Berlin
The first of our wonderful City Guides looks at Berlin; tipped to be one of the hottest destinations in 2008, and with a dedicated team of Market Managers who know their cities inside out and have hand-picked the best deals just for you, hotels.com have helped us pick the most unusual hotels and essential top tips that you won’t find in any guide book.
Quirky Hotels in Berlin
From indoor beaches to relaxing spa treatments in an old bank safe.
Rocco Forte Hotel de Rome (five star) - Enjoy spa treatments in the old bank safe - From £173 per room per night
Housed within the former headquarters of the Dresdner Bank, this hotel was used as a bank during the Cold War by the Eastern German government. Today, the luxury spa is securely kept within the old bank safe where the gold reserves were stored.Â
If you look closely in the lobby, you can still see fragments of WWII grenades lodged into the walls. Live music is played five nights a week and cocktails and dinner are served in a bar that overlooks the inner courtyard.
Hotel Q (four-star) - Relax on the indoor beach - From £96 per room per night
An ultra-cool boutique hotel in the Kurfurstendamm district with its very own indoor beach. Speciality cocktails are on offer in the stylish Hotel Q Bar where the dark red walls are designed to provide seating in one continuous slope from ceiling to floor. The trendy guestrooms resemble futuristic cocoons, with imitation ostrich leather furniture and baths that are sunk into slate surfaces next to the beds.
Arcotel Velvet (four-star) - Star gazing from you bed - From £71 per room per night
This glass fronted hotel is the first of its kind to open in the arty Mitte district and is close to the local bars and restaurants. Cocktails and antipasti are served in the Velvet Bar, with its red and black leather, sheer drapes and Venetian chandeliers. The curtains in the guestrooms defy convention by closing from bottom to top, allowing you to see the stars and sky at night.
HSH Hotel Albergo (four-star) - Sleep in a former Russian Orthodox Church - From £51 per room per night
Housed in a former Russian orthodox church, this hotel is a short drive from the Brandenburg Gate. Sleep in the opulent rooms with rich fabrics and gilt mirrors or enjoying sampling Italian wines in the restaurant cellar.
East Side Hotel (two-star) - View local art from the comfort of your bed - From £67 per room per night
This hotel is located opposite the famous East Side Gallery, the world's largest open-air art gallery, featuring the painted remains of the Berlin Wall. Amazingly, you can see into the gallery by lying on your bed and looking through the bull’s eye windows that face the paintings.
Berlin Hotel Deal
Save a further 25% at the three-star Berlin Plaza Hotel am Kurfuerstendamm. The Knese restaurant will serve up the Berlin speciality, The Currywurst! This typical Berlin dish will be specially prepared for Hotels.com clients. From £56 per room per night.
Berlin Top Travel Tips
The Glass dome of the German Reichstag is open until midnight.
The glass dome in incredibly popular, but this often means long queues. Visit this attraction a little later in the evening and reserve a table at the Kaefers rooftop restaurant to guarantee VIP treatment and the chance to skip the queues.
Rub shoulders with the stars at The Solar Club
When Brad Pitt is in town, this club is one of his favourites. Take the glass lift up to the 17th floor to dine in the restaurant with one of the best views of Berlin, and then climb up the spiral staircase to the bar for a cocktail.
Party above everybody else
The “weekend club†at Alexanderplatz lets you party on the 12th floor, and the lounge area on the 15th floor rooftop terrace means you can sip cocktails while admiring the view.
To book, go to www.hotels.co.uk or call 0871 200 0171