Located on one of the most refined side-streets off the Kurfürstendamm, the Hotel- Pension Funk exudes Belle Époque Berlin. Between 1931 and 1937 it was home to Asta Nielsen, the Danish-born, silent-film legend of the 1910s, where she entertained all her illustrious friends. The house was built in 1895 and the first thing you notice when you enter is its ancient birdcage elevator. Once you arrive in the guesthouse, you find yourself in the roaring 1920s in a wondrous time capsule with beautiful de- tails like the printed wallpaper, oil paintings and Jugendstil/Gründerzeit furnishings. The Funk’s centrepiece is Nielsen’s elegant salon, now the breakfast room, with its ornate ceilings and Art Nouveau windows. The guesthouse has fourteen rooms, all individually decorated in the Art Nouveau and Belle Époque style. And it is no sur- prise that you can find framed pictures of famous models like Kate Moss and Claudia Schiffer, photographed by Karl Lagerfeld in this unique location. When you stay at the Pension Funk, it really has the feel of being in a private home without the bother. Facilities are kept to a minimum; there is no spa or gym and the Wi-Fi is not really perfect (so I didn’t use my laptop at all!). But the staff are very helpful and can give you great tips on pleasant, distinctive restaurants and there are also free newspapers on request. My four-legged buddy Lino was made very welcome. As Michael Pfundt, the congenial owner since 1991, explains: “If you want all modern conveniences, you are in the wrong place. But if you want something with a powerful sense of character, style and history, Hotel-Pension Funk welcomes you.”