So there we sat in silence. An argument had erupted. After 40 years together when you have an argument they tend to end quietly. We were a lot more feisty once upon a time. Maybe it’s because you know each other too well. Maybe it’s because I was right and she was wrong. I have been bringing up my travel bucket list now daily. Used to be once a month but now, because time seems to be going faster, I have chosen to bring it up constantly until I get the nod of approval from her.
She sighed, looked at me, shrugged her shoulders and then gave me the nod. Finally! I had wanted to go to Berlin ever since I was a little boy and now I finally can. I had already bought the tickets and they had been sitting in the cookie jar for three weeks. I had called Classic Travel and spoke to a charming lass known as Heather who told me to start at Hotel de Rome which is located on Bebelplatz, off Unter den Linden and is one of the few luxury hotels in Berlin located in an original building, and part of the new one, offering me and my stubborn wife an authentic Berlin experience.
Most of the rooms have high ceilings and classical proportions. All bathrooms have separate walk-in showers and mosaic marble detailing above double ended baths. I have to say that even my wife loved that. It also, lucky for me, brought her romantic side out, which I hadn’t seen in a while.
The Spa has a steam, sauna and relaxation area, and a fully equipped gym. In a stroke of genius design the original vault of the bank has become a 20 meter swimming pool, which is wonderful on my more mature bones and they have a range of therapies, health and beauty treatments that are provided in the six treatment rooms. I didn’t see my wife for half a day one day.
The Hotel de Rome’s restaurant looks onto a large terrace which is used for al fresco dining during the summer months and offers cuisine based on traditional Mediterranean cooking. The bar has a contemporary feel and it features a long bar overlooking Bebelplatz. The Opera Court is a grand room with its original glazed ceiling and is popular for coffee and afternoon tea, her favorite part of the day. The friendly and helpful staff told me that during the summer months the roof top terrace offers a breathtaking view over the stunning city of Berlin.
The amount of history and things to see in Berlin is astounding and I was very fortunate to cross it off my bucket list. We both had an amazing time and the staff at Hotel De Rome were so lovely I can’t speak highly enough about them. You know what, a week after we got home I went to the cookie jar and you know what I found? Two tickets to Paris inside. I turned and saw her sitting at the kitchen table with the biggest smile on her face, and then she gave me a nod.