Newberlin

The location of the hotel is quite good. A few minutes walk to tram station, about 2 kilometers from Alexanderplatz. There is also a grocery store (ReWe) near the tram station. You could buy tickets to public transport from hotel or they could changed coins for you to buy the tickets on the tram. The staff was friendly. The reception and the bar were open 24 hours. The breakfast was quite good, a decent buffet with lots to choose from. It was served until 11 on week days and until 12 on weekends. The room had a modern look. The restaurant in the hotel had good food. I think there are better rooms in the hotel and I had just had bad luck this time and was given the worst one. The hotel seemed nice enough. For a couple of nights stay this would do for a good bargain.

The lights in the room were difficult to use but that might just be the user's fault. The room was a little too dark. The material of the headboard in the bed was worn and pieces of leather-like material was falling down on the pillow. The air-condition was working really poorly. Granted, it was hot weather but so it had been in the other city I was before Berlin and they managed to cool the room. Some functions of the air con were only for the staff to adjust and although it was set to cool the air to 16 degrees Celsius the inside temperature was 26-28 degrees Celsius. I contacted the reception twice and they changed some settings but it didn't make any difference. Luckily, the windows could be opened so I managed to get some cool air. The surroundings of the hotel were not pretty but it seemed that they are renovating the whole city of Berlin. Construction work everywhere. The safety deposit box in the room didn't work. They said I need to sign a paper if I want to use it because they don't have an opening code if I forget my code and I have to pay for the opening. I signed and they gave me a code to unlock it. I tried to explain that the safety doesn't answer to any codes, no button worked. They promised to send a technician to look it but I never saw one. I decided to try my luck and go without the safety. The staff offered to keep the valuables with them, if needed, so that was sorted. They had the possibility for safe keeping, just not in the room. The "sun terrace" was actually a narrow balcony with a widening for two sunbeds. There were sunbeds inside the building though. I'm not sure why but two times my door was knocked, the other time it was opened and a man was apologizing something in German. I'm sure he was on legit business but I don't know what he wanted since the house cleaning had already been done. Maybe he would have wanted to fix the safety but didn't say so?

Tasty breakfast and a good location. Clean. Quick elevator/lift - didn't have to wait ages which often happens in hotels.

A bad smell from the bathroom! - the reception lady told us they know about that. I was offered a possibility to change the room though (unfortunately not on the first night cause the hotel was fully booked and we were there for only two nights. The situation must be tiring for the staff but still, at least a small "sorry" would be nice when you come for vacations and have a "smelly room":) ) Some parts of the room equipment (headboard over the bed) look "worn out" which makes the first impression not so good - I was a bit disappointed having in mind pictures from the web (must have been taken a few years ago). Parking places - not so many and only outside.