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Located along Friedrichstrasse at the Spree River in central Mitte, the Riverside Artist Hotel offers eye-popping and deliciously overdone rooms decorated with flair by set-designer-turned-hotelier Uwe Buttgereit. Rooms burst with golden, regal character—you might call them a "gilty pleasure."
Here's the story: This cement modernist building was constructed in the late 1980s, and, according to Uwe, was the last East German apartment building ever constructed. The hotel occupied one floor in 2000 and grew to encompass three by 2005.
What makes this hotel different is the décor. Uwe is an artist and was a theatrical set designer prior to his decision to take on the hotel. Room by room, he's incorporated props and set piece—here a chair from the Comic Opera, there a lamp from the theater, here a mirror from a feature film. Uwe still uses his contacts to snag delightfully decadent pieces, but he designs and constructs them, too. He designed the wrought iron lamps you'll find in the bedrooms, and he painted the floral borders that line the rooms and the hallways. Throw in the new, bold red carpets and matching drapes and the effect is, well, spectacular, spectacular!
Room amenities and features vary widely at the Riverside, which currently offers rooms rated with one to four stars. Some rooms have private balconies overlooking the Spree, while others march into spa territory, with all manner of whirlpools, jet-streams, and such. (We're pretty sure we witnessed a shell-shaped hot tub, but there's a chance delirium had started to sink in). And Uwe is unstoppable, adding new amenities every time you turn around. We'd recommend checking out the hotel's Web site for an accurate list of what shows, er, rooms are currently being offered.
The lobby, it goes without saying, drips with golden, faux-regal theatricality. It's a welcome that only a particular mix of plush carpet, gilt mirror, and flickering chandelier can produce. Although the Riverside's flamboyant style may leave some gasping for air, it left us asking for an encore.
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