Namrata BhawnaniHüttenpalast Review: Retro Glamping in Berlin – Indoors!
This was my second visit to Berlin – a cosmopolitan hub of creativity with its vibrant street art, cutting-edge nightlife, pulsating energy and liberal vibe. There’s something here for every taste, budget and whim, so why choose an impersonal and predictable hotel? When the husband and I came across Hüttenpalast – a former vacuum-cleaner factory where you can spend the night in a smartly refurbished caravan or a wooden hut – we knew we had to try it out.
October in Berlin is not exactly the best time to commune with nature so the idea of vintage glamping (indoors!) was most intriguing.
Nomad – Featured at the Berlin Festival in 2011, this caravan was painted by the famous Berlin based artist called Nomad. Inspired by pictures of his tour in Africa Nomad combined voodoo symbols and pop art elements to create a magical 3D piece of art.
Event manager Silke and designer Sarah, the creative force behind Hüttenpalast, live in Neukölln. This trendy district has been attracting Berlin’s artsy, bohemian folk and boasts of bars, cafes restaurants and vintage furniture boutiques. The two friends spotted this factory, which was also being eyed by property developers, and decided this was going to be their creative playground.
The Turtle is an architecture project by artist Luis Berrios Negron. Like a real turtle it carries its house on its back. The Spanish designer & architect Miguel Prados created the room floating above the turtle. Sleep here like in a tree house!
Their vision of “retro-happiness” has been rendered with flair – refurbished vintage caravans, wooden huts, an inviting garden, a large communal area – it all comes together with casual, playful charm. There are tables and chairs outside the caravans to relax in and it’s easy to be social in this friendly space. The attention to detail is absolute – a gramophone, a piano, artfully arranged mismatched furniture, hammock et al reflect the funky retro aesthetic of this passion project.
Named “Würdig 301” this caravan was produced in the 1930s. Because of its unique shape it became a classic in DDR times. Its rarity made it way too expensive and Huttenpalast named their breakfast “Dübener Ei” (egg) before finding one for real. “The Egg” was lifted up, overlooking all other caravans.
Our peculiar egg-shaped caravan was perched on a little staircase and it was love at first sight. The space inside the caravan was a trifle snug for my husband, who towers above me at 6 ft 3″. But this is a city that never sleeps, this is a space that is social – it’s doubtful you’ll be spending much time inside the caravan anyway!
Also, if shared bathrooms are not your thing – you need not worry, the shared facilities at Hüttenpalast were absolutely spotless. You can opt to stay in the en-suite hotel rooms in another part of the hotel but then you can’t boast that you tried indoor glamping!
Berg & tal – mountain and valley hut. Together with Wohnfühlzeit team who speciale in planning and creating living and working spaces in an organic way, the Huttenpalast team built the two cabins . Only natural materials like wood, chalk colors or i.e. hemp for damping were used
The staff is incredibly friendly, croissants and coffee are offered in the common area for breakfast, we chatted with several of the guests during our stay and even managed to spend a bit of time in the garden before we turned into popsicles.
The garden is an inviting green oasis featuring recycling old bathtubs and wine barrels
At Ecophiles, we love places with character and Hüttenpalast claims its fair share. The neighbourhood is multicultural, there are plenty of cheap food options, the transport links convenient.
On this second visit to Berlin almost a decade later, it was great to see that the dynamic, creative energy of Berlin was booming in an ever-changing city and the German capital just as addictive.
Good to Know:
The nearest U-Bahn station is Hermannplatz, a five-minute walk from Hüttenpalast.
Prices start from 69 Euros a night. For more information and directions, check out their website. More accommodation pictures here in our gallery below:
Also Read: 6 Quirky German Hotels that will make you say Whoa!
