Le Mot Du Directeur – A Word With General Manager Carsten Colmorgen.
I sat down with the Concorde Hotel’s General Manager Carsten Colmorgen one day recently to talk about the hotel, his view as to why it’s so special and his hopes for this newly launched blog.
Carsten has been with the hotel since it’s opening in November 2005 and brings with him a storied background. Having worked at various hotels across Europe and the Middle East, he’s spent time with Bedouins in Oman, absorbed the classic old world ways of Paris and Vienna and immersed himself in the contemporary stylings of London and Berlin. The exposure to these unique cultural experiences has enabled him to transform the Concorde Hotel into what it is today – a luxurious, modern, high-end property unlike any other in Berlin.
Since it’s opening, Carsten has passionately worked to bring the hotel to it’s 5-star superior status (awarded in 2006) and establish it as leading trendsetter within the hotel industry. Never satisfied with status quo, he continually strives to improve the hotel and it’s service offerings.
When I asked Carsten just what makes the hotel so unique, he mentioned that he’s really proud about how the Concorde remains committed to giving back to others.
He fondly recounted their hotel’s launch party where 600 guests gathered for a special “Night of Literature”. Proceeds from ticket sales were donated to a local charity, Asscociation Alphabetization who encourage literacy and is an organization that the hotel still supports even today. Carsten has also been the ambassador for literacy in Germany since 2007.
The Concorde collaborates with Care France to contribute funding for two very life changing projects – one in Benin that focuses on providing needy communities with access to clean water and the other in Nicaragua that focuses on preserving precious forest eco-systems.
He also highlighted other things that sets the Concorde Hotel Berlin apart from others.
Take for example, the hotel’s green practices aimed at reducing their environmental footprint or that distinct Parisian flair in the hotel’s brasserie serving up that oh so delicate and delicious French cuisine.
Then there’s the deep connection to the arts, quite evident as you walk through the hotel and see the various sculptures and paintings in the lobby, hallways and all 311 rooms. The hotel even holds monthly events such as lectures or intimate concerts and have exclusive partnerships with cultural organizations like the European and German film academies.
In fact, you can expect blog posts on many of these topics in the days to come!
Carsten is really excited to launch the hotel’s new “Fresh and French” blog and hopes that it will not only provide you with lots of interesting, useful information about the hotel itself but also “insider tips” about what to see and do in Berlin’s Kurfürstendamm area.
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