The crowd was huge: hundreds of curious people took a look behind the chic facade of the “Atlantic” on Sunday. The luxury hotel on the Outer Alster in St. Georg invited people to an open day for the first time. MOPO was there: How expensive a performance in a private cinema is, what the deputy boss says about the demands of rich guests – and what it looks like in an 800 euro suite.
The windows are open and a light wind blows through the room. On the other side of the street you can see the Outer Alster between the treetops. The deluxe suite is flooded with light. On Sunday, it’s not millionaires sitting here sipping champagne, but dozens of “normal people” walking across the carpet with wide eyes.
Huge crowd at the open day of the Hamburg luxury hotel “Atlantic”
The chance to get an exclusive look behind the chic facades of the “Atlantic” seems to have appealed to many Hamburg residents: a queue of around 200 meters long forms in front of the main entrance, and after 45 minutes there are already 800 guests in the building.
A queue of around 200 meters long formed in front of the entrance to the “Atlantic” on Sunday afternoon. Patrick Sun
A queue of around 200 meters long formed in front of the entrance to the “Atlantic” on Sunday afternoon.
The MOPO is also on site and will be shown through the hotel by the deputy hotel manager, Thomas Eckjans. It starts in the lobby, the heart of the “Atlantic”. Marble elements, high ceilings – whoever comes to the hotel immerses themselves in another world. Outside the big city with loud traffic, inside the luxury world with live piano. In 1909, the magnificent white building was opened as a grand hotel for passengers on the Hamburg-America line – the flair of that time can still be felt 114 years later.
Hundreds of visitors strolled through the spacious rooms of the five-star-plus hotel at the open day. Patrick Sun
Hundreds of visitors strolled through the spacious rooms of the five-star-plus hotel at the open day.
On the tour of the ground floor we pass the private cinema, which can be rented from 180 euros per film. In the large ballroom, boys and girls jump up and down on a white bouncy castle shaped like a castle. A childcare company was hired specifically so that the parents could look around the hotel in peace.
Free egg liqueur in the “Udo Gallery”
Next stop: Udo Lindenberg’s gallery. The panic rocker has exhibited some of his works here. It gets pretty crowded in the narrow hallway: Because, true to Udo, there is eggnog – free of charge, like everything on offer at the “Atlantic” open day.
The deputy boss of the “Atlantic” Thomas Eckjans (r.) led MOPO reporter Elias Lübbe through the luxury hotel at the open day – there was eggnog at the bar. Patrick Sun
The deputy boss of the “Atlantic” Thomas Eckjans (r.) led MOPO reporter Elias Lübbe through the luxury hotel at the open day – there was eggnog at the bar.
Speaking of Udo Lindenberg: He likes to sit in the hotel bar – and has been served by James Halligan a few times. The charming Irishman has been pouring fine wines here for 42 years. He is now officially retired, but he still works as a temporary worker on weekends.
James Halligan (67) has been behind the bar at the “Atlantic” for 42 years – before that he worked in Paris and London, among other places. Patrick Sun
James Halligan (67) has been behind the bar at the “Atlantic” for 42 years – before that he worked in Paris and London, among other places.
“Of course, a house like ours depends on such employees,” says deputy boss Thomas Eckjans. “We’re not ‘fancy’. But the building speaks for itself and of course the guests appear differently here than in a three-star hotel,” says the 42-year-old, explaining his enthusiasm for the luxury hotel industry.
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Thomas Eckjans has had a steep career: it all started with an apprenticeship as a chef, then he worked his way up. “A typical catering career,” he says modestly. He has been working as deputy boss at the “Atlantic” for a year now. Are the rich particularly demanding? “Sure, but that’s also their right,” says Eckjans. “If you spend 300 euros or more on a room, you can expect your scrambled eggs to be hot for breakfast.”
The deluxe suite on the first floor is around 90 square meters in size – and costs around 800 euros per night. Patrick Sun
The deluxe suite on the first floor is around 90 square meters in size – and costs around 800 euros per night.
We continue to the deluxe suite on the first floor. 90 square meters, around 800 euros per night. Visitor Holger Krohn is very enthusiastic. The 45-year-old biology student spontaneously heard about the “Atlantic” open day. “After all, it’s not every day you get to see the inside of a luxury hotel like this,” says Krohn, explaining his visit. “Normally I always walk past it and think to myself: ‘I have no business here’.”
Visitor Holger Krohn (45) from Lurup was very enthusiastic about the luxury suite. Patrick Sun
Visitor Holger Krohn (45) from Lurup was very enthusiastic about the luxury suite.
The open day is held to prevent exactly that: “We don’t want to be an elitist club,” explains Eckjans. “We are open to all Hamburg residents. Nobody is looked at strangely here – grandma and her grandson can come to eat waffles in shorts, just like the man in a suit.”
There is a touch of Italy in the air in the inner courtyard of the “Atlantic”. Patrick Sun
There is a touch of Italy in the air in the inner courtyard of the “Atlantic”.
In the inner courtyard, a stone fountain provides a touch of Italy. Last but not least, we go to the kitchen, where it is particularly crowded: there is lobster soup, the house specialty, free for visitors.
From Monday, the white luxury hotel will once again belong to wealthy guests from all over the world. But if you feel like leaving your everyday life in Hamburg behind for a moment: the inner courtyard café with the fountain is open to everyone. The coffee costs six euros, and you can get a taste of the grand hotel atmosphere for free.
2023-09-10 19:43:49
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