First time in Berlin at end of January '15.
Any suggestions as to your favorite accommodation/ best location.
Ms. JJ and I like to walk and are comfortable with public transit.
Will eventually be going to their philharmonic hall for Berlin Symphony concert but staying in that area is not essential.
I'd like to say price is no object but... Once I get an suggestions on
the areas of the city, I might try my luck with priceline etc.
Any suggestions on restaurants [and here we can splurge at least one night]also most appreciated.
Thanks for the help

Top-Options are Adlon, Ritz-Carlton, Regent and De Rome. RC is very convenient for public Transport, Walking and the Philharmony. Personally I often stayed at a Grand Suite at RC with Club (important at this Hotel). I like the Potsdamer Platz location. If I had to choose for a first time stay I would take the Adlon. De Rome is although very nice with perfect Location for Museumsinsel, but compared to the others often a little overpriced.I�m not a big fan of the Regent, even if the suites are not bad. Typically Four Seasons of the nineties.

I like the Waldorf Astoria and the Hilton Berlin.
Hilton Berlin is very well located for all the usual sights - it's on Gendarmenmarkt. Next to the metro stop Stadt Mitte.
The Waldorf Astoria has easy access from the airport (Tegel) with a fast public bus and is right next to a metro stop and a train station - Zoo Garten. To go to Potsdam is about 25 minutes on the regional trains from the station. It's in the Kurfurstendam area with a lot of shops and department stores (including Ka-De-We ). And it has a very nice Spa Area.

(Duplicate)

To offerendum's excellent list I would add the Grand Hyatt - modern design, large stylish rooms, good food and service. The Potsdamer Platz location affords easy access to transport, and a very short walk to the Philharmonie.

Berlin hotels are very competitively priced by international standards. Adlon, Grand Hyatt, de Rome, Regent, Ritz Carlton and a few others are all at around EUR 200, or even much lower if you have a good corporate rate.

None sticks out in terms of particularly great (or bad) service, so in the end it comes down to style and location preference.

If you want to be at Potsdamer Platz (not a particularly nice area I find, because everything has been newly constructed after the fall of the wall and it feels a bit artificial - but very close to Philharmonie and convenient to many sights), then I would recommend the Hyatt. The Hyatt is contemporary, as you would expect, the Ritz Carlton is also as you would expect - columns, gold, dark wood etc.

If you want to be in Mitte, I would recommend de Rome. Very close to Gendarmenmarkt, in a refurbished old bank building (pool is in the former vault), esp. the first floor rooms with high ceilings have character.

I agree Adlon is great for a first time stay. It's in THE location 50 meters from Brandenburg Gate, but that also means many tourists crowding the lobby to have a coffee to be able to say they have been there (if you are unlucky).

The Hilton is very nice for a Hilton. Opened quite recently, and the location at Gendarmenmarkt is great, but given that it's about the same rate as the other, more luxurious options, I wouldn't know why to go there.

The Hilton Berlin didn't open quite recently but the WA did.
And the WA is luxurious.
I don't know anything about the prices for the other hotels mentioned but the Hilton is sometimes very cheap.

You must be careful. You can`t really compare the Hilton to any of the other hotels. I heared they have some really ugly rooms for groups. Although Virtuoso give some very good values with guaranteed upgrades at Adlon and Regent. Can be a steal for suites. In the end it`s a question of style.

@ WA: Never stayed at WA but I don`t like the location. It`s great for public transportion and Shopping, but you have a lot of riff-raff around the hotel. Potsdamer Platz (Ritz, Hyatt) is privately owned with more or less no riff-raff. Pariser Platz (Adlon) is although very safe with many embassies (USA, BG) and gouverment buildings around. Would although consider Gendarmenmarkt (Regent) and Bebelplatz (De Rome) as very safe.

Thanks for the information. Many of those hotels mentioned were on my first list. I was given a very good rate for a suite at the Intercontinental
(any comments about this hotel?)
The Waldorf also gave me a good rate with breakfast (both around 165 euro)
Regent web site also looked nice but don't know if I can score a suite at such a low rate. Will need to do a little more research on the De Rome.

Any favorites for a restaurant splurge?

The IC is a solid business hotel. You can`t compare a suite at the IC with a suite at the Regent. Personal I would rate a room at the Adlon or De Rome over a suite at the IC. My favourite Berlin restaurant so far is the Lorenz Adlon. Many people like Tim Raue and Facil. Fischers Fritz at the Regent is also a 2 Michelin star restaurant but I�m not a big fan. Other people I know love it.

As a Berliner, I can't quite comment about the hotel quality, but about the location: I wouldn't go with the Intercontinental because it's well outside the historic center and also a relatively long walk to public transport (Zoo or Wittenbergplatz). I would only consider it if your primary interest is highend shopping on Kudamm (but then the W-A is better) or if you are a state guest (it's the Berlin high-end security hotel).
If you are interested in the historic Berlin, go with something near Gendarmenmarkt (Hilton, de Rome). Some Hilton rooms have a beautiful view to Gendarmenmarkt, but make sure you get this view when booking. Or go with Adlon on Brandenburger Tor. Public transport is nearby in any case.
If you are more interested in the modern (somewhat artificial) Berlin go with something on Potsdamer Platz, like Ritz-Carlton, Marriott (beware of loud street) or Hyatt.
Oh btw, if you're about high-end dining, Berlin has 12 restaurants with Michelin stars. If you are at Gendarmenmarkt I can recommend Vau (http://www.vau-berlin.de/en/), especially the six-course dinner menu. The reinstoff (http://www.reinstoff.eu/english) is also excellent, but significantly more expensive because it's 2 Michelin stars

Regards,
Steffen

I used to live in the Adlon (well, very nearly) and spent probably 80 nights pa for three years. It's a great hotel and the staff will really get to know you. The newest refurbished rooms are very nice, those of the original design are getting on a bit.

I'm not a great fan of the Ritz Carlton anymore. It just feels a bit worn down, and that's because the rooms are so cheap (I negotiated a regular rate of EUR150 there). The design is 'heavy' in that way of how Americans perceive an English club.

I like the Hyatt if you need to be near Potsdamer Platz (which itself is nothing great architecturally). I like the layout of the rooms, and the pool/outdoor deck is great in the summer.

The Sofitel in Mitte is rubbish, where the rooms are the size of broom closets. The one off the Ku'damm (the old Concorde) is ok.

The Hotel de Rome feels dark and depressing to me. The regular rooms have a very generic Rocco Forte feel. I only stayed there a few times and decided it wasn't for me.

The Regent is ok, if you like that Four Seasons 20 years old feel!

Over all I agree. I frequently stayed at the RC because of the Club and my '"usual" suite. Problem is indeed that they give away the "normal" rooms too cheap. But like I said, for a first time leisure trip Adlon would be my first choice, De Rome second.

One thing I always laugh about at the RC is the size of the pool. My bathtub at home is bigger! The bartender (the one with the blond hair) is very knowledgeable though.

Great! May I know your bathtub-brand? To be honest Adlon pool is not so much bigger. Most attractive pool has De Rome, but it`s a little cold.