When people talk about Hamburg, the first things that come to mind are the Alster, the Reeperbahn and the harbor and, of course, musicals. If you ask tourists in Hamburg why they are in Hamburg, many say “Miniatur Wunderland” and also because of the musical “The Lion King” or “Phantom of the Opera”.

Many of the references also fitted perfectly with my last experience in Hamburg – and it wasn’t just the Phantom of the Opera that had a secret room and a secret – but where I found it, I certainly wouldn’t have expected it. At the Kempinski Hotel Atlantic Hamburg, Hamburg’s most famous hotel. There you will find the secret room and the secret behind the golden ball.

Hotel Atlantic Hamburg

The Atlantic Hamburg Hotel on the Outer Alster looks back on over 100 years of history, built in 1909 initially for the wealthy passengers of the Hamburg-America Line, whose hotel was the first port of call in Germany after the transatlantic passage, just as travelers from all over Europe used it before crossing the Atlantic to the USA by ship.

This story alone is impressive when you read it in advance, but when you enter the time-honored lobby of the Atlantic Hamburg, you immediately notice the history of the hotel. There are many five-star hotels in the world, each somewhere with a special feature or simply the reliable style of the various large hotel chains, but when you enter the Kempinski Hotel Atlantic Hamburg, you get the feeling that time has stood still…

Incredibly, it feels like 100 years of hotel history are still a reality here, and so is the first impression at the front desk. The old historic reception, the special politeness and the high counters – if you’re expecting one of the famous room cards or want to check in to your room using a smartphone app, you’ve obviously come to the wrong place. At the Hotel Atlantic, you still get the key and fob, just like 100 years ago, and the “metal bar” feels good, feels different.

The elevators in the Atlantic Hamburg have the old design from the outside, the most modern technology from the inside and yet again a reminder of the maritime era, the corridors and the space in front of the elevators, incredibly large and incredibly wide – and the rooms?

Rooms & suites

Modern and discreet, a touch of elegance, a slightly maritime flair and a fantastic view of the inner courtyard or the Outer Alster. Relaxation guaranteed – you can either watch the sailing boats on the Alster or enjoy the incredible peace and quiet, the bright building right in the Hanseatic city. In summer, you can enjoy the gentle rippling of the fountain, a great fresh barbecue in the inner courtyard or simply enjoy the view.

The rooms are a dream, the suites absolutely well thought-out and perfect for combining a retreat with a workplace. Where else can you have your own “oval office” with a view of the Alster, a small kitchen for yourself or the staff and, of course, a high-quality bathroom, special bed linen and … maritime accents again.

The hotel lives from the memory of the sea – and you can imagine it at every moment – how the large suitcases were rolled through the corridors, guests became passengers and then traveled across the port of Hamburg into the wide world. Pure history! The rooms and suites are great – but the hotel lives from the public areas – spending time in a great room is just too much of a shame…

Lobby & foyer

If you walk through the foyer, you will see historic leather seats, a view of the bar from afar – life pulsates here, in between guests with an afternoon tea, a special whiskey or cocktail. Simply take a break. The possibilities, even for a short stay, are incredible. If you are looking for an even more special retreat in Hamburg, visit the cigar lounge, directly behind the bar. A quiet room, comfortable armchairs and the feeling of an old “English club”.

As soon as you enter, you can imagine how guests used to enjoy a cigar here before the Atlantic Passage, drinking a good whiskey and passing the time – but what you no longer notice here is the smell of cigars. A well-functioning ventilation system immediately ensures a pleasant climate again – state-of-the-art technology and a historic building with a great history… that’s how you can combine it.

Meeting rooms & events

A corridor behind, the conference rooms and meeting rooms of the Atlantic Hamburg. Anyone who thinks that every room is identical is very much mistaken, from a small meeting room “in the blue room” to a large ballroom for a wedding. Getting married in Hamburg – perhaps on a jetty on the Alster and then receiving guests in the large ballroom sounds perfect – and should be a perfect day. What woman doesn’t dream of this?

Wherever you go, the tables are lovingly laid with every detail, the various rooms of the Atlantic Hamburg are quietly situated facing the inner courtyard and yet again so flexible in terms of size. Do you really want to have a conference here and enjoy the history in the rooms or would you rather experience the hotel? I think it’s possible to do both without any problems and yet it would be a bit of a problem for me.

I would be constantly researching what might have taken place in the room before the passengers boarded the cruise ships, what history took place and I would hardly be able to concentrate on the meeting. This hotel simply has to be experienced and just when you think you’ve seen it all, there’s another surprise…

Private cinema room & the attic

Experience your own little movie palace in a hotel – simply rent the cinema with friends, comfortable armchairs like in a Hollywood villa and your own entertainment system. Which movie should it be? Perhaps the movie that is associated with the first “getting to know each other”, a movie that is watched again and again with friends – or even a very private movie at the Atlantic Hamburg with just your partner. A romantic evening at the movies with perfect service and then being able to retreat to your own hotel room, the next morning a great breakfast with a view of the Alster… That’s one way to spend the weekend.

But there is still a secret in the hotel, or even two, and not only the “Phantom of the Opera” has a secret and a secret room, the Kempinski Hotel Atlantik Hamburg also has a special secret, directly behind the golden ball, which can be clearly seen from the outside… “The secret room…” High up on the roof of the Atlantic Hamburg Hotel, there is a room that no one would expect and nothing describes the hotel and its history better than this room…

No normal elevator leads there, no simple staircase – the way remains a secret and I will not reveal it to you now. The secret is only shared in person and photos are not appreciated, so I will only show you very small excerpts… 🙂

As soon as you enter, you feel like you’ve been transported back 100 years. The room of the old props, the old exhibits and the special moments that the Atlantic Hamburg Hotel has already experienced. An old uniform, still beautifully displayed on the clothes rack, an old cash register as it was once used in the bar, old furniture and tables, old clothes and hats – this is where contemporary history is lived and preserved for posterity…

A look into the corners of the Atlantic Hamburg room – a poster from the James Bild movie “Tomorrow Never Dies” (Pierce Brosnan – 1997), this movie also played here in the hotel and also a poster of Comedian Harmonists could not be missing and in the back corner, directly in front of the ball the old photo reminds of … and the actor … was also here – but that remains my secret and perhaps you too will take a look behind the sphere…

The second part, which I will tell you in the next few days, is about art in the back of the hotel lobby of the Atlantic Hamburg and how one sentence made a soup world-famous, so that you simply “have to” try this soup. There are Hollywood stars who make a stopover at the hotel just for this one soup, but I’ll tell you this story from the “Kempinski Hotel Atlantic Hamburg” next time.