Orta

For our Berlin trip at the middle of August we will stay for 5 nights at Express by Holiday Inn Berlin City Centre (Stresemannstrasse 49). I read mixed things about the area. What do you think?
By the way, does anyone know the location of a supermarket and cheap places to eat dinner near the Hotel?
Our specific interests are: history of art, museums, industrial heritage, photography, walking... we thank you for any suggestions.

Dukey

Sorry, I cannot comment about the specific area as I usually stay in another part of the city.

If you are at all interested in palaces I recommedn you consider a day trip out to Potsdam which can easily be reached by public transport (rail) for a look at either the New Palace or Sans Souci or both.

Dukey

Oh, and the Checkpoint Charlie Museum is worth a visit too, IMO.

carolinetaylor

I second the checkpoint charlie museum, absolutely fascinating, although the checkpoint itself is a bit of a let down.


I'd also recommend doing a berlin walking tour to give you a good grounding on Berlin. There are plenty of companies, just type in berlin walking tours.

As for the area in which you are staying, i didn't stay there but was around that area at night and i didn't see any problems. Berlin in general is a safe city, just take the precautions that you would in any big city.

caroline_edinburgh

I can't comment on the hotel location but here's a link to my trip report from 2 years ago, in case it helps with things to do - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34614269. We loved Berlin and went back earlier this year, but I still haven't got round to updating my trip report with what we did this time. We stayed in Mitte again this time but at a different hotel.

sjj

I recommend the Pergamon Museum. It's on the Museum Insul, a small island in (I think) the Spree about a mile east of the Brandenburg Gate. The main exhibits in the Pergamon are a temple frieze from (natch) Pergamon, a Greek city in modern day Turkey, and the Ishtar Gate, from a temple in modern day Iraq. Both are outstanding, particularly the temple frieze.

JoeTro

Click on my name to scroll back a bit for my trip report in late April or early May. There are a ton of great museums.

PalenQ

<I read mixed things about the area>

please elaborate as i too think the whole Berlin Mitte is very safe in my many walks around there.

wellididntknowthat

Agree with Pal, I stayed just of Potzdammer Strasse in September last year and found it very safe. Its also very well positioned. Berlin is very large city and because of its recent history still very disjointed and the sights widely dispersed across a large area. Mitte is a good spot for getting to both East and West Berlin and well situated for the museum districts.

caroline_edinburgh

The OP's hotel isn't in Mitte, it's in Kreuzberg.

PalenQ

Though Kreuzberg has a Bohemian reputation i feel totally safe there as anywhere in Berlin - Mitte adjoins Kreuzberg so Kreuzberg is a good location for major sights.

scrb

I would ask the concierge or reception about the closest supermarkets near the hotel.

The one store I found was called HIT I think, which is a chain.

On Potsdam, make sure you find a rail map, because I had to change trains at one of the S-Bahn stations at the edge of zone B and took the wrong train because I was unfamiliar with where the stations were geographically.

Also found that they have different ticket vending machines where some, it's easy to buy tickets and on others, it's bizzare, they just print the routes but won't issue a ticket.

Cheap places to eat, check out Laganos and Vapiano. Believe they both have web sites and they have several locations. Good relatively cheap Italian food that they make for you at each station (salad, pasta, etc.). Laganos has a great grilled chicken salad.

Kadewe has a famous large food court on the 7th floor and also smaller bars in the 6th I believe. Both fairly expensive but nice place to eat and probably cheaper than many sit-down restaurants.

carolinetaylor

Forgot to mention that during the day you'll find there are vendors selling bratwurst all over (mainly around the train stations) these are really nice and suffice for a lunch on the go.

Also there are many kebap shops, which do gorgeous kebaps for around 3-4 euro and they are delicious mmmm.

I went to a small restuarant called Austria on Bergmannstr and it was gorgeous, i had a pork roulade thing with veg and it was beautiful.

There is also the lindenbrau in potsdamer platz, serves pub food, massive portions and cheap.

From my memory of Kreuzburg, there were quite a few small supermarkets selling all different types of foods

kkukura

I just got back from Germany and we stayed at that hotel for three nights last week. You get out at the Anhalter Strasse bahnhof and just walk down the street a short distance and the hotel is on the right. We found it easier sometimes to take the Potsdamer Platz subway and just walk from there to the hotel...maybe a 10 minute walk. Most connections that you will need are at the Potsdamer Platz subway. Across the street from the hotel is a nice Italian restaurant that we ate at. Also down the street across the street from the hotel, on the way to the subway, is an Aldi store which sells a lot of things you might need. The breakfast is served in a large room and it is your typical German breakfast- very nice. The room was comfortable and we found the location convenient with the subways so close by. The area is very safe. I traveled with three teenagers and we were out until different times and never felt unsafe...for that matter I never felt unsafe in Berlin at all. When we arrived we took a 4 hour bike tour by Fat Tire Tours near the Alexanderplatz. It was great. We got to see many sights in the city and from there decide what we wanted to go back and see more of. I would highly recommend taking a tour of some sort upon arrival so you get a feel for the layout of the city. One of the best museums I have been to is the Jewish History Museum which is within walking distance from the hotel. If you have time order a RedMap online. It was so helpful to me- sights were listed, subways, bus routes, etc, and information about sights, etc. If I can be of more help just let me know.

PalenQ

is an Aldi store which sells a lot of things you might need.

Aldi is super cheap and super painful to shop in - especially if you're getting a few items - you are typically far back in queue behind folks with a year's supply waiting to cashier out.

I literally spent a half hour for a few items recently at a Berlin Aldi (because it was the only supermarket around by hotel) and swore never again.

This is a typical experience at the many Aldi's i've been in in Germany and France.

kleeblatt

I've just been to Berlin. My trip report: http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...n_name=schuler