Torn between Berlin areas, please help!
 

Going next June with two 17 year olds. I know that the Ku'damm has more shopping and that Mitte is closer to more museums. I definetly want to visit Museum Island. I don't want the kids to be bored by their immediate surroundings as sometimes they're just going to want to walk out the hotel within walking distance and go somewhere interesting. I'm prepared to spend up to $200 per night. With so many choices my head is spinning! Is Mitte the nicer and more appealing section to be located? I will do some shopping, just don't want that to the focus.

I liked the Mitte because of history and vicinity to the Tiergarten.

I also liked Fasanenstr. near Ludwig Church (near Ku'damm) Quiet, quaint and lovely little restaurants. No tourists. Best espressos and margaritas were found here.

I've stayed in both and liked both.

I enjoyed my stay at the Grand Hotel Esplanade, which is near the Tiergarden and between Mitte and the Ku.

Many parts of Mitte were rebuilt in the charmless Soviet style.

I've also stayed in Prenzlauer Berg and enjoyed that atmosphere too. The 17 year-olds might like it better as well.

I stayed at Hotel-Pension Bregenz just off the Ku'damm with my two teens a couple of years ago. We loved pension and the young owners; the location is a quiet neighborhood just a few blocks from the Ku'damm. We ended every evening strolling along the Ku'damm window shopping and people watching.

>I know that the Ku'damm has more shopping<

Yeah, who says so? That is a falacious statement.

Galleries Lafayette and Quartier 206 are right on Friedrichstrasse in East Berlin. So is Hermes. so is Wempe. Meissen is on Unter den Linden.

There are lots of trendy boutiques in Prenzlauer Berg. Art galleries, too.

I am a world-class shopper. I am the fashion advisor to all of Fodorville.

Thin

:bows deeply to Thingorjus:

Sorry if I have offended thee, hate to come looking like a hayseed.

We have travelled to Berlin with our teens several times so we have learned what they like. I would recommend staying in the Mitte preferably near the border of the trendy young Prenzlauerberg. One hotel that comes to mind within your price range is Melia Berlin which is right on Friedrichstrasse between the tourist blvd Unter den Linden and the trendy & lively Oranienburgerstrasse & Hackesher Markt. The Museum Island is also close to the Melia hotel. There are plenty more hotels in your budget south of Unter den Linden (eg. Hilton, Westin), but the area may not be as particularly interesting for teens to explore on their own, too sterile?

Another Mitte area to consider is the area where Unter den Linden blends with Alexanderplatz. Your teens may enjoy exploring the immediate area on their own, one hotel I can think of is SAS Radisson .

Our kids also like the new & modern Potsdamerplatz area because it is always lively and plenty for teens to look at and explore.

I stayed at the Melia last December.
It is extremely hard to book a room there in June.

Thin

We stayed at the interesting Arcotel Velvet on Oranienburgerstrasse. Loved the location--lots of places to eat (or dine), clubs, etc. Easy walking distance to many sights, plus the tram and buslines are right outside the front door. Subway just a couple of blocks away.

I am staying at least a dozen times per year in Berlin, often with my family which includes teenage boys who are now 19.

The first thing I do is checking www.hrs.de for the selected dates.

Since we prefer a hotel with a swimming-pool, I search only for hotels with pool.

Often, there are very good offers.

Two weeks ago we got a very reasonable rate at the Hotel de Rome (Rocco Forte) which is one of the best hotels in central Berlin.

But we have also stayed in
- the Hilton which has an excellent location (check the Hilton website directly, they are usually not listed by HRS),
- Maritim ProArte (usually good rates, close to Oranienburger Straße which is a trendy place for nightlife and S-Bahnhof Friedrichstraße)
- Westin Grand
- Adlon (somewhat posh)
- Grand Hotel Esplanade (a designer's dream)
- Intercontinental (often good reates, good bar in the Hotel)
- Dorint Sofitel Schweizerhof (nice pool)
- Bristol Kempinski (somewhat dated, but often with good rates)
- Palace (also dated, but also with good rates)

Since public transport in Berlin is excellent, location does not matter that much.

Trendy neighborhoods are Lietzenburger Straße and the side streets of Ku'damm in West Berlin, also the area around Lützowplatz (where the Esplanade is). In Mitte, trendy areas are Oranienburger Straße/Hackesche Höfe, Gendarmenmarkt (not far away) and Prenzlauer Berg/Friedrichshain.

For 17-year-old teenagers, Berlin will be a lifetime experience. There they can do everything which is "verboten" in the USA. A nightly stroll along Oranienburger Straße will be fun!

Yes, an evening walk along Oranienburgerstrasse can be quite educational!