Former women’s prison turned exceptional design hotel in western Berlin

Wilmina / Berlin / Germany

I am obsessed with buildings with a past. Especially when said buildings have been passionately transformed into something completely different, giving them a new lease on life. It fully applies to this place, the Wilmina Hotel in Berlin.

The duo who decided to embark on this sensitive yet dramatic transformation are Armand Grüntuch and Almut Grüntuch-Ernst. They took this former prison that used to house female German resistance fighters during WWII and opened up this closed building to the world. It wasn’t an easy feat since the building is listed but they managed to bring light into a previously dark (litteraly and figuratively) space. The refurbishment took 10 years and the hotel finally opened in April 2022.

The red brick building is located in a hidden courtyard off the bustling Kant Strasse in the western part of Berlin so to access it you first walk through two gates before you enter the secret garden in front of the hotel. As soon as you enter it is like you forget that Berlin is right at your door step. There is a sense of silence and solitude to this hotel. In a good way. I really like when my urban hotel can offer some kind of refuge from the noice and high tempo.

One of the design features that really stand out to me is the rich use of lights. There is a kind of light installation consisting of countless round lamps made to look like they are floating in mid air. There is something whimsical about this. Like you are walking through a starlit sky. It makes for a real contrast against the heaviness of the brick and the steel.

There are 44 rooms at Wilmina where the majority used to be previous prison cells that are now cozy hotel rooms. The rooms are accessed via typical prison-looking galleries with wrought iron railings. Our room was all about light colors and soft looks with different whites framed by wooden furniture and hardwood floors. And a fun feature is that half of the old prison bars are still kept in front of the windows.

One of my favorite parts of the hotel is the sauna and outdoor roof top pool where you can relax the day away. But be aware that you don’t get stuck there. After all, you are in Berlin.

Welcome to Wilmina Hotel! Located in a residential part of western Berlin.

This entrance gives a hint of what to expect behind those gates.

The hotel rooms are situated in a building in the second courtyard. This uses to be a women’s prison until the 1980s.

The interior, although today I guess a little more appealing, clearly shows the past.

I love all the elements that have been preserved, like this old staircase.

At Wilmina the design revolves around the element of light. Like this installation in the main staircase.

The hanging light installation continues along the “corridors” leading to the rooms…

…and are also mounted on the walls. The result of all these lights gives an illusion of walking through a starlit sky.

All the exposed brick and metal is softened by plants and soft, fitted carpet.

The interior in our room was light and bright with different whites and cream.

All the white was combined with contemporary wooden furniture and hardwood floors.

My first time behind bars. This was the view from our room.

The bathroom products are an important feature for me. Here they don’t disappoint, coming from Danish company Frama.

The pressed plants above the bed becomes such an important splash of color in the otherwise neutral color scheme.

There are so many different spaces to hang out in. This is from the main lounge on the ground floor (I am actually writing this post in the sofa in the photo).

If you get bored (don’t understand how that could happen considering you are in Berlin) there are plenty of books and board games.

Around the corner from the lounge you find this space, where the breakfast is served.

And next to the breakfast room, there is a great looking little gym where you can have your prison work out.

On the top floor there is sauna that you book in the reception. This way you have the space all to yourself.

And outside, on the roof there is a pool where you can cool off and enjoy the view. Not only of the roof tops of Berlin…

…but also down into the hotel and the hotel atrium below.

Ok, since this is Berlin, you have to leave the hotel at some point. There is a large population of Vietnamese immigrants in Berlin and therefore there are so many great Vietnamese restaurants. This is from one of my favorites that has been around for a long time, Monsieur Vuong.

Another of my favorite Asian restaurants in Berlin is actually on the same street. It is Korean restaurant YamYam. If you come here, the kimchi pancakes are a must.

And this is from another of my favorite joints, Zeit für Brot.

Their buns, as you might understand from this photo, are spectacular.

And after all that food it might be good with some nurture for the soul. If you are looking for something cultural to do, the Photo Museum is located down the road from the hotel and well worth a visit with a permanent Helmut Newton exhibit.

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…are coming to Berlin (one of the greatest cities in the world) and you are looking for a hotel that is a tranquil haven, a kind of shelter to this vibrant metropolis. If you want that haven to look stunning and also feel warm and welcoming, you are going to love Wilmina.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the history. I love when old buildings with a rich, interesting past is repurposed after having stood deserted and been given a new lease on life. And when it is done with the attention to detail that has been the case here, it is like witnessing some kind of masterclass on the subject.

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to book your stay with breakfast. A great start of your Berlin day. And remember to bring proper walking shoes because Berlin is best enjoyed by foot (even though the central parts are large). When it is time for a break, have a look out for Zeit for Brot. Their buns are a little (no, a big) slice of heaven.

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