The house Invalidenstraße 122 (today GARDEN HOTEL) was built in 1845, long before most of the promoterism old buildings of Berlin were built. The house stands now under monumental-protection. Directly opposite, is a train station since 1842 to regulate the movement of trains to the north. From this grew the second largest train station in Berlin, the "Stettiner Station". Due to the large increase in traffic volume of travellers not only to the Baltic Sea resorts, but also to Pomerania and East Prussia, develops a classical railway station district, with all its peculiarities. Many - even large, exclusive hotels, such as BALTIC, or the Northern Star were established here in order to accommodate the travellers - one was proud at this time on "running hot water." But even half-and underworld with related Red Light District moved into the area.
In today's GARDEN HOTEL then existed simply in the basement a small tavern. In the backyard was a repair shop for horse carriages then later a branch of "Späthschen" nursery with a plant sale on the ground floor of the house.
In the Year 2000 HONIGMOND GARDEN HOTEL was opened.
Today's HONIGMOND-restaurant-hotel is located next door in the so-called "Poets' Quarter". The corner house Tieck / Borsigstraße was erected there in 1895 by a joint-stock company. It was the structurally most complex house in the neighbourhood. Since 1920, stands the restaurant/bar "Borsig-Eck" on the ground floor, there were three other taverns at the crossroads, alone the "Borsig-Eck" - today HONIGMOND cafe-restaurant - has survived. In a neighbouring house, in the Tieckstraße 11, was the HOTEL RHINELAND YARD (Hotel Rheinischer Hof) and was the "singles dorm" of the GDR-ministry for state-security. In 1999 opened the HOTEL HONIGMOND.
As the theological seminary and the Calvary Church lies directly across the way from the "Borsig-Eck", many aspiring pastors, intellectuals and artists in the GDR era met there - a view from GDR as simply "opposition". Much has been playing chess and the restaurant was packed every night. It has generally been standing in several rows at the bar. Wolf Biermann was a regular customer, he lived right around the corner, and Eva-Maria Hagen (the mother of Nina Hagen) also Wolfgang Thierse visited the "Borsig-Eck". Some time later, some regulars sit in the German parliament.
The nucleus of potential resistance was a thorn in the upper. Therefore, the "Borsig-Eck" was closed few years before the turn of the Ministry for State Security (Stasi) due to the "over fulfilment of the service mission."
In 1995, a gallery owner and an artist from the neighbourhood decided to establish a traditional restaurant in order to start new. Away from all the tourist flows, the HONIGMOND captured an ordinary audience by the quality of its cuisine and its fair prices. In 1997 a new owner was sought and Dr. Loyal took over the coffee house-restaurant. However, the HONIGMOND as a culinary and socio-cultural institution should be preserved! In 1998 he build the main floor of the building above the coffee house-restaurant into lodging place on a special kind. The old apartments were therefore pooled (hence the long hallway). The stucco has been restored and the old floorboard was removed, oiled and waxed. The walls are smooth plastered and painted individually. In short, it was created in line with the historical and a cosy atmosphere.
In the year 2000, the annex GARDEN HOTEL - with its beautiful garden - in Invalidenstraße 122, just around the corner, opened accordingly due to the high demand and desire of the guests of a higher comfort. The City traffic outside in the Invalidenstraße, on the other hand is a courtyard with mystical silence inside. The garden was overgrown and wild in the acquisition. The house was in a disastrous state - water stood in the basement - but it was a house with "soul" that has survived two wars without damage after all. His instinct says: "That's it"- it's love at first sight.
Year 2005, followed a hotel extension in the house Tieckstraße 11 with lift, 18 new rooms and today's reception.
2006 - After only six years - the GARDEN HOTEL has been completely rebuilt and among others, all bathrooms were elaborately renovated.
2006 All windows are replaced with wooden rungs and soundproof windows.
2009, the hotel in Tieckstraße 12 was elaborately redesigned.
Today, HONIGMOND has over a total of 60 rooms in the main building and annex - all individually furnished. Expansions are no longer intended. The hotel is family owned and managed privately and personally. The coffee house-restaurant is leased.
"We are not a luxury hotel, not a chain hotel and not even a wellness hotel, we are simply an individual - something different - hotel, in which much "love" has been invested."
Sincerely from HONIGMOND Team
Andrea Grassow - Werner Marquardt
(Management)
Dr. Carl Loyal
(Owner)
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How did the name HONIGMOND?
As the coffee house-restaurant - the former "Borsig-Eck" in 1995 was rebuilt - on the radio plays the song "Honeymoon" from the Beatles on the construction site. It was spontaneously said, "Let's call it HONIGMOND".