure it offers a great experience.

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

Nhow Hotel, Karim Rashid, Berlin, Design, Interior

Karim Rashid is, by far, one of the most creative designers in the world. The short visit in Nhow Hotel definitely left me curious to see more of the other locations he designed and created. Stay tuned for more.

You Might Also Like

No Comments

Leave a Reply