This WWII German Bunker Is Now a Contemporary Four-Star Hotel With a Rooftop Garden

The St. Pauli Bunker / Green Bunker from street level (left). The room key for the the REVERB by Hard Rock (right). Photos: Morgane Croissant

After five years of renovations, the St. Pauli Bunker, also known as the Hamburg Bunker and recently the Green Bunker, opened on July 5, 2024 as REVERB by Hard Rock. The contemporary establishment now has 134 rooms, four food and drink options, and a rooftop garden.

The St. Pauli Bunker was built by 1,000 forced laborers under the Nazi regime in 300 days between August 1942 and April 1943. Meant to defend the city against Allied bombings and serve as an air raid shelter for the people of Hamburg (sometimes taking in up to 25,000 people at a time), the St. Pauli Bunker is technically more of a flak tower than a bunker. While bunkers are underground constructions, flak towers are a type of above-ground blockhouse equipped with anti-aircraft guns. The St. Pauli Bunker had anti-missile guns at the top of the structure on all four protruding corners, the set-up of which is still visible today. Guests of the hotel can learn about the bunker’s past thanks to an exhibition located by the hotel reception. A memorial for the forced laborers, as well as the victims of the Nazi regime and the Second World War is also in the works.

Photo: Guido Neumann

The structure, which is a protected monument, was used in varied ways between the end of WWII and the immense renovations done to turn it into the REVERB by Hard Rock. After the war, the St. Pauli Bunker provided accommodations to local residents whose homes were destroyed by Allied bombings, and in 1950, the first television images in Germany were broadcast from the bunker. Today, the St. Pauli Bunker is still home to a night club and a pop music school, among others, along with the hotel.

It’s not an easy feat to make a massive concrete war structure look cozy and welcoming, especially considering the building specs. The bunker is 246 feet wide, the walls are 11 feet thick, and the building is 190 feet tall (it was 114 foot tall before the renovations). Yet, the architects and designers of the REVERB by Hard Rock managed to create something that feels (almost) nothing like a bunker once inside.

Photo: Morgane Croissant

Photo: Morgane Croissant

Photo: Morgane Croissant

Photo: Morgane Croissant

While you can’t get away from the bunker feel in the maze-like corridors of the hotel, the rooms don’t give out a claustrophobic, Second World War vibe. While there is a touch of raw industrial design throughout the place, the rooms are contemporary but not edgy. They are decorated with a mix of bright and neutral colors and modern furnishings, and focus on the theme of the REVERB by Hard Rock brand: music.

Will Call, AKA, reception, at the REVERB by Hard Rock. Photo: RIMC

The music theme can be felt throughout. The wallpaper in the restroom depicts a large shelf filled with CDs, the walls display concert posters, and the light fixtures and tables recall the shape of vinyl records. The plush beddings and the lovely window seat add some softness and comfort to create some balance within an unusual space. The window, which fully opens onto a small balcony with fantastic views of the city, is almost entirely surrounded by plants.

The hotel is called the “Will Call,” and there’s a music studio for musicians to use. Four guests rooms are dedicated to touring musicians who need a place to stay. There are regular live music sessions at the Karo & Paul restaurant located by reception. The hotel is also home to the Georg-Elser-Hall, which, when complete, will host concerts and cultural events with a capacity for more than 2,000 people. That said, being a music fan isn’t a requirement to stay here. The fact that the hotel is located within a bunker is attraction enough.

Photo: Guido Neumann

The REVERB by Hard Rock occupies the five pyramid-shaped floors added to the top of the existing structure during the renovations. During renovations, a staircase was added that starts from the ground floor and goes around the exterior of the bunker to the top. The Mountain Path, as it’s nicknamed, is opened to the public daily from 9 AM to 9 PM for free. Anyone walking in the neighborhood can go through the turnstiles at the bottom of the bunker and climb the stairs that lead to the roof garden and its thousands of plants (hence the new nickname of Green Bunker).

The climb takes about 10-15 minutes and provides amazing views of the city, including of the TV tower, the city’s many church spires, and the impressive Elbphilharmonie. Members of the public can stop at any of the dining options along the way, namely the Constant Grind Café or the fancy Karo & Paul restaurant by reception; the lovely La Sala restaurant on the fifth floor; or Green Beanie, the food and drinks container on the sixth floor.

Located in the trendy St. Pauli neighborhood, the REVERB by Hard Rock is easily reached from Hamburg’s central station (Hamburg Hauptbahnhof or Hamburg Hbf). The metro line U-ban (U-3/yellow line) takes you between the two in just 10 minutes.