Where to Stay

Whatever your budget and whatever your taste, the choice of places to stay in Berlin is vast. From astronomically expensive establishments boasting every conceivable luxury to basic backpackers' hostels; from mammoth international hotel chains to small, family-run boarding houses, this city has it all.

Changing Appeal

Much has changed in the decade since reunification. Many of Berlin's major hotels are now situated in the eastern part of the city, such as the legendary Hotel Adlon next to the Brandenburg Gate or the wonderful Four Seasons on Gendarmenmarkt. Many of West Berlin's traditional flagships such as the Kempinski or InterContinental are now struggling to hold their own against the young upstarts from the east. In fact, it isn't just the hotels that are suffering. The whole of the western part of town seems to have lost its attraction in recent years. Both tourists and locals now tend to head east for shopping, wining and dining, or sightseeing.

At the opposite end of the price scale, another kind of a revolution has taken place. Since Berlin's first backpackers' hostel, Fabrik in Kreuzberg, opened in 1995, similar establishments have mushroomed all over the city. Backpackers now flood to places like Circus. Berlin's traditional youth hostels, such as the extremely central Jugendgästehaus Berlin, are equally inexpensive but have a slightly moth-eaten image in comparison to the trendy new backpackers places.

Berlin is a city of two centers, and this is reflected in the concentration of accommodation around Kurfürstendamm in the western city center and Unter den Linden in the eastern center.

Charlottenburg Most hotels in the western city center are located on Kurfürstendamm itself or in the quieter side-streets just off the main strip. Many of the major hotels can be found on the upper end of "Ku'damm" between Uhlandstraße and the Memorial Church, such as Kempinski and Steigenberger on Los-Angeles-Platz, or the Savoy on Fasanenstraße. Cheaper accommodation can be found in a number of modern, medium-sized establishments such as Hollywood Media or the Concept Hotel. If you're looking for something slightly smaller yet equally extravagant, try Bleibtreu or Hecker's. Other more intimate and inexpensive alternatives in the western center are Hotel California and Hotel Augusta.

The area between Breitscheidplatz and Lützowplatz is home to several deluxe hotels: The Palace and the InterContinental, as well as the Schweizerhof, the Grand Hotel Esplanade and Hotel Berlin, one of the largest hotels in town.

Mitte

On the other side of the Brandenburg Gate - in Berlin's historic eastern city center there are several more deluxe establishments vying for potential clients: The Westin Grand Berlin, the Hilton Berlin Hotel, the Four Seasons and the Maritim proArte Hotel Berlin. With the exception of the Hotel Adlon, none are situated directly on Unter den Linden, but in the atmospheric Friedrichstadt quarter near Gendarmenmarkt. Another place worthy of mention is the Hotel Agon on Alexanderplatz.

In all the above-mentioned areas, you'll find that you have to pay a bit extra for the privilege of being so centrally located. But if you don't need your lodgings to be totally central, there are plenty of places that offer great value for the money that are slightly out of the city center. Public transport in Berlin is very reliable and runs throughout the night, so it's generally no problem if you're staying in a hotel slightly further afield. In fact, it can often be a relief to get away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist areas and immerse yourself in the real Berlin. Located next to the Exhibition Center are a couple of more affordable options. For example, the D:O:M:I:C:I:L:, the Kanthotel or the Ibis as well as family-run pensions host guests during major trade shows at the Messe. That means that prices can increase dramatically at certain times of the year. Schöneberg, Kreuzberg, Wilmersdorf & Tiergarten

The Western residential districts of Schöneberg, Kreuzberg, Wilmersdorf and Tiergarten all have a wide range of places to stay, catering to all tastes and all budgets. And it's not always the case that the classy neighborhoods are full of luxurious lodgings and that less well-off districts are full of dingy dives. Thus you'll come across the moderately priced Hotel St. Michaels-Heim in the heart of exclusive Grunewald, the pricey Park Consul (with private golf facilities) in working-class Moabit and the elegant turn-of-the-century Hotel Riehmers Hofgarten in multicultural Kreuzberg.

Prenzlauer Berg & Friedrichshain

On the other hand, the Eastern residential districts still only have a limited choice of medium-sized hotels, with the Park Inn in Prenzlauer Berg and Upstalsboom in Friedrichshain being two rare examples. There are however, plenty of smaller hotels and guesthouses to choose from, such as Hotel Greifswald near Kollwitzplatz.

Lodging Near the Airports

Last but not least, a large number of hotels are congregated around Berlin's three airports. The Dorint Budget Hotel Tegel, Mercure Tempelhof Airport and the enormous Estrel (1,125 rooms) not far from Schönefeld airport in Neukölln, are the most prominent examples.