From Bank to Five-Star Hotel - The History of Rocco Forte's Hotel de Rome

Rocco Forte's Hotel de Rome is inextricably rooted in the history and culture of Berlin and from the walls to the name, a great effort has been made to secure the future of this luxurious property's past.

The name "Hotel de Rome" or "Hotel Stadt Rom" can be traced back to 1775, when Number 10, Unter den Linden was one of the city's finest guest houses. At the end of the 1850s, Adolf Mühling acquired the building, refurbishing and extending it to create a luxurious five-storey, 200 bedroom hotel including a ballroom and elegant restaurant. Hotel de Rome was one of Berlin's most famous hotels and played host to events such as the "Berlin Press Ball". Mühling was also a purveyor to the court and it is known that he delivered a bathtub from the hotel to the Emperor to complete his as yet unfinished palace bathroom!

Then, as today, Hotel de Rome was equipped with the latest technical innovations. In 1867 for example, the hotel installed the first hydraulic lift, technology that had only just been presented to a select group of people at the World Exhibition in Paris. Guests were also able to view their invoice with the help of a so called "Preiskurant" that worked with the help of telegraphs, speaking tubes and a letter shoot. Due to Mühling's insecure financial arrangements, the hotel was torn down in February 1910.

The building itself was constructed from 1884 to 1889 by architect Ludwig Heim to house the Dresdner Bank's headquarters, where they remained until 1945. Until the unification the building was home to the Central Bank of the German Democratic Republic, after which it became an exhibition and events space. Structural modifications were made up till 1910, for example the spacious, elegant two-storey cashier's hall that now forms the 276m² ballroom complete with its original stucco ceiling and mosaic floor. In the corners of the ballroom one can find the four city names of the main head offices of the Dresdner Bank: Frankfurt, Bremen, London and Berlin.

Thankfully, the two gorgeous 19th century staircases have been almost completely preserved. One is designed in granite with decorated tiles and wrought-iron handrails, whilst the second staircase is designed mainly in marble with a wide steel stairway.

The first and second floors were previously home to the Dresdner Bank Directors' offices and their impressive high, coffered ceilings, complete with original wood panelling, as well as generous stucco and figurative decoration, have been stunningly converted into spacious and elegant suites.

However, in their zeal to preserve the building's history, the designers have not kept only the beautiful. The grenade smithereens embedded in the walls date back to World War II have been left as historical witness in the wood panelling. A truly historical home away from home!

On the lower ground floor of the building, the old vault that safe-guarded the jewels and valuables of the Dresdner Bank clientele has been imaginatively converted into the hotel's swimming pool and Spa de Rome, with glistening, golden Bisazza mosaic recalling the room's previous contents!

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