Christmas-Hideaways, Part One: Berlin, Lac-Beauport, Berlin
Bedtime Reading: Sir Savigny, Berlin
“Sooner or later Berlin will punch you in the stomach. When it does, please try not to take this personally – instead, try to treat it as a passport stamp, as a sign of your arrival.” The passage is from In the End, It Was All About Love by Musa Okwonga. You might want to read this book after checking in at Sir Savigny, because it reveals a lot of truth about the German capital. And because this very stylish boutique hotel is located in Charlottenburg, Berlin’s literary quarter, reading here doesn’t hurt either.
O’er All the Hilltops Is Quiet Now: Le Mica, Lac-Beauport, Quebec
“This is a rare find. Nicolas’s place is usually fully booked.” So says a note on the Airbnb page for this unique tiny home. And it’s clear to see why: Le Mica, a mini chalet located just twenty-five minutes from Quebec City, offers two bedrooms, super modern (and super beautiful) amenities – and yes, this is the kind of place you could spend ages at, watching the sun rise and set day in and day out over the Laurentian Mountains.
The Final Frontier: Space Night Capsule Hostel, Berlin
We know them from Japan – now pod hotels have landed in Europe as well. The Space Night Capsule Hostel is the first in Berlin. A pod goes for around €35 a night, which we want to mention right at the beginning, because that’s actually quite a small price for such a futuristic accommodation. The space theme permeates the entire hostel: everything is bathed in a blue light, a digital projector casts images of Earth onto the wall, there’s a spacesuit standing in the corner. Something very down-to-earth you will need when spending the night here, however, are a pair of earplugs – because the soundproofing leaves a lot to be desired – and some flip flops for the shared bathroom.
