iapetus

I was hoping that someone might help me narrow down the list of places and neighborhoods in which I might stay on my trip to Berlin next month.

I have business in Adlershof, but I'm pretty sure that I don't want to stay there. There are just too many fun, interesting and neat places to stay in Berlin! With regards to wants/needs, I

• would like to stay no more than ~45 minutes by S-/U-bahn from Adlershof (no more than one connection),
• would like a nice friendly pub or beer garden from which I can enjoy some World Cup football and
• need to keep the cost per night to within ~160 euro.

I prefer a fun neighborhood to a touristy one, but I'm flexible (I had considered staying in Mitte after all, but I realized that my hotel is probably too expensive). Perhaps there's more to Adlershof than I realize?

Thoughts?

ex-koelner

Every district and neighborhoud along the southern or eastern strech of the 'Ringbahn' (i.e. circle line S 41/42) would meet your requirements, especially Friedrichshain and Neuk�lln have plenty of pubs and bars and are very lively neighborhoods. Neuk�lln is a weird mixture of ethnic and migrant businesses on the main roads and a kind of hipster place in the side roads.

160EUR per night should be easily feasible, even in Mitte if you look aroung a bit.

Fanjet

I would stay off of the S9 line, which stops at the Adlershof station and makes up the eastern half of the Ringbahn. There are hotels near the Landsberegr Allee and Prenzlauer Allee stations. The latter having more things to do in the neighborhood. However, the S-Bahn runs from the city towards the suburbs until around 1am (24-hrs on Fri and Sat nights). So you might want stay in Adlershof and commute to your entertainment venues instead (throughout the city).

ToGo

over the years i stay in different ihg hotels in berlin maybe if you finde some you can ask more for an short review.

LondonElite

Ŵhatever....

I suggest the Adlon. It's the nicest in Berlin.

iapetus

It's gorgeous ... and more than 100 euro over per diem.


I'm leaning back towards Mitte. I really like the idea of staying along the Ringbahn, but none of the hotels really strike my fancy. The Nhow Berlin caught my attention, but it seems hemmed in by rather large streets; the neighborhood doesn't strike me as very relaxing or walkable. If I do stumble upon somewhere cool in Friedrichshain or Neuk�lln, I'll definitely reconsider.

LondonElite

Berlin is flush with 5* hotels. I quick search on Kayak or similar should get you into a decent property for well under 200. I sometimes stay at the Ritz where I have negotiated a rate of less than 160.

helosc

I like the location of the Hilton on Gendarmenmarkt.
Metro stop right outside hotel ( stadtmitte ).
As far as I can see you can do your trip to Adlershof by taking U6 to Tempelhof and changing there to S45 to Adlershof.

LondonElite

Try the rates at the Regent before you commit to the Hilton. The Regent has much nicer rooms (it's the old Four Seasons). The Westin is not good, the Hilton is not great, the Sofitel (on the west side of the square) has pretty small rooms but is a decent hotel.

iapetus

That's good to hear. I hope it turns out to be fun. I'm sure it will. It's Berlin!!!

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.


Although I've got a reservation at the Hilton, Travel will let me change my mind on lodging. So I'll take a look at the Regent. I had found a boutique hotel near Alexanderplatz which looked pretty nice ... especially the bar. Doesn't look like the Hilton can compete there.

Good to know about the Westin; I had looked at that property.


My only regret (whichever hotel I pick) is that I'm going to have to leave Berlin a little earlier than I'd like. Just the way my schedule worked out. I will have one free day (Thursday). I'd have liked to leave mid-day on Friday but ... well ... united.com isn't exactly the best tool and United CS can be well ... lacking. And Saturday flights were too expensive. No matter; I'll have more time to explore a country that is new to me (the Netherlands).

So my flight to AMS (via CPH) on SK leaves TXL at 9:40am on a Friday. Any thoughts on how early I need to be at TXL? Is 8:00am too early? From what I recall TXL isn't all that big, but it has been a long, long time since I've used that airport. My memory could (and probably is) failing me and/or it could have grown in the intervening years. I will be checking a bag and do have *G status.

linglingfool

Don't worry, TXL is more or less the same tiny airport you remember, because the perpetually-delayed BER airport that was scheduled to replace it five years ago still hasn't opened. Unless you want to spend time in the lounge, an 8:30 arrival should provide more than sufficient time.

LondonElite

If you fly back on Sunday, wouldn't you benefit from a cheaper fare (Saturday night stay)? TXL is a one-hour-before airport!

cph_flyer

Note that SAS flights departs from terminal D and check in usually opens around 2 hours before departure.
Terminal D is certainly not the most exciting place to spend more time than necessary, so if you have spare time you could visit the very nice Lufthansa lounges. They are located landside on the first floor in the main terminal.

Analise

I used Priceline to get a 5* hotel in Berlin last August for 5 or 6 nights. I think my accepted bid was ~$85/night at a hotel off Ku'damm near the Zoologischer Garten BH.

iapetus

The one-way fare from TXL to AMS (I really wanted to stick with *A flights for PQM purposes) was pretty comparable between Friday and Sunday. Actually, I think the schedule was a little better on Friday. So I opted to leave Berlin early in order to explore more of a place I've never been. Coulda gone either way.

Cool. I'll plan on leaving for TXL at 8:00am.


Will I have access to their lounge? I know that I should have access as a *G member on an international flight, but I didn't think that intraEurope flights count for that purpose. If I'm mistaken about that, will I also have lounge access at CPH?


The inability to control exactly where I'll be is something that has always put me off of Priceline. If this were purely personal travel, however, I might be willing to be more flexible.