Pension Funk

A picture-perfect tribute to Belle Époque Berlin, the Hotel-Pension Funk occupies the plush apartment where Danish-born silent film diva Asta Nielsen lived in luxury in the 1930s. Run with gracious élan, the property (one of our Berlin favorites) will convince film buffs, antique mavens and anyone interested in memorable lodgings that they’ve died and gone to hotel heaven.

The icing on the cake? The Pension Funk is located on Charlottenburg’s most beautiful street, Fasanenstrasse, steps away from the heavenly Café im Literaturhaus and the action-packed boulevard Kufürstendamm.

With its gorgeous, ultra-feminine details like fresh flowers, printed wallpaper, oil paintings and faux Ming vases, the immaculately maintained property is as pristine as a museum. The Funk’s centerpiece is Nielsen’s très-elegant former salon—replete with ornate ceilings and Art Nouveau windows—where she entertained illustrious friends as her career began to fade. Touched with velvet and lit with a sumptuous crystal chandelier, the room appears as if she never left it (and guests can take in the splendor each morning over the included buffet breakfast).

Like most aspects of Germany, the Funk wears a few WWII scars. Having turned down the offer of a private studio in Nazi Germany, the actress returned to Denmark when the Nazis rose to power. Luckily, her spirit is redolent at the Funk today—not only has the pension been beautifully restored to period, but photographs of Die Asta (“The Asta”) adorn the hallway walls.

Gorgeous antiques aren’t relegated to the Pension Funk's hallways and common areas. Its 14 guest rooms feature antique beds (in wood or metal), curvaceous armoires, dainty embroidered settees, velvet chairs, delicate desks and marble-covered tables. We adored the vintage wallpaper and thick floral curtains, which transported us back in time to Nielsen’s era.

Not all rooms are frilly, however. One room we saw, dominated by a massive wooden bed and marble-topped tables, screams "strong male lead." The one caveat to these “Golden-Age” accommodations? Almost as in keeping with the era they recall, they are absent of the usual hotel amenities—no TV or phone here, but (oh happy anachronism) there is free Wi-Fi.

The cheapest rooms at the Pension Funk share bathrooms. Other rooms have a private shower and shared toilet, while still others have a full private bathroom. Regardless, bathrooms are clean and adequate (although some rooms can be kind of far from the shared facilities).