Going to Berlin? From apartments to full-on five star hotels, visitBerlin have just launched a new gay friendly recommendation service to help you find the perfect place to stay…
My first Berlin experience was over 20 years ago, just after the wall came down, when I spent many happy weekends sat in bed with my German boyfriend communicating by means of a dictionary (he knew very little English and I very little German) and writing letters that took 5 days to arrive at their destination.
The joys of the pre-internet age. Back then Berlin was a cheap, sexy place to visit. Venues were in constant flux, warehouses and megalithic eastern block edifices were used as clubs, bars and restaurants and the excitement, uncertainty and possibilities afforded by reunification were everywhere. Not since the war had a western city been given carte blanche for development on such a massive scale.
Fast forward 20 years and Berlin today is an eclectic, exciting hotbed of creativity, tolerance and respect for your fellow man and easily rivals any European capital for art, culture and nightlife. By day there are some 180 museums, including the world-famous museum island, and 440 art galleries to feed the mind, and by night, with no curfew the number of bars and dance clubs to feed the soul are ever growing.
Exciting, tolerant and multi-coloured, Berlin is the most fascinating and gay-friendly of cities and to continue that growth visitBerlin have launched a brilliant initiative called Pink Pillow, a collection of hotels that sign up to a charter that puts the LGBTI traveller at the top of the agenda. As well as treating all guests with equal courtesy, dignity and respect, they also commit to actively support LGBTI projects in the community and at their launch event at Ku Bar last Tuesday, a packed Ku Klub was treated to a sparkling presentation on the city by visitBerlin and on the art scene by popular German artist Mathias Vef.
Their new website www.PinkPillow-Berlin.com is a comprehensive portal that allows the LGBTI visitor to book their whole trip in just 5 clicks with flights, hotels and access to many of the 1500 daily events that go on throughout the city. Clearly the rainbow flag flies proudly over Germany’s capital.
• More at www.PinkPillow-Berlin.com
