The Maritim proArte Hotel in Berlin, located in the city centre and within walking distance to the Brandenburg Gate, is the first hotel in Berlin to be bio certified.
Bad Salzuflen/Germany. At the beginning of this year it was awarded this title by the „Agro-Oeko-Consult Berlin GmbH“, an official EU controlling office for ecological food production and processing in agriculture.
In the modern four star design hotel on Friedrichstrasse guests can now find dishes for breakfast and lunch which are composed of strictly ecologically cultivated ingredients. Marcell Kästner, Food and Beverage Manager on site, would like to develop the Maritim proArte as a nationwide bio trendsetter in the hotel scene.
For Kästner one thing is clear: the exceptional ambience of the hotel, with its contemporary art in the public spaces and the extravagant Philippe Starck design, would match perfectly with innovative food. „For us, bio is an important customer relationship tool. It is also something which distinguishes us from our competitors“. Kästner had followed the bio topic in the specialized media for quite some time when one day he read about the campaign „Bio. For my own sake“ initiated by the CMA, the Central Marketing Society of German Agriculture. He decided to seek consultation with the CMA. Together they developed a tailor made concept which was eligible to be certified according to EU eco guidelines, and they compiled a list of potential suppliers of high quality products.
The food for the buffet restaurant „Galerie“ and the bistro „Media“, which offers à la carte dishes at noon and night and the snack variation „Quick & More“, had even previously been sourced preferably from the vicinity of Berlin. Now, their menus are being refined by certified bio products. For breakfast guests can now choose among three bio bread and sausage variations, four different salads, and jams and honey in bio quality. Kästner also offers bio food for meetings and conventions: event organizers can order a daily bio meal for their participants such as boiled topside of beef, sliced meat or roasted loin of pork. The respective meat is delivered by a regional producer. Although bio products are somewhat more expensive than other food Kästner and his team are convinced that health conscious gourmets are nowadays more than ready to pay a small premium to ensure they receive only the best and proven genuine quality on their plates.
General Manager of the Maritim proArte Hotel Roberto Klimsch fully agrees: „At first, I was a sceptic with regards to the expected extra costs and the necessary new procedures in the kitchen. But the positive response of our guests show us that we meet the trend of the time and that they appreciate our efforts to be innovative.“ At present eight to ten percent of the food on the menu is bio food, with a growing tendency. „We would like to inspire our guests day after day, and bio is an important tool to achieve this goal“, Klimsch explains this pilot project at the Maritim proArte Hotel. Should his concept be successful the hotel chain may consider introducing bio certified products also at other Maritim Hotels.
With presently 48 hotels, Maritim Hotelgesellschaft is ranked among the leading German hotel chains. Eleven of the hotels are abroad in Belek, Marmaris and Alanya (all Turkey), Djerba and Yasmine Hammamet (Tunisia), Sharm El Sheikh and near Cairo (Egypt), Malta, Mauritius, Riga (Latvia) and Tenerife. As the marketing and sales partner of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc Maritim is represented worldwide. The strong position of the Maritim Hotelgesellschaft within the European first class hotel market will be strengthened further by continual growth.
