MsAudie

Would appreciate hearing your favorite sites in Berlin. I will pass on the nightlife spots. Is it possible to find a nice hotel for less than $100 a night? I want a place that is clean but does not have to be a 4-5 star facility. Do any of the hotels offer breakfast as part of the daily rate? I know Berlin is not known for a lot of tourist spots. Are there any tours of a historical nature that one has appreciated?

ben_haines_london

Most of the many tourist sights of Berlin lie on a line from west to east. You will find them on a suitable web site, such as http://www.berlin-tourist-informatio...tes/index.html
From the top of my head, starting in the west, I think of Potsdam, the House of the Wannsee Conference, the Dahlem museums, the Charlottenburg museums and Palace, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the store Ka De We, the Bauhaus centre, the Reichstag, the Jewish Musreum, the museums of the Pergamon Island, the Brandenburg Gate, the Museum at Checkpoint Charlie, the Central Synagogue, Unter den Linden, the Opera, the National Theatre, Alexanderplatz, and the Secret Police headquarters and museum.
The city is good for guided walks, mostly offered in English and German. The site http://www.berlin-tourist-informatio...uw_zufuss.html gives a Survey of guided walks. The daily paper Berliner Zeitung lists them, and the Thursday edition of that paper lists them for the week. I think they are also in Berlin Tips events magazine.

Most hotels include breakfast in their offer. My favourite, in your price range, is the Hotel Krystal. There is a fair review at http://www.tripadvisor.com/ Hotel_Review-g187323-d238406-Reviews-Hotel_Crystal-Berlin.html/. It reads

I quite literally stumbled upon the Hotel Crystal on arrival in Berlin. The Hotel is centrally located, in Savigny Platz about a 10 minute walk from the "Ku-Dam" and 5 minutes from the S-Bahn. We had a room on the top floor with balcony facing the tree-lined street. Very quiet, unassuming and "gemuetlich (comfortable) ". We felt very much at home with our British concierge, Scottish bar friends, and other travelling Americans. If you like a bit of the old world (think Cold War spy movies), you'll love the ambience here. Book well in advance!

But I see no connection with spy movies, and you do not always have to book well in advance, though it is a good idea. The staff are friendly, and keen to tell you how to reach anywhere you have in mind.

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JonJon

I think Ben's recommendations go to show that there are quite a few "tourist spots" in Berlin and I would include the two palaces at Potsdam as well...both Sans Souci and the Nieuw Palace. And I also heartily second the recommendation for visiting Check Point Charlie, the remains of the Gestapo Hq., and indulging yourself in the legendary food court at the Ka De We which is absolutely legendary and for good reason.

Enjoy your visit.
I think one problem is that many folks still don't think of Berlin as a great city to visit and as much as I love Munich, there is FAR FAR more to see and do in Berlin. Of course, the city possesses a much different attitude and outlook than that found in what many consider the much more conservative area of Bavaria. Both places are great and to be experienced.

Many of the hotels in Berlin offer breakfast as part of the rate. The city is easy to get around in with its very extensive Metro and S-Bahn network. I've never taken an organized tour of the city itself and found it easier, using the Berlin Card to seek out the spots at my own pace.

rhkkmk

i was in berlin last month....had not been there since just after the wall came down...we stayed in the former east...it is hoping, i can tell you...the former west looked old to us...we got a great hotel on priceline for $60---4-5 star westin grand...fabulous location..
i did not see mention of the reichtag above...an absolute must of a visit...check point chrlie museum is well worth a couple of hours...there is an audio tour available...
kadewe is great for a lunch with tons of choices./...sit near the big window and look out at the city...

auntgrapes

Last month we stayed at the Quentin Berlin Hotel,
Xantener Street 4, Berlin, +49 (0)30 3435268. Few minutes walk from the Ku'dam. Rate 55 Euro for double, breakfast & parking additional. Very satisfied.

MsAudie

Thanks for the helpfull responses. Some one at NWAWV told me there were not many tourist spots and now I think she only said that to cover the fact they did not have much to offer at their site.
Can anyone give me an idea on what a good airfare would be from MSP to Berlin? Right now they (NWA)are quoting me $900-$1,000 for April. That seems a bit high but I really don't know.