First Hard Rock Hotel in Germany to open at Berlin Wall’s Checkpoint Charlie
A young woman photographs flowers at a remnant of the Berlin Wall on the 26th anniversary of its fall.
Talk about rockin’ the free world. A new Hard Rock Hotel will be built in Germany adjacent to Checkpoint Charlie, one of the most famous crossing points for the Cold War-era Berlin Wall.
The Hard Rock Hotel Berlin Checkpoint Charlie (yes, the name is that long) is a first for the brand in Germany. It will feature a newly built hotel on a site where part of the wall once stood, according to a Hard Rock International announcement Tuesday.
Plans call for 372 rooms and an opening date of 2020.
This hotel will include a key piece of nonmusical memorabilia too: a section of the original Berlin Wall.
The wall made in part from concrete slabs was hastily built in 1961 by communist East Berlin to keep its citizens from fleeing into West Berlin.
Right now Hard Rock’s wall segment is in in Orlando, Fla., but it will be shipped back to Germany and showcased in the hotel.
Checkpoint Charlie continues to be one of the most popular tourist spots in Berlin. The bigger complex that houses the hotel will host an exhibition space dedicated to the history of the wall that became a symbol of polarized East-West relations and divided Berlin until 1989.
The decor will pay homage to the “city’s rock revolution and punk scenes that served as a catalyst in helping Berlin open up to the world” the hotel statement says.
It credits Berlin with influencing luminary rockers such as David Bowie, the Ramones, U2 and the Scorpions. One of the decorations for the upcoming hotel will be the organ used by the band Pink Floyd when they recorded the album “The Wall.”
Design plans for the hotel include a rooftop pool and lounge, a namesake Hard Rock Cafe and a workout gym and spa. Guests will be able to check out a Fender guitar to have their own jam session too.
Hard Rock International operates 204 cafes, hotels and casinos around the world. It’s partnering with the Trockland Group to develop the new site, which will include retail, residential and office space.
ALSO
Deal: How to save 40% on the price of European river cruises
Germans love a theme park with a fake castle more than they love Neuschwanstein, a real castle
Do you know the unfriendliest cities in the world? L.A. and Las Vegas make the dubious Top 10
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
