As part of our vacation to Germany and Austria, my wife and I will be staying in Berlin for 4 days and 3 nights toward the end of the trip. We know nothing about Berlin. We are not looking for a hipster/cool area – maybe something like the 6th arrondisement in Paris, Mariahilf in Austria, or the Upper West Side in NYC (although those locales may not be comparable). Can anyone recommend an area in Berlin for us to stay as tourists for this period of time?
Thanks.
I travelled for work a few years back and stayed at the Marriott in Potzdamer Platz. Overall a good location near the wall, checkpoint charlie, etc, central to transportation and lots of walkable options. I wasnt able to do much touristy things but seemed a good spot to base camp.
Back in September we stayed at The Westin Berlin. Walking distance to lots of tourist and other attractions. Good mix of plenty of restaurants in the area.
We’ve stayed in Potzdamer Platz at the Ritz Carlton, which we liked, and the Hotel de Rome twice, which we loved. Both are in excellent locations, the Hotel de Rome adjacent to Gendarmenmarktt, the Humbolt, and Museum Island, being even more convenient than Potzdamer Platz. We’ll likely stay at the Hotel de Rome again on our next visit ro Berlin.
Thanks very much for the recommendations.
Are these hotels located in very busy areas, like Times Square in NYC or Union Square in SF? That type of area would not be of less to us. We’re looking for a well-located quieter area. Getting older I guess….
I go to Berlin regularly for opera so generally stay in the Mitte, near the Komische Oper and the Staatsoper. Usually I’ll book an apartment as I am there typically for 2-3 weeks and like to have a kitchen (besides, I generally dislike staying at hotels). However on one trip I was going to be in town for just 4 days and booked at a place that had been highly recommended to me by one of the Komische’s employees: Berlin - Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin | Clipper Boardinghouses This proved to be excellent for a short stay (a mere 2 blocks from the Komische!), a smartly updated studio with a kitchenette (small fridge, microwave, hot water kettle, coffee maker) and Wintergarden (sunroom) with view down Behrenstrasse. It’s convenient to transport and easy walking distance to the Museumsinsel, Reichstag, shops, restaurants. If you are there for just a few days this is a good place to be as there is a lot to do in a compact and walkable area.
If you are interested in visiting the Reichstag you should book well in advance, particularly if you want an English-language guided tour. Ditto for a visit to the Boros Foundation or tickets to some of the performing arts venues like the Philharmonie or the Boulez-Saal which tend to sell out early.
Mia,
Are you familiar with Anooshah Golesorkhi?
That name doesn’t ring a bell.
I would say they are not that level of busy. Sure, Berlin is a cosmopolitan city and there are plenty of cars and people about these areas. But definitely not to the level of NYC Times Square in my book. That’s a whole different level.
look up Prenzlauer Berg…
also the area around Bahnhof Zoo/KaDeWe
Berlin is Germany’s largest city but occupies a large area so it does not feel as compressed as Manhattan. It is a remarkably green city, too–apart from the many parks and green zones there are loads of allotment gardens available for residents to use (more than any other German city in terms of percent land use). You can hunt within city limits (roe deer, wild boar), and like most of Germany is quite dog-friendly. I could quite happily live in Berlin.
Thanks Mia. Not looking to move there. 
Never been there and I’m just looking for a good, convenient area of the city to stay for a few days without too much hustle and bustle.
Honestly, I’d stay in the Mitte for its walkability to some of Berlin’s main attractions. The S-Bahn and U-Bahn and buses and trams are easy to navigate (even Google Maps works with this) if you want to get beyond walking distance.
Four days isn’t a lot of time given the abundance of things to see/do–the Museum Island alone could occupy that time, there is a ton of music and theatre (some theatres will have subtitles), and of course plenty to see that’s of historical and/or contemporary interest. But it all depends on what you’re interested in doing.
Following. Headed to Berlin in September for the Marathon. Staying at the Hotel Luc.
BTW, this is another good Berlin thread:
Thank you Paul and Mia!
We love Berlin and have stayed at both the Westin Grand Berlin (close to museums, KomischeOper our favorite), Hotel Adlon near the Brandenburg Gate, and a smaller boutique hotel, Hotel Brandenburger Hof. We really enjoy staying in what was the former East Berlin. We love Berlin - amazing city and easy to get around. Lots of dining and sightseeing options.
Thanks Scott. I’ll take a look at at it. I’m a Marriott Bonvoy cardholder, so that may work well.
Thanks James. Will check those areas out.
Thank you Lori. because of the overwhemingly gray and dank image of the former East Berlin portrayed in movies, I was hesitant to stay in that area. I’ll take a look at those hotels.
the old East Berlin is characterised by gorgeous wide boulevards
and buttugly architechture…
they still have not filled in all the shell-holes that Zhukov & Co left in 1945
used to be a wonderful winebar/restaurant in Prenzlauer Berg called Weinstein
…the proprietor died few years back; no idea what became of the place
best recs around Bahnhof Zoo are the Turkish restaurants
and the Turkish hotdog stands serving Lamacuhn…
i have spent a great deal of time in Berlin
never found it to be anything approaching a Culinary Destination
…one does far better for that in Munich
and as far as that goes
Munich can not hold a candle to Vienna,
or any major city in France