Expert Reviews of Berlin Hotels

Editors of Subtleties

Where to stay in Berlin?

In Berlin there are several tourist areas, where many hotels are located. And in each there is at least one five-star hotel and several budget hotels. For example, Charlottenburg, the district of Kurfürstendamm, where besides the hotel Savoy are the hotels Kempinski, and Steingenbergen. At the same time, very affordable hotels and boarding houses are nearby, if you turn from the central streets into the alleyways.

The so-called "network hotels" Motel-One is a network of two-star hotels located in the city center. There are also three and four-star NH Hotels chains offering accommodation at quite reasonable prices. As a rule, all major hotel chains are located in the city center. And when located on the periphery it is important to make sure that there are public transport stops (U-Bahn and S-Bahn) nearby, so you can easily get to the right part of the city.

But in the eastern part of the city after the fall of the Wall one by one began to appear multi-star giants of international hotel chains. Therefore, today in the west it is easier to find a small private hotel or a boarding-school with a cozy atmosphere, whereas in the east of Berlin such institutions are in the most acute deficit. For example, hotels Adlon (Charlie Chaplin and Albert Einstein stayed here) and Hotel de Rome - the embodiment of luxury and style.

For exploring the beauties of Berlin, it's best to stop in the Berlin-Mitte area near Friedrichstrasse - most of the attractions are nearby. This is the most tourist area of ​​the city, especially if you consider how many hotels here with relatively low prices.

In the area of ​​Marx-Engels-Forum, Alexanderplatz and Anhalter Bahnhof, there are small two-and three-star hotels (for example, Ibis or Etap) with reasonable prices, excellent rooms and service. A lot of hotels are located in the historical part of Berlin, in City West (Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf), which is close to the zoo.

And near the new central railway station, while only one hotel has been completely built - an inexpensive hotel-hostel Meininger, others are still under construction. It is expected that this area will become very promising for the tourist sector of Berlin.

In summer, you can stop at the campsite. The most popular accommodation today is on the site of an unfinished pool in the Berlin / City West area, a five minute walk from the Berlin Hauptbahnhof (main railway station).

Features of pricing in Berlin hotels

If you compare prices for accommodation in Berlin and other European capitals, the latter are significantly losing. In Berlin, prices are on average one third lower than in Paris, London or Rome. And the cost of accommodation does not particularly depend on the season, although it inevitably increases during major cultural events and trade fairs.

Most hotels raise prices to festivals and major exhibitions, but they also arrange discounts during the "Seven shopping weekends" before Christmas. In many large hotels on weekends, you can stay on a special "weekend" fare.

In expensive hotels there are almost always free rooms, however, in February, during the days of the famous international film festival, it is better to book a room in advance. Something similar happens during the September Berlin marathon: in cheap hotels, the sites are dismantled at all in two months.

Types of budget accommodation

Of course, the cheapest hostels are youth hostels (the so-called Jugendherbergen) and hostels. The latter are similar to hostels, but without age qualification and with the possibility to be accommodated in rooms ranging from single rooms to a couple of dozen people. There are many such places in Berlin, including in the center of the city. Moreover, Berlin hostels and hostels are among the most liberal in Europe: there are no restrictions on the length of stay and do not close the door for the night.

You can also find private accommodation, or live in a boarding house. Apartments are usually booked for a period of three days.

And, of course, the most budget option is camping. The most surprising thing is that they are ready to receive tourists all year round, although it is rather unusual to stop at them during the cold season: the weather does not have enough time for walking, and it takes quite a long time to reach the center. In the summer - quite another thing! At this time, walking around the city can be combined with beach rest on the lakes near the campsite.