Transformation
Nestled within the heart of Berlin, yet seemingly worlds apart. Encircled by verdant gardens and harmonious courtyards, Wilmina stands as a beacon of serenity and discovery. This historic edifice has been thoughtfully reimagined into a sanctuary of peace, offering a tranquil escape amidst the city’s bustling rhythm. Experience relaxation like never before at Wilmina.
Wilmina stands for a rediscovered ensemble in a special place. Located at Kantstrasse 79 in Berlin-Charlottenburg, the former courthouse and women‘s prison were transformed, expanded, and reprogrammed by Grüntuch Ernst Architekten.
A family-run hotel, Wilmina offers guests a high level of tranquility and comfort with 44 rooms and suites, a rooftop terrace above the new penthouse, as well as a library, fireplace lounge, bar, spa, pool and gym.
No other street in western Berlin is as international and vibrant, hardly any other combines as many Berlin facets as Kantstraße in Charlottenburg. Behind the doors of number 79, a place remained inaccessible and forgotten for decades. a hidden oasis; an ensemble of 19th-century brick buildings framed by lush gardens.
Berlin Architects Grüntuch Ernst have taken on the site and transformed it into a place of longing with a hotel and restaurant. A gem for a deliberately chosen retreat. In this lively and at the same time contemplative place, guests can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday urban life without forgoing exchange and communal togetherness.
Under the name Amtsalon, the former courthouse on Kantstraße has been given a new lease of life as a transdisciplinary art and cultural space. The family-run Hotel Wilmina with the Lovis restaurant welcomes guests to the post sorting office of the former Kantstrasse courthouse. Through a sequence of gates and courtyards, guests enter deeper into the ensemble and move along a series of increasingly intimate spaces.
The central garden courtyard is lushly landscaped and offers a surprising island of nature in the middle of the city block. Hotel guests enter the lobby from the garden courtyard and are greeted by a bright, high-ceilinged space. To the left, the lobby is connected by a gallery to the inviting fireplace lounge. To the right, a staircase leads to the atrium, the heart of the building, which connects four existing floors and the newly added penthouse floor. A light installation with glass pendant luminaires playfully emphasizes the height of the air space – like soap bubbles, they exude a lightness amid the quiet, almost monastic atmosphere. Wilmina offers 44 guest rooms: the spectrum ranges from cozy rooms (11 m2) to the spacious Garden Loft (75 m2) with its own staircase.
All guest rooms combine historical authenticity with modern luxury and comfort, without imposing distracting opulence. Despite their similarities, each room is unique. No two rooms are alike, but in all, light colors, soft textures and warm, high- quality materials create calming retreats.
On the new penthouse floor, there are clean lines and the best views. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow views of the courtyards and gardens. The new rooms are minimalist, clean and calm; yet they have a poetic touch. In front of the panoramic windows, a curtain made of fine metal chains provides a high level of privacy and at the same time protection from solar heating. The filigree chains are spring-mounted and move easily in the wind. When the metal glistens in the sun, the curtain envelops the historic building in an elegant shimmering veil. The roof terrace offers views of the ensemble‘s rooftop gardens and courtyards, as well as expansive views over the surrounding Charlottenburg rooftop landscape.
At the rear staircase, a cell remains in its original condition. Collected documents provide visitors with insights into the complex history of the house.
Lovis and Lovis Bar
In the Lovis restaurant, the world of gastronomy and architecture meet in a unique way. Hidden behind walls, the restaurant is located in a former outdoor area, the Schleusenhof. There, large panoramic windows replace the old gates and reveal views of lush gardens, a fascinating interplay of past and present, inside and outside, public and private.
Guests enter the bar in the 1st courtyard in the side wing of the front building. The path into the restaurant continues through an extension whose new, space-creating wall blends quite unnoticed into the lush, large garden courtyard. In the space is a small, enclosed garden with rare ferns, vines, climbing plants and an old, tall birch tree. All the roof areas of the restaurant and kitchen have also been lushly landscaped.
Located in the former lock courtyard of the old building ensemble, Sophia Rudolph and her team serve Contemporary German Cuisine here and focus on seasonal and regional products of the highest quality. The Berlin native‘s culinary signature lends her dishes a high level of taste finesse. It is not for nothing that Lovis can be found in the Michelin Guide and is mentioned in the 50 best restaurants in the world (50 Best 2022). In the Lovis Bar, Nils Lutterbach extends the philosophy of the kitchen “purist, high-quality, understated”. With a selection that at first glance does not reveal much more than numerically and alphabetically arranged collections of flavor components of drinks.
Amtsalon
The former court building has been transformed into a multidisciplinary space for art, culture, architecture and design. The Amtsalon is a place and platform for temporary projects – for collaboration, encounters and exhibitions – and complements the ensemble with event spaces that can be used in a variety of ways.
Wilmina is a place of discoveries of surprising visual links, ambiguous layers of space and traces of the past. But Wilmina is also a place of natural rest, relaxation and comfort – an oasis of tranquility in the middle of the city.
