My wife and I are in our early 30s and are spending 2 nights in Munich and 1 night in Berlin and I need some help with picking hotels. Here are some of the qualities I would like in the hotel:

- Near the main train station
- Bathroom in the room
- Less than $150 per night
- A contemporary/modern feel

I've checked hotels.com and tripadvisor.com, but I keep getting such conflicting opinions. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

If you have a little time to learn to bid on Priceline, you can stay in great hotels in these two cities for under $100/night.

Go to www.bidding fortravel.com and scroll down to Germany Hotels. Open the Hotel List to see which hotels you would be likely to get at a certain star level. Find the list of successful bids to help you determine the amount to bid. The moderators will even help you construct your bid, but you have to do your homework first!

We stayed at the new Berlin Marriott for $55/night in October 2004.

While the Berlin Marriott certainly is nice enough, it is located on Potsdamer Platz, which is not too close to one of the major domestic train stations (Berlin Zoo or Ostbahnhof). $ 55.00 would be a steal, though and if you'd get it for that you'd certainly be happy. Its surroundings are still a bit artificial, yet happening. And Potsdamer Platz is basically just in between the Western Center and the Eastern one, with the Brandenburg Gate just steps away. I like being there, while others claim it is a bit touristy.

I'd like to throw in the suggestion of the Radisson SAS Hotel. It is reasonably close to Ostbahnhof, sparkling new, facing the Museum Island and Berlin Dome, definitely contemporary in design and overall a very nice place that often can be booked at a rate of € 99.00 if the reservation is well in advance.

In the Western Center in a swank side-street off Ku'damm, Hotel Bleibtreu is a modern design outfit housed in a gracious old building that gets pretty good reviews (I haven't stayed there, just walked by). It is about a 10 min. walk from Zoo station.

The Le Meridien in Munich might fit your budget. Newer hotel, modern and right across from the main train station. Very nice. I paid 99 euros for a nice double room last year.

Hi
Check out the Movenpick Berlin. A coverted Siemans buildings. designed by Phillipe Starcke if you want a reasonably priced 4* hotel. we stayed there for 4 nights last Sept. Movenpick has a US 800#. It cost us about $100 per night incl. a
great bkfst buffet. Its close to Potsdammer Plotz train station and the Anhalter station that was closed last fall. Great location to most sights by walking. A very contemporary, modern hotel.

My wife and I just booked 3 nights (end of March)at the Tryp hotel in Munich through Orbitz.

The rate is $82 (US Dollars) a night and includes breakfast.

People generally had good things to say about the hotel through www.tripadvisor.com

I'll second Canterbury's recommendation of the Le Meridien - it seems to meet your criteria. Our double room there was quite nicely appointed and spacious - the rate was also 99 Euros.

Thanks to everyone else for some great tips!

If you can <b>get</b> the LeMeridien in Munich for 99 Euros a night then GO for it..that would be about as cheap as that place ever gets and it is right across the street from the main rail station.

In Berlin, I'd honestly tell you to at least look at the Best Western Hotel President, especially one of their &quot;club&quot; rooms. About a ten-minute walk from the Zoo station, two blocks from the town's largest department store and the U-Bahn, great buffet breakfast...but it isn't one of the biggies at the Potz-place and it isn't &quot;in Mitte&quot; where a lot of people think you have to stay...

The Augusta Berlin is very nice and very much in your price category. It's a three-star hotel at the corner of the Ku'damm and Fasanenstrasse, a short walk from Zoo Bahnhof. I got a good rate there from the Berlin tourist information website.

we stayed at apollo hotel, 5 min. walk from train station...great breakfast, excellent staff, and very clean.