I'm doing some long range planning for a Europe trip. We expect to stay in Berlin and need some hotel suggestions. The hotels must have modern well lit bathrooms, a decent size room and nice furnishings. Budget - maybe around $275 per night. Also would like to be in the city center near the U Bahn and shopping.

Ok, Billy, I am going to hook you up with the Hotel Melia on Friedrichstrasse. It is right across the street from the Friedrichstrasse Bahnhof. The hotel is brand new with large rooms and nice furniture. The bathroom floors are heated, too.

You can walk to Brandenburger Tor and Reichstag Building. Museum Island is just down the street.

Plenty of shopping on Friedrichstrasse, including Galleries Lafayette and Hermes.

Thin

Hi Bill,

My family loved the Hotel Astoria which is very near the Zoo station. It was great in every way. Close to all public transportation, close to the Savignyplatz area where there are good restaurants, walking distance to the KaDeWe dept. store...I highly recommend it.

Check Priceline for hotels in Berlin. We stayed at the (then) new Marriott for $55/night for a double room a few years ago. Loved the hotel and its location.

Bill;

Depending on when you go you can get most any hotel in Berlin for $275 / night. It easily offers the best selection and value in 4 and 5 * rooms in Europe.

I suggest you pick the area you want to stay in, probably Mitte, or Charlottenburg, depending on what you mean by "center", and then search that area on Expedia or booking.com, for 4 and 5 star hotels only. With just a few exceptions, they are all probably going to meet your criteria, unless there is some trade fair in town.

We enjoyed Hotel Louisa on Kurfurstendam St. All suites and about 10 blocks from KaDeWe.

I also enjoyed my stay at the Melia on Frederichstrasse.

You need to specify what you mean by "in the city center." Berlin sprawls.

We enjoyed our stay at the unique Arcotel Velvet on Oranienburgerstrasse. Tram and bus stops outside the door, subway less than a 5-minute walk. Lots of places to eat and and drink in the immediate vicinity (across the street).

I like the Brandenburger Hof. It's got everything you need and want, plus there's a great restaurant.

I am staying in Berlin 6 or 7 times per year. Almost each time I stay in a different 5-star hotel and never pay more than the equivalent of $275.

I always use www.hrs.de and see which hotel has the best offer. Never tried priceline, but this may work too.

Location is not too important in Berlin, since they have an excellent public transportation system.

I think location is important for some people. I prefer to stay near the museums of the museum isle, but it also should be said that there is an enormous difference in feel, still, between "east" and "west" Berlin.

BillT,

I would recommend the Dorint Sofitel am Gendarmenmarkt. It is located in the Mitte and has 2 U-Bahn stations close by. As the name implies it is located right on the Gendarmenmarkt, a quiet little area a few blocks away from Unter den Linden, plus about a 5 minute walk to Friedrichstrasse.

I stayed there in May 2005 and had a great stay!

I would definitely choose to stay in the Mitte. Close to everything and easy to get around to every other part of the city.

I stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Berlin a few years ago and loved it. It is at the Potsdamer Platz and the U Bahn is right across the street.