ARCOTEL Allegra Zagreb celebrates 10 years of existence

On the 10th of October 2013 the first design and lifestyle hotel in Zagreb invited its numerous clients and guests at an anniversary under the motto "the famous 10".  The invitation from the director Ms. Ljiljana Mikić, in order to mark the 10th anniversary of the ARCOTEL Allegra in the Croatian capital, was attended by 300 guests, who had the opportunity to enjoy international gourmet food and a relaxed atmosphere.  

 

The chairman of the Board of the ARCOTEL Hotel AG, sir. Manfred Mayer was happy that he had the chance to greet the guests on the spot, "The characteristics of the hotels are the typical Croatian hospitality combined with the famous Austrian charm. To this end we will continue to delight our guests with unchanged genuine kindness and sincerity."

 

To celebrate the anniversary, professional cocktail masters made a special "JOE'S SPECIAL JUBILEE-COCKTAIL". Chef John Simončić, along with his team, has prepared for the guests the best dishes and delicacies from seven destinations where the ARCOTEL Hotels are located - Berlin, Hamburg, Klagenfurt, Linz, Stuttgart, Vienna and Zagreb. The guests celebrated until the early hours of the morning to the music of the band Status.

ARCOTEL Allegra is an ideal base for exploring the cultural and historical sights, and is ideal for business meetings in the city. Joe's Bar is located in the hotel lobby, which is reminiscent of the atrium in some of the southern countries. By day, it is the perfect place to start the day and meet with friends or business partners, and in the evening a favorite place with a great selection of the best cocktails in town. Radicchio restaurant is known for its Mediterranean cuisine.

 

ARCOTEL Group is one of Austria's largest companies in the field of tourism in the city and business hotel industry with the international standard and top-quality. It was founded in 1989. and currently has 10 four-star hotels with a total of 1778 rooms in Austria, Germany and Croatia.

Two good reasons for Berlin

Hasn´t it always been your wish to live in the city of Berlin and to experience the flair of germany´s capital as a resident? The new long-stay special of ARCOTEL Hotels let this wish come true!

Enjoy your longterm stay in either the ARCOTEL John F or the ARCOTEL Velvet and explore the metropolis with its numerous offers of leisure and entertainment facilities. Famous and well-known sights like the Museum Island, Friedrichstrasse and Hackescher Markt are located in the vicinity and could be reached easily on foot. The central location with direct connection to the public transit system makes your stay in our design hotels to a perfect home address.


A suite of the ARCOTEL John F Berlin

Beside its attractive and ideal location in the central district of Berlin, both hotels offer an unique living atmosphere while staying in one of our high qualitatively and well designed rooms. The benefit of our long-stay special is the possibility to add numerous of extra conditions. The inclusive services of the packages could be extended and adapted individually to your personal needs.



A junior suite of the ARCOTEL Velvet Berlin.

Let the ARCOTEL John F Berlin or the ARCOTEL Velvet Berlin become your second home while enjoying several advantages like:

• telephone costs: 50% discount*
• minibar: 20% discount
• WLAN internet access: free of charge
• room service every third day
• new bed linens and towels every third day
* for all calls in the German landline and German mobile phone network
 

All prices and condition could be found on our website. The long-stay special is only bookable on request and subject to availability. For more information do not hesitate to contact our reservation team:

 

ARCOTEL John F Berlin                                   ARCOTEL Velvet Berlin
E: reservation.johnf@arcotelhotels.com           E: reservation.velvet@arcotelhotels.com

T: +49 30 288 86 578 96                                   T: +49 30 288 86 578 96

F: +49 30 288 86 578 87                                   F: +49 30 288 86 578 87

ARCOTEL Velvet Berlin is the official partner of the 2012 Burlesque Contest

From 11-14 July 2012, entertainer Jack Woodhead invites guests to the "Second International Burlesque Contest Fish&Whips" in the Berlin Comedy Club "Kookaburra". Following the successful start of this impressive entertainment show in 2011, this year the history of the famous art of burlesque dancing is celebrated once again. As the official partner hotel of the contest, the ARCOTEL Velvet Berlin team is looking forward to welcoming guests from the worlds of art and music.
                                                                               

Official advert for the "Second International
Burlesque Contest Fish&Whips 2012"

Jack Woodhead has been enthusiastic about burlesque dancing for years, and became famous by performing in England, Berlin and New York as a cabaret soloist. The British-born man currently lives in Berlin and is running a programme of shows every evening this week as part of the burlesque contest. The highlight of the four-day event is the final of the contest on Saturday 14 July 2012. The three winners will be chosen by burlesque celebrities such as Beatrix von Bourbon, LaLaVox and Lady Lou, and will be presented with goodies like photo shoots, workshops and cash prizes.

Host Jack Woodhead found a top quality location in the Comedy Club "Kookaburra": in 2002, an extraordinary cabaret stronghold grew up in an old branch of a bank, and has now become an integral part of the Berlin cultural scene. As the first comedy club in the German capital, the "Kookaburra" club in Prenzlauer Berg is unique in Germany.

Just a few minutes away from the event location, in the middle of the exciting Berlin Mitte district, is the legendary boutique hotel ARCOTEL Velvet Berlin. It is a place where the creativity of the cultural and art scenes are at home, a hotel with warm colours, clear shapes and sensuous details is hidden behind a high-tech glass façade. Alongside tourists and business guests, artists and socialites find the perfect place to enjoy the urban joie de vivre. The trained staff in the hotel always have exclusive tips for your evening programme, and would be happy to help you book a ticket for the "Second International Burlesque Contest Fish&Whips".

Here is a summary of all the performances:
Wedn 11 July 2012, 8:30 p.m.
Thurs 12 July 2012, 8:30 p.m.
Fri 13 July 2012, 8:30 p.m.
Sat 14 July 2012, 8:30 p.m.

ARCOTEL Velvet
Oranienburger Straße 52 | 10117 Berlin
T +49 30 278 753-0
F +49 30 40 50 46-100
E velvet@arcotelhotels.com

Comedy Club "Kookaburra
Schönhauser Allee 184 | 10119 Berlin
Tel: 030 / 486 231 86 (from 17:30)
Email: info@comedyclub.de

32nd Vattenfall Berlin Half Marathon

The 32nd Vattenfall Berlin half marathon will be run on 1st April this year, not far from the ARCOTEL Velvet in the midst of Berlin’s art and culture scene.

But Berlin’s Vattenfall half marathon does more than just make sporting hearts beat faster: the 21.0975 km route also provides an impressive sightseeing tour through Germany’s beautiful capital.

The starting gun for the famous marathon goes off in the Karl-Marx-Allee, close to the Berlin Cathedral and just 20 minutes and away from the ARCOTEL Velvet on foot. The athletes then run through the Brandenburg Gate, past the famous “Berliner Linden” to Charlottenburg Palace, along the Ku'Damm, past the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche and finally over the Potsdamer Platz to cross the finishing line at the Red City Hall.

The Vattenfall Berlin half marathon is the largest German marathon of its type and is now a set fixture in Berlin’s programme of running events. Every year the half marathon attracts runners, walkers, skaters and spectators to Berlin from all over the world.
In 2011, 28,869 athletes from 102 countries took up the marathon challenge. This was also a record year with more than 20,000 of the participants crossing the finishing line for the first time in the marathon’s history.

This fascinating sporting event in the heart of Berlin makes a wonderful start to spring. Enjoy coming together to run, walk or saunter through Berlin's bustling streets, or linger in the city’s parks which are now bursting into bloom.

What’s new at the ARCOTEL John F !

Our TOWN BAR is renowned for its exceptional ambiance in which you can enjoy perfectly mixed cocktails and end the day on a relaxed note. Our bar staff keep themselves up to date through training courses and seminars so as to surprise our guests by treating them to the latest trends.

The Food & Beverage Manager at the ARCOTEL John F has chosen four new and special spirits, which make the TOWN BAR an outstanding hotspot in Berlin. The drinks all originate from the city itself, making them all the more interesting.

The “rebirth” of the Preußische Spirituosen Manufaktur allows you the pleasure of enjoying “Adler Berlin Dry Gin”. This gin is made solely by hand using only the choicest of ingredients and is then stored in earthenware barrels for three months. The result is a very special and carefully balanced drink.

“Das Korn” is a grain spirit whose tradition goes back to the late Middle Ages. This excellent, pure and clear spirit is exclusively produced at the Brennerei Sellendorf private distillery in Brandenburg.

In 1921, the Meisner family from Berlin developed the recipe for its “Held Vodka”. In the war years of 1944/45 they, like many others, had to flee the country. The business was later re-established and the Robert Meisner spirit and liqueur factory has been successfully producing regional spirits since 1952. The “Held Vodka” can be enjoyed unchilled and pure.

And since we are in Berlin, a drinks list is not complete without a good herbal liqueur. Mr Kreft has chosen the “Pjökel 55”. The recipe for this unique drink was developed by an apothecary. It is based on traditional, pure medicinal tinctures combined with spice and herb infusions.

It will be our pleasure to welcome you!

Ai Waiwei in New York – Photographs

The ARCOTEL Velvet is located in the vital heart of Berlin in Oranienburger Street. It is just a few minutes away on foot from a vibrant art and culture scene. Today we recommend a special photography exhibition in Martin Gropius Bau.

Martin Gropius Bau is exhibiting - for the first time in Germany - over 220 photographs from between 1983 and 1993 that were taken In New York City by the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. During this time Ai took over 10,000 photos which he carefully sorted in order to create an exhibition. Ai was born in 1957. His long stay in the USA has had a decisive influence on his artistic career. His father, Ai Qing, was a famous author in China. Children throughout China memorized his poems at school. Only when his father was on his death bed, did Ai decide to leave New York and return to China.

Ai lived in New York City in a small apartment in the East Village district. As an active member of the Chinese artistic community and the intellectual community of the avant-garde scene of the district during the 80s he saw New York as a place of liberation. Even after the death of Mao Tse-tung in 1976, rigid conceptions held sway in China regarding the nature and purpose of art.
Ai Wai used his camera to capture life in New York during the 1980s. He took unique photos with the perspective of a true artist that portray this artistically and politically exciting period.

Today Ai Weiwei is the most renowned Chinese artist of the present. In New York he was a friend of Allen Ginsberg. Many of the most recognized artists in China today visited him at that time in New York. Ai photographed them.

Hours of operation:
Wednesday to Monday 10 am. to 8 pm., closed on Tuesdays
Open on the Tuesday after Christmas (27.12). Closed on 24.12. and 31.12.

© Ai Weiwei; Courtesy of Three Shadows Photography Art Center

Experience very close to the ARCOTEL John F “WUNDERKAMMER“!

An almost intoxicating collage of acrobatics, burlesque, erotic and comedy makes the people in Berlin curious. For the first time in Europe, the CHAMÄLEON Theater presents the latest creation of the successful Australian company C!RCA. "Wunderkammer" debuted in Brisbane, Australia in September 2010 and received rave reviews from the press: "Fantastic entertainment: shocking at times, thrilling, sexy, beautiful, moving and captivating throughout".

With blazing speed, seven exceptional acrobats create powerful and sensual pictures, virtually pushing the audience to tears of laughter with whimsical sketches.

The performers form human pyramids as well as twirl each other through the air, crafting scenes of pure excitement. You will have time to visit this incredible wild show till end of December.

Age recommendation: from 14

Experience Berlin with a specific view at night !

The Festival of Lights is one of the largest illumination festivals in the world. Every year for twelve days in October, Berlin’s world-famous landmarks and monuments are dressed in spectacular light. German and international artists and lighting designers present extraordinary illuminations, light art and creative designs. The festival is accompanied by numerous cultural events, all exploring the theme “Light”. The festival is an admission-free, top artistic event for an audience of millions. It generates massive media interest worldwide, and as a result, promises real sustainability.

The ARCOTEL Velvet is perfectly located to start this unique tour through Berlin per night.
Many of the beautiful sights in Berlin are reachable with the bike or within easy walking distance.

The opening, the “LightsOn”, of the 7th Festival of Lights, will start at the Festival Center “Quartier Potsdamer Platz” on the 12th of October 2011, at 19:30.

Normal is different – Christopher Street Day in Berlin

Self-tailored shopping-bag suits, glitzy oriental costumes, fantastic wigs in all conceivable colours and shapes, brightly painted faces – no outfit can be too daring for this Sunday's Christopher Street Day. Berlin's 33rd Gay and Lesbian Parade is a manifestation for tolerance and equal rights.

The famous parade takes place on June 25th in Berlin and attracts a very diverse group of people –gay and hetero, young and old, from Berlin and all over the world. The ARCOTEL Velvet Berlin is looking forward as a proud partner of World Rainbow Hotels – the first global community of gay and lesbian welcoming hotels – to receiving participants and visitors of the CSD Parade in Berlin.

With approximately 300,000 gay inhabitants, including its openly gay mayor, Berlin is the third largest gay metropolis in Europe. The thriving, dynamic and diverse gay scene of Berlin is legendary: around 150 bars and restaurants, dance studios, language courses, clothing boutiques, fast-food stands, radio broadcasts focusing on gay related topics, and even a gay museum and the TEDDY film award transformed the German capital into the new gay mecca of Europe.

This year, the wagons of the CSD parade make their way through the streets of Berlin under the motto Normal is different. The path leads from the historical Kurfürstendamm avenue to the Brandenburg Gate. The final act begins at the end of the parade, during which both the political messages and the entertainment continues. Around 400,000 people gather around the main stage, where prizes for civil courage on the fight for gay, lesbian and transexual equality are awarded.

The detailed CSD program with all events, parties and concerts can be found at the official CSD Berlin website.

ARCOTEL John F Berlin brings the real cinema experience to your room

ARCOTEL John F Berlin offers now free of charge SKY Cinema in all rooms.

With around 80 movies of all genres every day and more than 20 German TV first runs every month, SKY Cinema is the ultimate touch to a nice relaxing evening in Berlin.

Spoil yourself with the best movies from all times in the coziness of your hotel room: blockbusters, film classics, excitement-loaded action films, touching dramas, hilarious comedies and varied entertainment for the whole family.

The unique comfortable design and the breathtaking views of Berlin create the perfect cinema session in your room.

Enchanted Christmas at Gendarmenmarkt

The "Magic of Christmas Gendarmenmarkt" is one of the seasonal attractions in Berlin. For many visitors it is the most beautiful Christmas market in the city. Framed by the German and the French Cathedral as well as the Konzerthaus the Gendarmenmarkt offers the perfect Christmas motif.
For the eighth time the market is located at one of the most beautiful squares in Europe.
White illuminated tents and a high quality range of food and beverages turn the market into a very special experience. This market turns Christmas into a feast for the senses.
A daily mix of Christmas crafts, entertainment and music is offered.

VELVET LOUNGE

DRINKS AND COCKTAILS ARE OUR PASSION

THE VELVET LOUNGE is the perfect place to finish the day.

More than 70 rare products from the world of vodka, together with refined cocktails and exclusive drinks provide pleasurable hours in an inspiring atmosphere. Our bar is an oasis for cocktail lovers who look for the unconventional.