TTess

traveller1959, jake1, hsv, schuler, noe847, Dax, Cherrybomb, thank you so very much!

My daughter is going to book the Q, spending three nights. We thought the hotel was perfect for her.

Next, she's going to review your site seeing suggestions to plan. She enjoys historical and important monuments, along with shopping, fun bars and delicious food native to the area.

I think I'll see if there's a good tour for her to take for a day.

You're a terrific group and I appreciate your assistance, greatly.

cherrybomb

ttess--please leave me off the list of the helpful--i was just bookmarking for my trip this month.

TTess

LOL Cherrybomb - I thought X was the name of a bar you were suggesting. OK, you're Xed off of my list. I take it back.

cherrybomb

I realized that after I posted --sorry, will use bookmark in the future

tower

TTess:

I second Shuler's message about Fasenenstrasse area:
>>>Fasanenstr. near Ludwig Church: Quiet, quaint and lovely little restaurants. No tourists. Best espressos and margaritas were found here.<<<<

On our last visit to Berlin we had a great rate at The Kempinski (corner Fasenenstr. and Ku'damm). Just a block south is an outstanding Italian resto (and many other restos) named Via Condotti..highly recommend it...there seem to many "night spots" in the area also.

Stu T.

BTilke

How is the Gendarmenmarkt area? We may spend a night or two there in September (at the Sofitel). As I'll be traveling with my mother, we won't be clubbing, but would like to be in a nice area.

noe847

BTilke, we've stayed on Gendarmenmarkt two of the three times we've visited Berlin. I think it's the best location - the square is beautiful and has lots of nice restaurants nearby. The U-bahn is quite close, and you're also close to Unter den Linden - and the bus lines. My husband and I are in our 50's, if that helps you. My daughters in their 20's liked the location, but if they were to go on their own, they would probably stay a different area of town.

BTilke

Thanks! If we opt to fly from London, we plan to fly nonstop to Berlin, train down to Dresden which will be our base for several days, then train back up to Berlin the day before we leave, take a tour, spend the night and fly home the next day.

If we opt to train the whole way (Eurostar to Brussels, Thalys to Cologne, overnight in Cologne and train the next day to Dresden and overnight stop in Brussels on the way back) then Berlin will be just a day trip. I'm a train fan, so would prefer this second option, even if does take longer, but flying would be cheaper (even on a "regular" airline) and faster.

TTess

Hey, Btilke! No hijacking!

Is anybody opposed to the area of the Q Hotel in regard to my daughter's needs? We discovered some good rates for their specials.

Cowboy1968

The Q is a in a perfect location. Most fashionable bars and restaurants will be north of Ku'damm, especially in the Savignyplatz neighborhood.

Also lots of upscale shopping. For interior design a trip (in walking distance) to Stilwerk department store may interest her.

Subway is just one block away.

Mitte and Prenzelberg districts went out of fashion once they got into foreign travel guides as "must see" or "in" locations. Only crowds from rural parts of Germany think of those districts still as "chic" nowadays.

BTilke

Sorry, TTess, I did not mean to step on your turf. However, others had suggested other neighborhoods and I had heard good things about both the Gendarmenmarkt and the Sofitel there, which is why I brought it up.

However, I will now bow out of this thread so that its focus is ONLY the Q hotel and ONLY your daughter's trip.

noe847

Well, BTilke, I wouldn't call your question a hijack; more of a piggyback seeing as it's pretty much on the topic "Berlin hotels & hot spots"... Anyway, I sure hope TTess was kidding

Anyway, if you have any follow up questions, BTilke, you might just have to start your own thread. Or you could go to this thread and ask away:
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=34876270
It is a Hamburg thread that was hijacked long ago and it has lots of Berlin info at the end. I'm pretty sure DAX won't mind! Anyway, there are some Dresden trip reports that I could point you to, once you get to a thread you're not hijacking...

Cowboy1968, you are no doubt right about the hip(pest) area, especially for residents, but for our tourist purposes, Mitte has been a good location.

noe847

Oops, meant to add that we did enjoy our time in Charlottenburg and around Savignyplatz on our last visit.

TTess

Of course I was kidding. Hey, this is like one long-running conversation and the more the bettah, right?

DAX

I've never stayed at the Sofitel but have stayed at the Regent hotel next door (when it was Four Seasons). I would recommend the Gendarmenmarkt anytime anyday. It's picturesque and beautifully renovated area, not to mention easy access to most if not all Berlin Mitte atttractions from Checkpoint Charlie, Museum Island to Prenzlauerberg. Lots of great restaurants including Aigner if you are looking for Plachutta type of Tafelspitz with soup. Borchardt is just across the street from Aigner. Lunch specials at Fischer Fritz inside the Regent is also highly recomended.

TTess

Update! The kiddo arrived in Berlin and LOVES the Q! She checked in today. She had to fly from Paris to London to Berlin because there were no direct flights, she could find, from Paris to Berlin. She said she's going to have dinner at the Thai restaurant tonight. She described the hotel as a European version of the W.

Anyway, thanks to those who recommended it. Your expertise is so appreciated - what a wonderful group!

raspberry7

Umm TTess,

>no direct flights from Paris to Berlin<

This is Paris, TX to Berlin, WI, right? Because an informal VERY superficial search gives me at least 7 nonstop flights from Paris (France) to Berlin (Germany) on saturdays and 10 on week days.

I simply wonder how you were able not to find one single direct flight. Or am I missing something?

For European flights you may want to try this site:

www.swoodoo.de

cheers, I hope your daughter enjoys Berlin.

TTess

Rasp - I left the flights up to her...I don't have a clue about her search. It appears that i should've helped, though. Do I dare share your note with her? LOL! She's always been one of those "Mom, I can do it myself" kind of kids. At least she let me help her with the hotel.

gruezi

bookmarking for trip to Berlin with my 2 daughters next week... thanks...

gruezi

TTess

raspberry7 - got my answer from the kiddo who is now safe and sound at home. She said that she had to fly British Air. Therefore, she flew thae aforementioned route.

She loved Berlin and the areas surrounding her hotel, by the way. She wasn't aware of the open nudity and said she was shocked while walking through a park and suddenly seeing a sea of naked people sunning themselves. I guess if you were not expecting it, it would be shocking. LOL!