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Neukoelln, a borough in the southeastern part of Berlin, is known for having the highest concentration of immigrants in the city. This has alternately earned it a reputation as a center of high unemployment and social problems and as a vibrant, constantly surprising hub of cosmopolitanism.

A new hotel in the area, established in July, draws on the eclectic influences of the borough to provide an exotic and nostalgic getaway, known as the “Huettenpalast” (“Hut Palace”).

Founded by friends Silke Lorenzen and Sarah Vollmer, who have been living in Neukoelln for seven years, the Hut Palace offers an indoor camping experience, accommodating guests in revamped vintage caravans and cabins set up inside an old vacuum-cleaner factory.

The new venture verges on unfamiliar territory for both owners, neither of whom have any background in the hotel business. Vollmer previously worked as a fashion and product designer, while Lorenzen has mainly worked as an event organizer and manager. But their lack of experience didn’t stop them from fulfilling their dream.

Lorenzen and Vollmer stumbled across the old factory while searching for the perfect place to open a hotel. “We immediately fell in love with this building and from there, we developed the concept for our hotel,” Vollmer said. Because of their love for the building, the pair eventually decided to keep the big hall of the factory and create “rooms inside the rooms.”

The hotel now features a small cafe and reception area facing the street. Through an outdoor garden, which is especially lovely during warm weather, guests can reach the hall. Inside the hall, vintage caravans and wooden huts function as rooms, giving the place a charming retro feel. The caravans don’t provide much space — in fact, in most cases, they only hold enough space for a single or double bed, but this is exactly what makes them so cozy.

“In the beginning, we played with the idea of only having cabins inside the hall, but then we thought it would look too static,” Vollmer explained. That’s why they added the caravans to the interior — in total, there are three caravans and three cabins.

In another annex of the building, the Hut Palace also offers “normal” hotel rooms, so there is space for a maximum of 30 guests, but without a question, it is the idea of the indoor camping that has everybody hooked.

The caravans and cabins have been individually designed, giving each sleeping place its own unique character. The pair were able to achieve this with the help of many creative friends in their circle.

“It was great to be able to give our friends a platform to showcase their immense talent,” Vollmer said.

In addition to the sleeping space inside the caravans and cabins, there are benches and garden furniture where hotel guests can have their breakfast in the morning, at the same time as getting to know their temporary neighbors, who are only a couple of feet away. Comfortable retro sofas, book shelves and magazine racks invite guests to linger and relax.

Staying here must indeed feel like real camping, except for the fact that the campers are at the mercy of the weather. There is another upgrade from outdoor camping at the Hut Palace: The bathrooms, which can be a drag on many public camping sites, are clean and sleek. Even though they have to be shared with other guests, at least it is not very likely that a bug will jump out from the shower and surprise you, as with outdoor camping sites.

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive so far,” Vollmer said. “We have guests from everywhere, even as far as Australia, Singapore and Russia. They come for both leisure and business trips.”

“We even have Berlin residents come to stay, just because they want to experience something different and sleep for one night in the caravan,” she added. “One couple came here for their wedding anniversary.”

Welcoming different guests to their hotel and keeping an intimate, familiar atmosphere is what the women enjoy most.

“Silke grew up in Asia and moved to Germany when she was 16,” Vollmer said. “Interacting with people from different cultures has deeply influenced her, and even though she always enjoyed living in Berlin, that was something she has been missing.”

Huettenpalast
Hobrechtstrasse 66, 12047 Berlin
Tel. 49 30 3730 5806
info@huettenpalast.de
Rooms from 30 euros ($43) a night