Deciding on an area to stay in Berlin for those who visit for the first time can be quite difficult. This is so because with an extension of almost 900 square km and 45 kilometers from end to end it is one of the largest cities in the world. To this is added that it is a city of urban contrasts, with very different neighborhoods.
While Mitte is the district where you first want to book a hotel, it doesn’t have to be the best option for everyone. Depending on what you take, whether visiting the best known monuments, shopping, seeing the most alternative Berlin, enjoying its intense nightlife, or staying in a quiet and green area, you should opt for one area or another.
The best areas to stay in Berlin
The most recommended areas to stay in Berlin are in Mitte, which is the center of the city, and in several surrounding neighborhoods such as Charlottenburg, Tiergarten, Schöneberg, Kreuzberg, or Prenzlauer Berg.
Mitte is the most demanded area. However, the other neighborhoods can be a very good option, or even better, depending on what you are looking for for your stay in the German capital.
Berlin is a city with a lot of history, and neighborhoods with a lot of personality that have very interesting things to see and experience. Here are the best areas to book your hotel.
Mitte
Mitte is the central section of ancient East Berlin. Before the war and the division of the city, it was the center of Berlin. After the reunification it regained its ancient importance to such an extent that many tourists never visit the western side of the city.
Being the oldest and most historic part of Berlin, Mitte has numerous cultural attractions and more and more restaurants, clubs, shops and artistic movements. If you really want to be where the action is, stay in Mitte.
At its western end are the Potsdamer Platz and the Brandenburg Gate. The neighborhood extends along the great boulevard Unter den Linden, which begins at the Brandenburg Gate.
This boulevard houses palaces and monuments of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and there are also two of the three most important opera houses in the city such as the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and the Komische Oper.
In this district is also located the Museum Island (Museumsinsel), declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and where there are 5 of the most important museums in Berlin. The colossal Berlin Cathedral sits on the eastern edge of Unter den Linden. These are just some of the things you can find in this area.
Within Mitte there are several differentiated areas. The most popular areas for booking hotels in Mitte are Friedrichstrasse, Alexanderplatz, the Brandenburg Gate, and Potsdamer Platz. However, any area of this district is a success.
Accommodations in Mitte (Berlin)
Friedrichstrasse
Friedrichstrasse is the most important shopping street in Berlin. In it you will find the main international brands, boutiques, and many luxury stores. In addition restaurants abound, and it is known for its theaters.
It is a good area to stay in Berlin although the offer of accommodation consists almost exclusively of expensive hotels. The cheapest options in this area are near the Checkpoint Charlie.
Friedrichstraße Hotels
Alexanderplatz
Alexanderplatz is one of the best known squares in the city. Completely destroyed during World War II it was rebuilt during the Soviet era following a very communist style.
It is one of the emblematic sites of Berlin, the Television Tower that rises to 368 m high and is still one of the tallest structures in Europe.
A short distance from the square, south of the square and near the river Spree, is the charming neighborhood of San Nicolás. The neighborhood has taverns and restaurants by the river that make it an ideal place to go out for lunch or dinner, and for an entertaining walk.
Alexanderplatz accommodations
Brandenburg Gate
This area is home to two Berlin icons such as the Brandenburg Gate itself and the Reichstag, a building that houses the German Bundestag (the German Parliament). It is also the headquarters of many ministries, institutions, and embassies.
It is one of the most elitist and expensive areas of the city. Virtually all of its hotels have quite high prices. It is a top sleeping area in Berlin.
At the Brandenburg Gate you are in an elegant and clean area, very central and well connected, and that allows you to enjoy all that Mitte has to offer besides being able to relax and stroll through Tiergartenpark.
Accommodations near Brandenburg Gate
Potsdamer platz
Postdamer Platz is another popular area to stay in Berlin. It is the most important financial and commercial district of the city. It is the headquarters of many companies and offices, and large shopping centers. It is an area that is close to everything, with lots of life and many leisure options.
Hotels in Potsdamer Platz
Tiergarten
The area known as Tiergarten includes the immense Tiergartenpark which is the green lung of Berlin, and a residential and business district of the same name located near the Bahnhof Zoo.
It is a very central area that borders Mitte. At its eastern end is the famous Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag (the German Parliament building).
Tiergarten has such interesting tourist attractions as the Kulturforum, which houses the Berlin Philharmonie, the famous Gemaldegalerie (Painting Gallery), the Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery), and other museums. It also houses the Berlin Zoo, and the emblematic Victory Column.
It is one of the best areas in West Berlin to book your hotel. It has the advantages of playing with Mitte, being an ideal green area to get away from the urban hustle and bustle of other areas, and to have a good offer of restaurants.
Hotels in Tiergarten
Charlottenburg
The Charlottenburg district is the richest and most commercial district in the western part of Berlin. The famous Ku’Damm boulevard crosses this elegant neighborhood. In it you will find one of the largest concentration of hotels, elegant restaurants, theaters, cafes, discos, shops and shopping centers.
This part of the city houses the Charlottenburg Palace with its beautiful gardens, and nearby museums such as the Bröham Museum and the Berggruen Sammlung, and the Deutsche Oper Berlin (German Opera House in Berlin), one of the three most important opera houses in Berlin .
It is an excellent option to stay in Berlin for a good number of reasons: it is an elegant, clean, safe neighborhood with plenty of leisure opportunities and is excellently well connected to Mitte.
Charlottenburg has a good offer of accommodation. There are quite a few luxury hotels, but also a good number of affordable hotels and some cheap pensions.
Charlottenburg Hotels
Kreuzberg
Kreuzberg was once the poorest and most populous neighborhood in the western districts of Berlin. Today it is in the process of gentrification and social transformation. Even so, it still retains part of its traditional alternative character.
Still 35% of its population is made up of immigrants from countries like Turkey, Greece, and the former Yugoslavia, many of whom have lived in Kreuzberg for 40 years or more.
In the 60s and 70s, the district became the home of the city’s countercultural artistic movement. That alternative environment still marks the personality of the neighborhood. It is one of the districts with the most nightlife in Berlin, and there are such interesting things as the Jewish Museum and Checkpoint Charlie.
Since it is a very very central neighborhood and there are a good number of restaurants and some of the best bars and clubs in the city. It is a place to consider to stay in Berlin.
Accommodations in Kreuzberg
Schöneberg
Schöneberg is one of the best neighborhoods and one of the most beautiful areas of Berlin. Located near the Ku’Damm, it is a neighborhood that, without being the most central, is close enough to the center to be a good option for sleeping in Berlin. It has excellent connections with public transport that allow you to reach Mitte in a few minutes.
It has traditionally been the epicenter of the gay community in Berlin. The biggest concentration of gay bars and clubs in Berlin is between Nollendorfplatz and Victoria-Luise-Platz.
Schöneberg is an elegant, quiet area, with few tourists, but which nevertheless has a good number of hotels and affordable pensions, and apartments for rent.
Schöneberg Hotels
Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg located northeast of Mitte is now the most modern neighborhood in East Berlin, and one of the favorite neighborhoods to live among young Berliners. The neighborhood that after the reunification was very modest attracted many artists and bohemian people attracted by its central location and low rents.
Today the neighborhood has undergone an important process of gentrification that has made it a very popular area to live. The neighborhood is experiencing a growing proliferation of cafes, discos, fashion boutiques, art galleries, and good restaurants.
Prenzlauer Berg is on the rise and is a serious alternative to consider to stay in Berlin as it is playing with Mitte, and has very good public transport communications. In addition, its hotels offer excellent value for money, one of the best in the city.
Prenzlauer Berg Hotels
Berlin Apartments
Berlin is one of the European capitals that have one of the best value for money in their hotels. They usually offer you rooms with excellent quality, cleanliness, and a good size at very good prices.
Booking in advance it is possible to find double rooms for 60 euros in very central areas, close to tourist attractions and nightlife.
This city offers you all possible ranges of prices and qualities in abundance. The most luxurious hotels in the world coexist in Berlin with some of the best and most affordable youth hostels in Europe.
On the other hand, Berlin is one of the cities with the most offer of tourist apartments in Europe. In the German capital it is very popular for owners to rent their homes or apartments throughout the year or part of it. It is an option that has a lot of acceptance in this city.
Best prices on apartments in Berlin