The 18 best hotels in Berlin
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Three decades after the wall came down, Berlin remains a city in constant flux, where the past and present intertwine in wildly innovative ways. A booming capital brimming with youthful energy and creative ideas, it is reinventing itself brick by brick – and nowhere is this more evident than its dynamic hotel scene. New life has been breathed into landmark properties, and dilapidated buildings have been rescued and refashioned into chic boutique stays. Luxe global brands such as Rocco Forte and trendy independent chains such as Sir Hotels arrived on the scene, joining timeless classics that have stood for the past century. From the splashy west to the grittier east, choices in every style and at every price point span the city. Here are the best hotels in Berlin that are open for check-in now.
- Courtesy Waldorf Astoria Berlinhotel
Waldorf Astoria Berlin
$$$Fans of the flagship Waldorf Astoria New York will feel right at home in this Berlin outpost, set in an elegant skyscraper in City West and just around the corner from the exclusive shopping boulevard Kurfürstendamm (Ku’damm). Rooms are seriously big – starting at 452 square feet – and large marble bathrooms have separate tubs and showers in every category. Reached by a separate lift, the Tower Suites (floors 22 to 30) are worth it for the views. For a true splurge, the massive 31st-floor Presidential Suite – complete with a grand piano, open fireplace, and two balconies – has sweeping city views from every room.
- Felix Brüggemann/Chateau Royal Berlinhotel
Chateau Royal Berlin
Featured on our 2023 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
If you listened to the naysayers, you’d believe that Berlin was rather boring these days. “Berghain is so vanilla,” they say. “All the artists are moving out.” Well, here’s a hotel that proves otherwise. Several of the city’s artists hang out within these walls – one or two, perhaps, sitting with an Oyster Eau Martini to hand at the bar – and many more have been involved in designing bedrooms or displaying pieces up the stairs and down the corridors. A bronze self-portrait by Alicja Kwade stands outside, Karl Holmqvist’s neon piece signposts the kitchen, and a bold pink painting by Simon Fujiwara in the lobby picks up the colour of the Persian carpet below. While other so-called art hotels are little more than blank canvases, Château Royal walks the walk: Owner Stephan Landwehr’s connection to Berlin’s contemporary scene goes back to the 1980s when he started out as a picture framer; later, as a restaurateur, he opened Grill Royal, which became popular artists’ haunt. His partner, Kirsten, co-curated the spaces, which flow from the bar through a darkened fireplace room to the restaurant, Dóttir, where Icelandic chef Victoria Eliasdóttir plates up buttermilk-steeped artichokes and linseed meringue. Artists were given free rein in the bedrooms, with results that are occasionally challenging but often surprisingly restrained. With Berlin currently rebalancing itself – the west is regaining its confidence, while Kreuzkölln in the east picks up hipster points – this arty but not too-cool-for-school hotel in central Mitte is a fine place from which to reframe the city. Rick Jordan
- Florian Groehn/Hotel Telegraphenamthotel
Telegraphenamt
The Telegraphenamt, on the lovely Monbijou Park, sits right in the heart of Mitte – a short stroll from Museum Island, meaning everything from the Pergamonmuseum to the James Simon Gallery is at your fingertips. Set in what was previously the most elaborate postal building in Germany, the Haupttelegraphenamt remains a neo-baroque monument in the city centre. Visitors and locals join The Telegraphenamt community via the hotel or vast (and beautiful) members’ club. Interiors are chic while honouring the building’s elegance and history. Eclectic light fixtures, textured seating and injections of artwork make it clear that this hotel is a celebration of Berlin. Dark wood, vaulted ceilings, brick walls, and mood lighting make bedrooms sultry and inviting, spotlighting the centrepiece: a terracotta, fabric-laden bedframe paired. The restaurants are overseen by Roland Mary, the man behind the famed Borchardt Restaurant (I can confirm it’s worth every bit of buzz). ROOT Restaurant focuses on unadulterated, high-quality products, and the team brings culture and storytelling to each dish. The restaurant’s greenhouse space is open and airy (my favourite touch is the bauble lights, each spray painted by a Berlin artist). Nextdoor is Bar ROOT, an alluring area serving cocktails, including a perfect gin Martini. The Telegraphenamt adds another dimension to Berlin’s authority on cool, breathing new life and creativity into the Mitte neighbourhood.
- Courtesy KPM Berlin Hotel & Residenceshotel
KPM Berlin Hotel & Residences
KPM is the vision of Berlin banker Jörg Woltmann, who helped save the 18th-century Royal Porcelain Manufactory Berlin complex, on which the hotel has stood since 2019. The ultra-modern, cube-like building has picked up multiple design and architecture prizes and has been nominated as Europe’s Leading Design Hotel by the 2021 World Travel Awards. Rooms are minimalist, chic, and smartly designed, with functional desks, high-tech wall control panels, and clever built-ins that make the spaces seem larger than they are – aided by the floor-to-ceiling windows. If weather permits, take advantage of the rooftop terrace with great views over Berlin – just remember to bring your own drinks, as there is no bar. Major sites like Tiergarten and the Berlin Zoo are 10 and 15 minutes by foot, respectively.
- Steve Herud/Courtesy Sir Savigny Hotelhotel
Sir Savigny Hotel
A home-away-from-home vibe pervades this stylish boutique hotel, just a short walk from the cobblestoned Savignyplatz in the city’s posh Charlottenburg district. Kitted out with low-slung midcentury-modern furniture, literary-themed artwork, and bookshelves stocked with art tomes, the lobby has plenty of cosy nooks that invite lounging. A long communal wood table in a central kitchen area serves triple duty: a reception desk, breakfast spot, and coworking space for laptop-wielding digital nomads. But the real draw here is the back room, where floor-to-ceiling windows overlook a pretty garden and a circular glassed-in fireplace keeps things warm during chilly Berlin winters. Keeping with the casual, homey ambience, there is no formal reception desk; you check in and out in the lounge.
- Fridolin Fullhotel
Orania.Berlin
Best Berlin hotel for: nightlife lovers
The first — and only — luxury hotel in the edgy Kreuzberg district, Orania.Berlin is surrounded by some of the city’s best nightlife. Yet you may never want to leave the hotel’s glorious restaurant-lounge – an inviting, open-plan space outfitted with a long, curving wood bar, cosy seating nooks, two wood-burning fireplaces, and a raised stage with live piano music most nights. It occupies the ground floor of a restored 1913 Art Nouveau building, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking leafy Oranienplatz. Upstairs, the 41 plush rooms and suites have a subtle Asian flair, styled with exotic woods, Persian carpets, and rich red textiles embroidered with the hotel’s signature gold elephant. The top-floor salon hosts numerous musical and literary events, worth the price of a ticket just for the spectacular views over the neighbouring rooftops.
- Stephan Lemke/Courtesy 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlinhotel
25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin
$Best Berlin hotel for: city panoramas
Given its location, in a 1950s high-rise adjacent to the Berlin Zoo, it’s not surprising that this design-forward hotel has put the jungle theme front and centre. The third-floor reception-café area, dubbed Bikini Island, is a playful homage to its neighbour, decked out with tropical plants, stuffed monkeys, and hammocks positioned to capture views of the zoo’s monkey and bird cages. The 149 modern, open-plan rooms come in three sizes, M, L, and XL, and two themes, Jungle and Urban. The former are cosy, wood-panelled spaces with zoo views, while city-facing Urban rooms are edgier in design, with exposed concrete walls, metal accents, and graffiti art. One of the biggest perks of being a hotel guest is bypassing the queue at its famous Monkey Bar: a private elevator whisks you to the rooftop terrace, offering panoramic vistas of the city and the zoo below from the massive wraparound terrace.
- Matthew Shawhotel
The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin
$$$A recent renovation has brought a fresh, modern look to this five-star property, while its renowned white-glove service remains impeccable. Entry-level Deluxe Rooms are plenty spacious, measuring a generous 430 square feet, but it’s worth trading up to a Deluxe View Room for fantastic views overlooking Potsdamer Platz. The elegant sandstone tower fits right in with the neighbouring skyscrapers on bustling Potsdamer Platz, and is a short stroll to the Holocaust Memorial, the Brandenburg Gate, and Tiergarten park's 519 acres of tree-lined paths and flowering gardens.
- Courtesy Hotel de Romehotel
Hotel de Rome, A Rocco Forte Hotel
$$$Best Berlin hotel for: luxury and location
Housed in a magnificent 19th-century neoclassical bank building in the heart of east Berlin, this lavish five-star spot tops the list of the city’s finest addresses. The lobby is full of historical details – soaring columns, gilt-edged skylights, a wrought-iron staircase – shot through with whimsical contemporary touches, such as a neon-pink birdcage suspended above curved black-velvet booths. In contrast, the 108 bedrooms and 37 suites are far more restrained, decorated in neutral tones with low-key modern furniture and understated artwork. Its Chiaro restaurant now sports a unique Italian-Japanese concept, courtesy of superstar television chef Tim Mälzer. The roof terrace, overlooking cobblestoned Bebelplatz and the copper dome of next-door St Hedwig’s Cathedral, is the place to be in summer.
- PATRICA PARINEJADhotel
Wilmina Hotel
You don’t expect to find a peaceful boutique hotel inside a former women’s prison, but the Wilmina exemplifies Berlin at its finest: a successful fusion of difficult history paired with the new-and-now. The hotel sits on a bustling, highly urban, and very local stretch of Kantstrasse in West Berlin – technically Charlottenburg, but a part so far west that few East Berliners, myself included, and tourists have ever visited – dotted with a handful of dusty antique shops. It’s probably not a place you’d hang out often, but that makes Wilmina even more of a find: You get an authentic taste of Berlin just by coming here. The 44 guest rooms have a similar minimalist look, with calming white walls and pale wood furnishings. Most were created by combining a number of former prison cells; they’re decorated sparingly with framed pressed flowers, and on the small desk you’ll find a nature-related reading selection.
- Nalieshotel
Hotel Zoo Berlin
As entrances go, the 22-metre-long, jade-green, leopard-dotted carpet leading to this swish boutique hotel is certainly one of the more dramatic. The lobby is equally striking, with double-height ceilings, towering windows and doors, and a huge chain-link chandelier at its centre. Below, the oversized red-velvet sofas and high-backed Tom Dixon armchairs look positively Lilliputian. Far less theatrical are the 141 rooms and suites, each individually designed with an Art Deco flair and beautifully appointed with luxurious hardwood floors and rich leather and velvet furnishings. The chic Grace Restaurant serves superb Asian-influenced cuisine and the swanky bar a rather good cocktail, but it’s the rooftop lounge (open seasonally) that really shines thanks to its top-notch views of surrounding West Berlin.
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The Hoxton, Charlottenburg
Ah, a new Hoxton hotel in Berlin. Must be Eastside, you think: Neukölln perhaps, or Friedrichschain, falling asleep to the lullaby thuds of 140BPM techno outside; waking to the gentle graffiti hiss of spray paint. But nein, the 13th hotel in the London-born group has landed in leafy, boulevardy Charlottenburg in the west. Berlin’s going through somewhat of a revival right now, with some excellent new restaurants championing farm-to-table food, and recent homegrown hotel openings (Chateau Royal, Telegraphenamt, Wilmina) creating a buzz. And with the West Berlin scene getting livelier, the Charlottenburg Hoxton has arrived at a fortuitous time. It’s an affordable place to stay with a glam design that taps into West Berlin’s Art Deco heritage, and a restaurant championing Indian cuisine in a city that lacks a little spice in that area.
- Courtesy Schlosshotel Berlin by Patrick Hellmannhotel
Schlosshotel Berlin by Patrick Hellmann
Built in 1914 in the style of a French palace, this magnificent villa has served as a private residence, embassy, naval officer’s club, and later, a luxury hotel, hosting such notable guests as Romy Schneider and Paul McCartney. In 2014, Berlin fashion designer Patrick Hellmann acquired the property and began renovations, restoring its glorious historical details while bringing much of the design – previously done by Karl Lagerfeld in the 1990s – firmly into the 21st century. The 43 rooms and 10 suites feature particularly impressive details: A dual-bedroom Kaiser Suite boasts an antique library with original frescoes, and the first-floor Karl Lagerfeld Suite has lovely Art Deco touches and a stone balcony overlooking the gardens.
- Courtesy Hotel am Steinplatzhotel
Hotel am Steinplatz, Autograph Collection
Vladimir Nabokov, Brigitte Bardot, and Alain Delon all have stayed at this luxury hotel at some point in its history. It opened in 1913 on a quiet, leafy square in posh Charlottenburg and received a renovation a century later as part of the Marriott’s Autograph Collection. The boutique property retains its alluring Art Nouveau flourishes, including a sinuous canopy above the entrance, Moorish arched windows, and exquisite stucco work throughout. The flawless redesign integrates historic decorative elements with contemporary touches. The luxurious boutique vibe and ideal location – just a short walk to the shops along Kurfürstendamm and the Berlin Zoo – make it an enduring draw, even post re-do.
- Courtesy Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlinhotel
Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin
$$$With a prime setting on Under den Linden, just a stone’s throw from the Brandenburg Gate, Hotel Adlon Kempinski is a Berlin landmark, with the most glamorous address of all the city’s five-star hotels. Coffered, arched ceilings in its opulent lobby, overhauled in 2017, now feature updated lighting, which brightens and dims depending on the time of day. There are still plenty of classic details, though, including the enormous stained glass and gold leaf cupola, and the iconic elephant fountain, which was presented to the Adlon in 1930 by India's Maharajah. Rooms are classic and timeless with wood floors and traditional wood furnishings. There's a two Michelin-starred restaurant here, too, as well as the Adlon Spa by Resense – a calm, tri-level space with custom therapies and treatments, and a pool and sauna in another part of the building.
- Courtesy Michelberger Hotelhotel
Michelberger Hotel
$Best Berlin hotel for: scenesters
Set in a 19th-century former factory in the nightclub-filled Friedrichshain district, this artsy enclave is a magnet for cool creatives. Locals and hotel guests alike relax on cushy, low-slung sofas in the open-plan lobby and in the adjoining wine bar-cum-café, a sleek, black-tiled space that buzzes day and night. The 132 accommodations are individually designed and cater to a variety of different groups and budgets, from Cosy rooms built for two to sprawling suites outfitted with multiple beds for larger groups to pricier fourth-floor rooms featuring organic German mattresses, terrazzo tilework, and handblown globe lights. Come summer, the lively courtyard beer garden draws a crowd with regular concerts from indie bands.
- Martin Nicholas Kunz,Heike Fademrecht/Courtesy Hotel Oderbergerhotel
Hotel Oderberger Berlin
Pergamon Museum architect Ludwig Hoffmann designed this palatial public bathhouse in 1898, and the building’s grand spaces and marvellous historical elements were preserved in its conversion to a boutique hotel. The centrepiece is the original 65ft-long heated indoor pool, set beneath a towering vaulted ceiling and framed by enormous windows and dramatic stone arches. Equally striking, the tri-level restaurant, housed in the former boiler room, retains its 50ft ceilings, brick walls, steel girders and old pressure valves. Chic, neutral rooms come in a variety of layouts, with the most impressive being the top-floor apartments with floor-to-ceiling windows, kitchens and balconies overlooking the charming Prenzlauer Berg district.
- Jens Bösenberg
AMANO East Side
The newest entry from Berlin’s stylish-yet-affordable Amano Group sits in the vibrant, edgy Friedrichshain neighbourhood, a short stroll to the nightlife along the banks of the Spree and the East Side Gallery, the longest surviving section of the Berlin Wall. The ground-level East Side Bar is a lively spot with swish cocktails and late-night DJs; come summer, the rooftop Sky Bar – with its stellar TV Tower views – promises to be one of Berlin’s top drinking destinations. The 174 rooms are sexy little hideaways, featuring dark wood floors, deep grey furnishings, and gold and marble accents. Opt for the larger Comfort category for a king-sized bed and rear garden views.
Address: AMANO East Side, Stralauer Platz 30-31, 10243 Berlin, Germany
Price: Doubles from about £60