+++ Thank you to everyone who has registered for the reunion in Berlin! Due to the overwhelming response, we are now at maximum capacity and are unable to accept any more participants for the full weekend or Saturday dinner cruise. Thank you for your interest! +++
Are you a Smith alum in Europe? Come to Berlin!
2014 Smith in Europe Reunion
Berlin, Germany
Thursday, Oct. 9 – Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014
About Reunion 2014
This exciting city is a unique witness to all the turbulence of the 20th century and is now reinventing itself for the 21st! Join Smith alumnae in Europe for a weekend experiencing one of the Continent’s most vibrant, cosmopolitan and creative cities, the capital of a reunited Germany and home to a dazzling array of visual and performing arts, modern architecture and design, parks, shopping and night life.
Our focus this time will be on demographic change and the challenges and chances it offers women: In Germany and Europe, decades of low birth rates and rising life expectancy mean that the overall population is shrinking while the average age rises and the proportion of immigrants grows. These trends have broad implications, especially for women – as mothers, caregivers, workforce participants, volunteers and leaders. Come to Berlin to hear and talk about what demographic change means for you and your community and how you can prepare for it.
>>Discover the updated program (as of September 17) [PDF]
>> View the suggested reading and viewing list
>> Find things to do on Friedrichstrasse [PDF]
>> Check out the menus [PDF]
General Information
Our reunion hotel is the Maritim proArte Hotel, conveniently located near the Friedrichstraße train station at the intersection of Friedrichstraße (pronounced -shtrasse) and Dorotheenstrafle (Friedrichstr. 151) in the center of Berlin. This is where we will meet for registration, our opening reception, breakfast and our Sunday business meeting. This year, the reunion registration fee does not include the cost of accommodation. This gives you more flexibility when choosing where to stay, but also means you will be responsible for booking your own accommodation.
Accommodation
We have negotiated a limited number of rooms at the Maritim proArte Hotel at reduced rates. These are divided into three categories: Classic (€135 single/€159 double), Comfort (€145 single/€169 double) and Superior (€165 single/€189 double). All rooms are 25 square meters and come with private bathroom/WC, hairdryer, safe, minibar, TV, phone, wired and wireless Internet. Rooms in the Classic category are located on the lower floors; rooms in the Comfort category are located on the quieter middle floors and include two free soft drinks from the minibar each day. Rooms in the Superior category are located on the quieter upper floors and have a city view; they also come with access to the proArte Lounge on the ground floor, with complimentary snacks, hot beverages, wine, beer and soft drinks (open daily 7 a.m.-10 p.m.).
To receive the reduced rate, you will need to book by September 10, 2014 using a booking code which you will be given when you have paid your reunion registration fee. The reduced rates apply from Wednesday, Oct. 8 through Monday, Oct. 13, so you can come to Berlin earlier and/or stay longer if you like. The hotel is rated four-star superior and has an indoor pool, sauna and fitness area. For more information, go to http://www.maritim.com/en/hotels/germany/proarte-hotel-berlin/hotel-overview
The hotel rate does not include breakfast, because the cost of breakfast is included in the price of the full reunion weekend. So even if you are not staying at the Maritim proArte but have paid for the full reunion weekend, you can still come to the buffet breakfast and morning meetings at the Maritim proArte. If you have not registered for the full reunion or do not come to the reunion buffet breakfast, buffet breakfast in the hotel restaurant is available for €23 per person.
For other accommodation nearby, please see the list of hotels and hostels at the end of this page.
Reunion Registration +++ Registration is now closed +++
You may choose between two options:
- Full reunion weekend for €400: this includes all the reunion events from Thursday to Sunday, the opening reception, buffet breakfast Friday through Sunday, lunch at the Reichstag rooftop restaurant, Saturday dinner cruise, all tours and talks, and a public transport pass; or
- Only the dinner cruise on Saturday evening for €100.
Please note that the registration fee of €400 (full reunion) or €100 (dinner cruise) does not include accommodation. You will need to book your accommodation separately. The registration fee is payable by bank transfer. Some financial aid is available on request.
Cancellation and Refunds
If you must cancel after you have registered for the reunion or dinner cruise, any fees paid will be refunded as follows:
If you cancel before July 8: 90%
If you cancel from July 9 to September 9: 50%
If you cancel September 10 or after: 0%
Traveling to Berlin
By air:
Berlin has two airports currently in operation, Tegel (TXL) to the northwest of the city and Schönefeld (SXF) to the southeast, and one still under construction (BER). A number of budget airlines fly to Berlin, including Ryanair and EasyJet. Both Tegel and Schönefeld have public transportation connections to the city center:
- From Tegel, take the TXL express bus to the stop “Unter den Linden/Friedrichstraße” (about 30 minutes, €2.60)
- From Schönefeld, take the RB 7 or RB 14 Airport Express regional train to the Friedrichstraße station (about 30 minutes, €3.20)
For more information, please see http://m.berlin-airport.de/en/ or http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/index.html
Taxi fare to the Maritim proArte from Tegel Airport is about €18 and from Schönefeld about €34.
By train:
Some long-distance trains stop at the Friedrichstraße station, which is the closest to our reunion hotel. If they don’t, Berlin’s Central train station (Berlin Hauptbahnhof) is only one stop away from the Friedrichstraße station, but you will have to transfer to an eastbound S-Bahn regional train. Some long-distance train tickets include travel on the S-Bahn network on the day of arrival, so you may not need to buy an S-Bahn ticket. If you do, however, you may buy a short trip fare ticket (Kurzstrecke) for €1.50. For more information, please see http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/index.html
By car:
Please note: you will need a green environmental sticker (Umweltplakette) to drive in Berlin’s city center, otherwise you may be fined €40. For cars registered in Germany, the sticker costs from €8.90 to €18.90; for cars registered outside Germany, the sticker costs from €29.90 to €39.90 (EU countries) or €39.90 to €49.90 (non-EU countries). For more information, please see http://www.environmental-badge.co.uk/en/environmental-badge.html
Underground parking is available at the Maritim proArte Hotel: €23 per day for hotel guests, €27 per day for visitors.
Weather: What to Wear
Average temperatures in Berlin in October range from 10-13° C / 49-55° F, and rainfall is likely on 12 days in the month (according to http://www.holiday-weather.com/country/germany). So bring rain gear and an umbrella, just in case. We will be walking and standing, possibly on cobblestones or uneven pavement, so it is a good idea to wear sturdy, comfortable walking shoes. On our dinner cruise, we will be eating indoors, but out on deck it will probably be windy and cool.
Questions?
If you have any questions about registration or the reunion program, you may contact Gretchen Wiesehan at g.wiesehan[at]t-online.de .
List of other hotels and hostels near the Maritim proArte Hotel
(distance given in parentheses):
NH Hotel Berlin Friedrichstrasse, Friedrichstr. 96 (4 stars; doubles from €129) http://www.nh-hotels.com (110 meters from the Maritim proArte)
Hotel Eurostars, Friedrichstr. 99 (“luxury class”; doubles from €244) http://www.eurostarsberlin.com (110 meters)
Hotel Allegra/Hotel Albrechtshof, Albrechtstr. 17 (3 stars; doubles from €89) http://www.albrechtshof-hotels.com/en (600 meters; requires climbing stairs to cross a bridge; 850 meters to avoid stairs)
Hotel Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Haus, Ziegelstr. 30 (3 stars; doubles from €139) (website in German only: http://www.hotel-dietrich-bonhoeffer.de ) (700 meters)
Motel One Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Invalidenstr. 54 (singles from €69; at Berlin’s Central train station one stop away from Friedrichstraße station; 300 meters total walking distance to stations) http://www.motel-one.com/en/hotels/berlin/hotel-berlin-hauptbahnhof
Baxpax Hostel Berlin Downtown, Ziegelstr. 28 (single rooms with bath from €43, shared rooms for less) http://baxpax.de/en (700 meters)
Heart of Gold Hostel, Johannisstr. 11 (single with shower from €30, shared rooms for less) http://www.heartofgold-hostel.de (950 meters)
If you are interested in sharing a room, you can let us know on the reunion registration form and we will put you in contact with other alumnae who are also interested in sharing.