Berlin’s distinct personality shines through in its hotels. You’ll find everything here—rooms individually designed by artists at Arte Luise Kunsthotel; funky indoor camping at Hüttenpalast; ship cabins on the Spree River at Eastern Comfort; or classic European luxury at Hotel Adlon Kempinski. There’s something for everyone.
Although much of the city was destroyed during the war, many of the city’s hotels are in beautiful historic buildings, from old boarding houses like the Honigmond Hotel to the neoclassical Hotel de Rome, formerly a 19th-century bank. But with tourism on the upswing, the hotel industry is happily expanding to accommodate. New buildings seem to go up every day, including the Waldorf Astoria, a 1920s-style skyscraper in West Berlin, and Monbijou Hotel, on the quiet Monbijou park, which feels more like a neighborhood spot, although it’s just around the corner from a buzzing marketplace. Though prices in midrange to luxury hotels have increased, Berlin's first-class hotels still tend to be less expensive than their counterparts in Paris, London, or Rome, with comparatively spacious rooms.
Many of the city’s hotels are found around the major destination spots in Mitte—home of the Berlin Cathedral, Museum Island, and many other landmarks—and recently, a string of new, fashionable hotels have been opened around West Berlin’s ritzy shopping boulevard Kurfürstendamm in Charlottenburg; these are great places to stay if you’re looking to pack in lots of sightseeing. But Berlin is an expansive city, and there are great farther-flung accommodations as well: Schlosshotel im Grunewald, near the beautiful Grunewald forest; Das Stue, in Tiergarten park, or the 25hours with an insider’s peek into the Berlin Zoo animal dens; and artist-inspired Hotel Klee, in the low-key residential neighborhood of Friedenau, a short ride away from the bustle.
Hotels listed here as $$$$ often come down to a $$ level on weekdays or when there is low demand. You may also have the option to decline the inclusion of breakfast, which can save you anywhere from €8 to €30 per person per day.
The least expensive accommodations are in pensions, which are similar to bed-and-breakfasts. These basic lodgings have limited amenities but include a European breakfast spread, which usually consists of bread, jam, meats, and cheeses. These are mostly found in western districts such as Charlottenburg, Schöneberg, and Wilmersdorf.
German and European travelers often use apartment-rental agencies for longer stays, and Americans on a budget should consider this as well (apartments start at €350 per month). In Berlin, double rooms with shared bathrooms in private apartments begin at around €33 per day.
