Hotel Adlon Kempinski

The original Adlon opened in 1907, just steps from the Brandenburg Gate, and immediately became the centre of Berlin's social universe. Marlene Dietrich danced here. Albert Einstein was a regular. Charlie Chaplin stayed. The hotel survived both world wars but burned down during the Soviet advance in 1945 — legend has it that the fire started when soldiers got into the wine cellar. The new Adlon, opened in 1997 on the same site, recreated the original grandeur with meticulous care. It's best known internationally for the incident in 2002 when Michael Jackson dangled his baby from a balcony, but Berliners know it for its position at the hinge of reunified Germany. 382 rooms, Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer (two Michelin stars), and views of the Brandenburg Gate from the upper floors.