CABARET BERLIN

Update January 2012: Reopening January 28. We've stopped keeping track of the number of times that this place has been shut down by the local authorities, but are happy to report that it's once again open for business and ready to add yet another chapter to its colourful history.

Stripper poles and an intriguing ceiling-mounted swing are reminders of Cabaret Berlin’s (until recently known as Lotus) past as mythical former strip club (local cab drivers still associate the "Bailén 22" address with serious debauchery). The thematic VIP basement rooms are now closed, but you’ll still find ‘burlesque’ tabletop performances on Thursdays.

It's one of the city's lushest lounges - tassled red lamps and dark glass - aiming for a more mature audience than your average pre-pubescent club kids, and although it can often be fairly indistinguishable from any other straight hook-up place, some of its hosted nights are fabulously fun, attracting a mixed crowd of local media scenesters and fashionable trendsetters.