I will admit that I had serious doubts about visiting an artificial beach, enclosed by a ginormous tent-like construction, but then again, I figured millions of happy visitors couldn’t be so wrong that I decided to go for it: I would spend a weekend at Tropical Islands.
It was ultimately the idea that I thought my son, who’s almost two and LOVES water, would have a pretty awesome time here that I decided to roll with it (and not just my eyes this time). Once I had my dates set and started to tell friends about it I was more than surprised to find out that half my friends expressed a serious desire to visit as well. “Really?”, I said incredulous when my best friend Bea even said she wanted to spend her birthday here together with all her friends.
Fine, I’ll keep an open mind, I told myself, after all it couldn’t be so bad. Especially now, that Tropical Islands had recently opened it’s brand spanking new and, may I add, absolutely fabulous outdoor area. So if it’s warm(ish) outside and you want a break from indoor bathing you can just hop into the open air goodness of a heated(!) pool.
We arrived in the morning and I was pleasantly surprised at the quick and easy transfer from Berlin Alexanderplatz. The direct train took only 40 minutes to Brand, the nearest train station and from there a free shuttle bus was waiting to pick us up and drive us to the front entrance.
Seeing the giant capsule from the bus, right there in the midst of a field felt a bit outlandish, to say the least but it certainly helped build up my excitement. We checked ourselves in as overnight guests and before we even saw our room we wasted no time to change into bathing suits and hop in the nearest pool.
Something that becomes evident almost immediately is that this place really is heaven for children. Not just because of all the little waterfalls, sprinklers, fountains and slides, it also boasts a super impressive playground (without water) complete with ball baths, singing and dancing as well as a restaurant only for kids (adults will only find 3 things on the menu meant for them). If you want to treat your children to a perfect weekend, this probably is it.
But not so fast, this is not to say that grown-ups won’t have a pretty great time here also. Here’s what I loved about Tropical Islands:
Accommodation
I was super impressed with the diversity of the accommodation on offer. From Glamping, aka super fancy tents with luxury interior to suave design hotel-style rooms, it’s all here. Get your beach front bungalow, your teepee or your junior suite for anywhere between €69 to €155 per night and person. It’s a pretty good deal, considering that this includes entrance to all the attractions on offer for 2 consecutive days, something that would normally set an adult back €42 per day.
While on the whole accommodation is pretty spread out across the plant, our room was located in the “Speicherstadt”, a unit designed to look like Hamburg in the middle ages. Think stone flooring, wooden features throughout and just a charming feel to it. Add in the delightful aircon and there is nothing left of that typical indoor pool air one breathes outside. A baby bed was provided without issue, though Atlas didn’t actually need it.
Food, glorious food
I had absolutely no expectation of the food at Tropical Islands, I imagined it would be mostly swimming pool fare, such as fries and fish fingers. And yes, they did have those things on the menu of the kids restaurant Tropino I mentioned earlier, but grown-ups will also delight in tasty goodness.
The biggest surprise here (apart from a pretty great deal on super yummy frozen yogurt at a big frozen yogurt station) was Tropical Garden, the restaurant located right next to the spa area, a bit further off from the hustle and bustle of slides and toddler pools.
I ordered the grilled salmon for Atlas and the Duroc pork for myself and both dishes were cooked to perfection. Service was on point and the atmosphere was delightful. If you fancy a romantic dinner, this place is as ideal as they come.
The breakfast was a pleasant surprise also. Good selection, all was tasty. I also like that it was served from 7am, for all those who want to make the most of their day.
Variety and flexibility
I came here, expecting one thing: having some fun in the water. What I got instead was this plus a whole bunch of extra. I’ve already mentioned the charming accommodation and the lovely food but then there was the incredible sauna landscape, which just so happens to be the largest in all of Europe. The spa with (very affordable) massages and medical treatments on offer, the flamingos (you’ve read that right!), the balloon ride, the fitness club and the leisure centre where guests can play basketball, tennis or badminton. I can honestly say that I may have never experienced a weekend where time flew as quickly as it did here because there was so much to fit into the 30 hours we spent here.
Tropical Islands is located in Brandenburg, just outside Berlin and makes for a great day or weekend trip, whether you’re visiting Berlin or actually live there. This is a must-do for families with kids of all ages but anybody who loves water and is in touch with their inner child will have a great time here. To find out more visit their website.
Pingback : Travelettes »» Tropische Inseln – Die unwahrscheinliche Oase außerhalb Berlins www.tra … – wnbblog