By Olivia Cuccaro
The Elephant Drink at Hotel Adlon Kempinski
- 1 1/3 oz gin
- 1/3 oz Lillet Rosé
- dash of dark grenadine
- dash of grapefruit
To create this cocktail of the week, combine Lillet Rosé, gin, dark grenadine and grapefruit in a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir well. Garnish with assorted berries.
Served at one of the Elite Traveler picks for Top 100 Hotels in the World, this week’s cocktail is adding a pop of pink to Berlin’s diverse cityscape. Akin to a gin sour, the Elephant Drink complements wine-based aperitif Lillet Rosé with tangy grapefruit for a break from the hefeweizens and kölschs that rule Oktoberfest season around Germany. Enjoy the pink drink in view of Hotel Adlon Kempinski’s iconic elephant fountain at the Lobby Lounge & Bar before a gourmet dinner at the property’s two-Michelin-starred Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer restaurant.
“The cocktail was inspired by the centerpiece of our lobby and symbol of our hotel, our elegant elephant fountain, which was presented as a gift to former Adlon owner Lorenz Adlon in 1930 by India’s Maharaja of Patiala,” said Hagen Hoppenstedt, maître d’hotel, in speaking to Elite Traveler. “In his honor, we decided to create a gin-based cocktail, as gin was very popular in India in the beginning of the 20th century. We added in the Lillet Rosé, along with dashes of grenadine and grapefruit, to create the perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors. It’s a very refreshing cocktail.”
The Elephant Drink fittingly commemorates the hotel’s storied history as the property celebrated its 20th anniversary in August, though it was originally opened by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1907. During its first leg, the hotel played host to the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Albert Einstein and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, even serving as the inspiration for the 1932 film Grand Hotel. After a fire destroyed the first property in 1945, the hotel reopened in 1997 and has since welcomed guests from Barack Obama to Michael Jackson (site of the infamous baby-on-the-balcony incident).
Live like a queen — yes, Queen Elizabeth II stayed here — with a reservation in the the 1,990 sq ft Royal Suite and reminisce in the glamour of the hotel’s heyday. Outfitted in 1920s-style indulgence, the suite overlooks Brandenburg Gate and Unter den Linden boulevard, complete with personal butler and around-the-clock limousine service. The suite comprises a reception room, two bedrooms, spacious living room with open fireplace, office, conference room, bathroom with sauna, steam shower and Jacuzzi.
Hotel Adlon Kempinski is located at Unter den Linden 77, 10117, Berlin, Germany. For more information, please visit kempinski.com.
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