Pullman Dresden Newa: the transformation
Exciting: What happens when a premium hotel brand like Pullman takes over a prefabricated hotel?? We visited the Pullman Dresden Newa and experienced some surprises.
W e write the year 2003. The task facing the architects and designers is daunting: okay, dear people, turn this prefabricated building into a stylish, modern premium hotel that will satisfy discerning travelers. The time runs. Go!
A Mission Impossible? Almost looks like this, if you look at old photo of the hotel. The building was raised in the GDR from 1968 to 1970 and operated as the "Interhotel Newa," even then an upscale hotel chain. But how to turn it into a contemporary, stylish wow hotel?
A modern glass palace
The architects' solution is as radical as it is ingenious: the entire facade becomes a window. Huge panoramic windows that reach down to the ground flood the hotel rooms with light. The building is extensively renovated and thus becomes a modern glass palace. The ugly duckling becomes a proud swan. So hotel guests not only get a bright, friendly room, but also a spectacular view of Dresden.
I stand in the 9. Floor at the window and look down. Wow! What a view. The Prager Strabe below me connects the main station with the Altmarkt and has a long tradition as a shopping mile. You can stroll and shop here since 1853. Since the 1970s, this has been a pedestrian zone. After the reunification many new stores and department stores have opened. Today, Prager Strasse is one of the busiest shopping streets in Germany. More to come in May. The Dixieland Festival, an established name in the jazz and blues scene, takes place here for a whole week.
Shopping boulevard on the doorstep
The Dresden skyline is visible on the horizon. Spire-like towers reach for the sky. Only about 300 meters away is the UFA Crystal Palace. The 540.000 inhabitants, which was razed to the ground during World War II and was a field of rubble, is once again presented in its most beautiful splendor. Whoever wants to stay in one of the six junior suites in the 14. If you book the first floor, you get an even better view of Dresden. The binoculars in the hotel room are in any case no coincidence.
The 100 twin-bed rooms are stylishly and stylishly furnished. In addition to the floor-to-ceiling panorama windows, the glass shower in the middle of the room is particularly striking. Here you can splash around while looking out over Dresden – if you don't mind Dresden looking back. If you like it a bit more discreet, just close the curtain at the shower. There is a modern marble bathroom, free WLAN, air conditioning, safe, telephone, desk and – hey, not bad – even free Sky TV.
Optimal location to discover Dresden
The Pullman Dresden Newa Hotel proves to be the ideal starting point for us to get to know the city. This already starts with our arrival. When we arrive at the main station, we only have to cross the street and after only 200 meters we are at the hotel. The room is already ready for occupancy. Shortly after that we continue our walk along the Prager Strabe into the Old Town. In about 10 minutes we are in front of the Frauenkirche.
When we come back after the city tour we have some options. Shall we work out in the fitness room?? Or in the sauna resp. relax in the steam bath? No, we prefer to go to "Schwenke's Cocktail & Coffee Lounge", which proves to be a crowd puller thanks to the soccer broadcast on the big TV set. "Schwenke", by the way, is the legendary bartender of many years. The Pullman named the lounge after him in his honor.
Pullman Dresden Newa: the conclusion
The transformation of the Pullman Dresden Newa into a modern glass palace has been an absolute success. The concept with the glass facade is spectacular and offers guests not only a bright room, but also a great view. We especially liked the central location, the dedicated, personal service and the delicious, extensive breakfast.
So that it does not become boring, the hotel team always comes up with something new. Like at the end of last year: together with the guests, the hotel conjured up a heart on the facade in the evening with illuminated hotel rooms. A nice action, which might have conjured up something else: a smile on the face. Because you can hardly make a former prefabricated building even more beautiful.