We were already going to our good old Savoy Hotel in the Fasanenstrasse. A small hotel..., but so friendly and comfortable," wrote Thomas Mann in one of his autobiographical works. Since its construction, hardly any other hotel has received the careful consideration given to the Savoy in letters, novels or just the brief lines entered in its guest book. Friendliness and comfort - as Thomas Mann so aptly put it - have been the mark of the Savoy Hotel for almost seven decades and make it a very special type of hotel. An establishment with a classical ambiance, great charm and very personal service.

The hotel was built in 1929 from plans drawn up by the architect, Heinrich Straumer - father of the radio tower - who set a steel skeleton in the foundation walls. Deliberately avoiding rococo ornamentation, he aimed for a simple yet elegant style. The establishment stood out from the very beginning, offering rooms with private baths and small technical refinements such as an electric maid-summoning system by the bed before the legendary Hotel Adlon could.

In the years between 1943 and 1945, the Japanese legation was situated in the Savoy after its own embassy building was bombed out. The hotel withstood the Second World War almost unscathed and in the post-war years of 1945 and 1946 was used as the British headquarters. Diverted from its original purpose during this period, it was nevertheless one of the first establishments to be returned to its proper use in the 1950s. In order to meet the growing need for places where visiters could spend the night, another 30 rooms where added and, in addition, th e legendary Times-Bar was enlarged. It wasn't until the 1980s that the Bel-Etage on the 6th floor, with 12 air-conditioned rooms and a roof terrace offering a fascinating view of Berlin's rooftops, was added.