Ralph Alsdorf was appointed General Manager of andel’s Hotel in Berlin on April 1, 2009. The 4-star superior andel’s Berlin design hotel, opened in March, is situated near historic Alexanderplatz square in the heart of the German capital. The interiors, designed by the British duo of architects Jestico + Whiles, make the hotel a must for lovers of architecture and design.
The andel’s Hotel Berlin features a total of 557 rooms, a large conference and events area, and a noble ballroom, and belongs to the Vienna International Hotels and Resorts Group. Float above the city in the fully glass enclosed Sky Café and Sky Bar on the 12th and 14th floor of the andel’s Hotel and see Berlin from a whole new perspective.
Interview:
Tourism Insider: What was your career like and how were you appointed General Manager of andel’s Hotel?
R. Alsdorf: I came to Berlin for the first time in 1976 and, except for three small breaks, have been here ever since. Since then, I worked as General Manager of Stuttgarter Hof, amongst others. In 2007, I established closer contacts to Vienna International, a company that I had been acquainted with from before, and we decided to work together.
Tourism Insider: What is your view on the hotel’s relatively remote location? Other hotels may be better off in this respect, being in the vicinity of the fair grounds or the Bread and Butter.
R. Alsdorf: We aren’t quite that remote, actually! We have many guests and we have nothing to complain about; we have met our expectations and plans and are well inside the Berlin average. And when I board the urban railway, which stops right across the entrance, by the way, it will take me to the fair grounds in just over half an hour. We also have two major events a month, the last being those of Vattenfall and Vodafone.
Tourism Insider: What is so special about the design of this hotel?
R. Alsdorf: The building may look like a concrete block on the outside, but when you enter it, the vast entry hall will give you a feeling of space and tranquility. The building was designed to be flooded with light, a feature unique in Berlin.
Tourism Insider: What are the future plans for andel’s Hotel?
R. Alsdorf: We are planning a Convention Center and possibly a Jazz Club on the lot across the street. But since the halls that stand on said lot are protected historic monuments, they will have to be restored, which will happen on a long-term scale.
Tourism Insider: How can Vienna International support you, and do you receive support in the first place?
R. Alsdorf: We have our own sales staff of 13, but always work closely together with our colleagues in Vienna. Since we are the group’s largest property, we are all pulling together and thus look towards a successful future, both as a hotel and as a group.
Tourism Insider: What are your plans for the future?
R. Alsdorf: First and foremost, of course, being in good health and ensuring that my family with my little daughter is well. In regards to the hotel, we have planned several things. For instance, we are currently in talks pertaining to the railway station with the Berlin Senate and [public transportation company] BVG. We will be lending our support in order to make improvements.
Tourism Insider: These times we live in are not the best – are you working together with “Berlin Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft” and the Convention Bureau?
R. Alsdorf: We are, of course, working closely together. These past few days, for example, we have had promising talks with hosted buyers from all over the world at the Convention Bureau’s “Meeting Place Berlin”, and they were especially surprised when visiting our establishment. An elevator for motor-coaches leading directly to the meeting center, our diverse meetings offers and room alternatives, as well as the opportunity to host a reception above the rooftops of Berlin in our Skybar has led many a visitor to get creative and consider booking with us. On a side note, we are quite possibly also the hotel with the most elevators in the city; our guests have 22 of them at their disposal.
Tourism Insider: Your establishment can accommodate more than 1,100 guests at any one time – what opportunities are there for them to spend their leisure time on?
R. Alsdorf: So far, most of the meetings involved evening events in the various sections of our establishment. But we also have our own event agency at the hotel to support the planners, and if need be, we will cater for locations outside of the hotel. However, organizers will usually inform us that their participants will be going out in the evenings and return early in order to enjoy the unique view of Berlin from the Skybar – we also have a lot of guests from the neighborhood visiting the café, the restaurant, and especially the Skybar.
Tourism Insider: We wish you, your family and your staff a successful and healthy future and thank you for the interview.
Our picture:
In front of the “Golden Egg“, as seen from the reception inside the spacious lobby of andel’s Hotel Berlin; General Manager Ralph Alsdorf with his “right hand” Marison Dantas da Silva
