BERLIN, GERMANY- The door to Room 410 swings open and instantly my eyes are drawn to a large panelled window on the opposite side of the palatial suite where Germany’s national icon, the Brandenburg Gate, is framed in glorious splendour.

I rush to the window to get a better view and in PariserPlatz, the fashionable square below, I see hordes of tourists snapping pictures of friends standing in front of the impressive landmark with the winged goddess riding a chariot atop.

Suddenly, one of the tourists turns and starts taking pictures of me. Should I wave? Quickly, however, I deduce it’s not me she’s photographing but rather the building in which I’m standing — the historic Hotel Adlon Kempinski.

PariserPlatz, you see, has two equally important occupants — the regal Hotel Adlon is just as famous as the mighty gate which has become the symbol of German reunification because it marked the dividing line between East and West Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Now, the Brandenburg Gate appears to serve as the grand entrance to Berlin’s finest hotel.

The Hotel Adlon is unquestionably one of Europe’s most renowned and respected properties — its history every bit as legendary as the Ritz in Paris, the Savoy in London or the Cipriani in Venice.

In her grand lobby, with the stained glass dome, you can watch the giants of industry and governments hunched over tables making deals, or see stars of screen and stage arriving at the hotel that has been featured in novels and a number of films.

The Adlon served as home for U.S. presidents (Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, although the latter was only a senator at the time), who came to Berlin to make speeches that changed the course of history.

The Adlon is also where conquering Russian soldiers celebrated the downfall of Hitler and his Nazi regime — unfortunately they pillaged the hotel’s wine cellar and its collection of one million rare bottles at the same time.

And it’s where the late pop star Michael Jackson infamously dangled his infant son out a window, much to the horror of staff and fans watching in the square.

Above: Hotel.Adlon.Kempinski Restaurant looks out o the Brandenburg Gate.

If it happened in Berlin, then it probably happened at the Hotel Adlon. And much like the city in which she resides, the Hotel Adlon has a pre- and post-Wall history.

Sabina Held, the Adlon’s gracious public relations director, tells me the original hotel was opened by a wealthy Berliner named Lorenz Adlon in 1907. However, the Adlon and everything else in PariserPlatz was demolished by the Soviet rulers of then East Berlin to make room for a “no man’s zone” which acted as a buffer between East and West Germany.

After the fall of the Wall and the reunification of Germany in 1989, plans by the Adlon family to rebuild their treasured hotel on the same spot in PariserPlatz began in earnest. The family formed a coalition with the renowned Kempinski Hotel Group and, working from photographs of the original property, the hotel was rebuilt — reopening to much fanfare in 1997.

And despite the fact Berlin now boasts more than 20 five-star properties, the Hotel AdlonKempinski remains at the top of that list — the “must” place to stay when you’re in Berlin.

In its early years, the Adlon was a magnet for Hollywood stars like Charlie Chaplin and Marlene Dietrich, as well as the kings and queens of Europe. Its architecture was praised as one of the most appealing in the world and it could boast of being the first hotel in Berlin to feature central heating and running water.

“So many Europeans grew up hearing romantic stories about the Adlon,” says Held, a Dane whose grandparents talked glowingly to her about the Adlon when she was young. “So when I had the opportunity to come here and work, I jumped at it.”

Those who stayed in the old Hotel Adlon are always amazed at how original details like lighting fixtures, coffered 14-karat-gold–plated ceilings, antique elevators and its signature stained glass lobby dome were so meticulously copied and incorporated in the new design.

Above: Hotel.Adlon.Kempinski sits right near the city's great historic sites.

In fact, some original pieces, like the grand elephant fountain standing in the middle of the opulent lobby, were found and brought back.

Because Berlin is again the seat of the German government and attracts so many important foreign visitors, the Adlon features three presidential suites, which, at times, is not enough to satisfy demand.

“I remember once an important event involving Scandinavian countries took place here and all the kings and queens of those respective nations wanted to stay at the Hotel Adlon,” recalls Held. “But with only three presidential suites, we were forced to go by rank, with the monarchs of Denmark, Sweden and Norway (Scandinavia’s oldest royal households) getting the larger suites.”

The leaders of Finland and Iceland were housed in smaller suites, which, while they may lack presidential size, are no less elegant. In fact, all rooms at the Hotel AdlonKempinski are fit for royalty, exceeding even five-star standards in all categories.

Which is why people who stay at the Adlon describe it as a “glorious experience,” which starts the moment you arrive and are greeted by the hotel’s famous “ladies in red” — guest service reps dressed in chic red uniforms who welcome clients with a glass of champagne and attend to their every need during a stay.

While the design of the “new” Adlon stays true to its 1907 roots, modern amenities like Wi-Fi and the latest entertainment devices dominate the 382 rooms and suites, most of which come wrapped in warm woods and delicate wall coverings.

The spacious rooms are best described as a mixture of Art Deco and Asian fusion and, as you would expect in a property of such stature, the bathrooms are stuffed with designer products usually found in upscale beauty salons, and fine linens drape comfy beds.

Public areas at the Adlon are playfully decorated with modern art — the genius of Neue Wilde artist Stefan Szczesny — and help give the noble hotel a youthful appearance. It’s like dressing the Queen in Pucci.

However, what really makes a stay at the Hotel Adlon an “experience” are the things you don’t find at other German hotels, like the two-star Michelin Lorenz AdlonEsszimmer restaurant and the Adlon Spa by Resense, which gets our vote as one of the Top 5 facilities in Europe.

Extraordinary Chef de Cuisine Hendrik Otto rules over the Lorenz AdlonEsszimmer kitchen and captivates diners with what Held describes as “exciting, expressive, European-style dishes” that come floating in the delicate duck sauces for which Otto is renowned. Meals are accompanied by the finest wines selected by world-class Maître Boris Häbel.

Spectacular views of the Brandenburg Gate bathed in romantic evening light just enhance your dining experience at the Hotel Adlon.

More glorious eating experiences can be enjoyed in the Adlon’s other fine-dining rooms — Restaurant Quarré, a Japanese fusion room called “uma” and the lobby lounge. One of Berlin’s trendiest night clubs, the Felix, is also on site.

For the ultimate experience, though, may we suggest you book a treatment at the Adlon’s outstanding spa.

Vijay Kumar Vyas, the spa’s Himalayan yoga master and one of its premier therapists, greets me at the entrance of the Roman-style Adlon Spa by Resense and introduces me to a world of pampering not usually associated with European facilities. Like everything else at the Hotel Adlon, the spa exceeds expectations and its 13 well designed treatment facilities offer sauna and steam rooms, as well as bathrooms, so once you enter the cosy confines you don’t have to leave until your massage ends.

Just like the “original” Hotel Adlon, the “new” Hotel AdlonKempinski is a treasure that must be experienced to be truly appreciated.

For information and rates for the Hotel Adlon Kempinski, go to http://www.kempinski.com.