Berlin hotel re-creates the joy of camping, minus the rain and bugs

Camping vacations may summon nostalgic appeal for many consumers, but the logistics of making them happen can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve seen a company that orchestrates backyard camping events, for example, and it’s also presumably the thinking behind Berlin’s newly opened Hüttenpalast hotel, which offers caravan-style camping in the safety and predictability of an indoor setting. Launched earlier this month, the Hüttenpalast hotel offers consumers a way to “walk in flip-flops with your towel, even in winter, to the beautiful new showers,” as the company puts it. Set in a former Berlin factory, the hotel includes what it calls an “indoor garden” featuring an assortment of old caravan campers and wooden huts. Consumers can reserve either of these for a taste of retro happiness — pricing starts at EUR 40 per night — with separate facilities for men and women. Alternatively, if they’re less interested in “roughing it,” they can opt for one of the hotel’s six traditional rooms complete with luxury en-suite bathrooms. Either way, an attached cafe offers breakfast, coffee and homemade cakes, while the lunch menu focuses on regional and seasonal products. Pricing on Hüttenpalast’s luxury rooms begins at EUR 60 per night. There are plenty of opportunities to win consumers over with a dose of nostalgia. Where could you offer a familiar — but easier —experience from days gone by? Spotted by: Bjorn Verbrugghe