U2: Rosa-Luxemburg-Pl. Linens, lockers, luggage storage, and Wi-Fi included. Towel €2, free in doubles and apartments. 8 Internet stations; €.50 per 20min. Breakfast €3.70. Laundry €4.50. Guest kitchen. Non-smoking. 4- to 6-bed dorms €20-24; doubles €58-70; apartments €40-50 per person. Reception 24hr. Check-in 2pm. Check-out 10am.
CITYSTAY
Rosenstr. 16
HOSTEL
030 23 62 40 31 www.citystay.de
Besides being the most centrally located hostel in Berlin, a beautiful, well-kept courtyard and an expansive cafe lounge separate this hostel from the pack. Rooms are nice enough with huge windows and adequate beds. But you know what’s really nice? A 2min. walk to Museum Island and Unter den Linden.
U5, U8, S5, S7, S9, S75: Alexander Pl. Laundry €5. 5 computers in lobby; €3 per hr. Lockers €10 deposit. Sheets €2.50, free with ISIC. Towel €5 deposit. 2 women-only dorms. 8-bed dorms €17; 4-bed dorms €21; doubles €50, with private shower €65. Reception 24hr. Check-in 2pm. Check-out 10am.
ST. CHRISTOPHER’S
Rosa Luxembourg Str. 41
HOSTEL
030 81 45 39 60 www.st-christophers.co.uk
It’s rare you find a hostel bar with drinks as cheap as €1 Jager shots, but St. Christopher’s delivers this and, subsequently, many a wild night. The Wi-Fi-equipped bar, lobby, and loft spaces blow most hostels out of the water. Rooms are spacious and clean and smell nice, though the same can’t always be said of your roommates.
U2: Rosa-Luxemburg-Pl. Breakfast, luggage storage, lockers, and linens included. Towels €1. Internet €2 per hr. Non-smoking. Prices change in real time based upon availability. Dorms €12-20; doubles €35-50; quads €60-96. Reception 24hr. Check-in 2pm. Check-out 10am. Bar open daily until 3am.
Prenzlauer Berg
PFEFFERBETT
Christinenstr. 18-19
HOSTEL
030 93 93 58 58 www.pfefferbett.de
This old, 19th-century brick building is tasteful with a modern edge. The lobby’s towering ceilings are supported by brick arches, and the garden out back has a patio popular for socializing. Bathrooms are newly tiled, and spacious rooms have a fun style, with thick stripes running around the walls. Lounge room has a pool, foosball table, and fireplace.
U2: Senefelderpl. Breakfast items from €1. Linens €2.50. Mar-Oct 8-bed dorms €16; 6-bed €20; 4-bed dorms with bath €25; singles with bath €58; doubles with bath €78. Nov-Feb 8-bed dorms €12; 6-bed €15; 4-bed dorms with bath €20; singles with bath Nov-Feb €47; doubles with €64. Reception 24hr.
EAST SEVEN HOSTEL
Schwedter Str. 7
HOSTEL
030 93 62 22 40 www.eastseven.de
Orange and olive walls make this retro hostel a cool, bunk-free place to stay. The indoor lounge area with comfortable sofas and the back patio with a grill are well-used hangouts for backpackers who appreciate cold beer specials (€1). Rooms are spacious, with hardwood floors, old windows, and subtle-hued stripes that would make Martha Stewart proud.
U2: Senefelderpl. Free Wi-Fi; Internet terminals €0.50 per 20min. Linens included. Bike rental €10 per day. Mar-Oct 8-bed dorms €18; 4-bed dorms with bath €22; singles €38; doubles €26; triples €22. Nov-Feb 8-bed dorms €14; 4-bed dorms with bath €19; singles €31; doubles €22; triples €19. Reception 7am-midnight.
ALCATRAZ
Schönehauser Allee 133A
HOSTEL
030 48 49 68 15 www.alcatraz-backpacker.de
Alcatraz is hardly an inescapable prison, but you probably wouldn’t mind spending a life sentence here. This hostel’s graffiti-chic, spray-painted exterior is as lively as the sociable “chill out room,” fully stocked with a foosball table and television. Alcatraz has 80 beds in carefully decorated rooms that contrast the chaos of the common areas. All rooms have ensuite baths, big windows, light yellow walls, and pine bunks.
U2: Eberswalder Str. Wi-Fi included. Fully equipped kitchen. Linens €2. Bike rental €10 per day. Mar-Oct 8-bed dorms €16; 4-bed €18; singles €40; doubles €50; triples €69. Nov-Feb 8-bed dorms €13; 4-bed dorms €15; singles €35; doubles €44; triples €57. Reception 24hr.
LETTE’M SLEEP HOSTEL
Lettestr. 7
HOSTEL
030 44 73 36 23 www.backpackers.de
Located opposite a small park and between the popular bars of the lively Helmholtzpl., this brightly painted hostel is situated perfectly in the middle of Prenzlauer Berg’s afternoon and early evening cafe scene. The big kitchen, complete with comfy red couches, a television, and a selection of DVDs, is home base for the hostel’s young backpackers. Rooms are spacious and well-lit, with personal lockers and sinks in every room.
U2: Eberswalder Str. Linens and Wi-Fi included. Apr-Oct 4- to 7-bed dorms €17-23; doubles with sheets and a small kitchenette €55; triples €60. Nov-Mar 4- to 7-bed dorms €11-20; doubles with sheets and a small kitchenette €40; triples €60. Reception 24hr.
MEININGER
Schönehauser Allee 19
HOTEL
www.meininger-hotels.com
Meninger is having an identity crisis; the establishment self-identifies as a hotel but charges by the person to fill up its dorms. Decorated in red and white, this neat and clean ho(s)tel is all reliability. Boasting bright white walls, spotless rooms, lots of windows, and just-outside proximity to the U-Bahn station, you really can’t lose. Special deals for families.
U2: Senefelderpl. Free Wi-Fi, or €1 per 20min. at terminals. Breakfast €5.50. Sheets included. All bathrooms ensuite. 3- to 6-bed dorms €28; women-only or small dorms €19; singles €52; doubles €70. Children 6-12 pay 50% of per person fee. Reception 24hr. Check-out 1pm.
Friedrichshain
Friedrichshain has built a reputation for itself as Berlin’s neighborhood for inexpensive student-friendly housing. Luckily, travelers will enjoy the same wide range of youthful, cheap options for accommodations.
ALL IN HOSTEL
Grünberger Str. 54
HOSTEL
030 288 76 83 www.all-in-hostel.com
A bright, open lounge with a welcoming staff make you feel right at home. Rooms have crowded bunks but compensate with high ceilings and big windows. The location is unbeatable—right in the thick of Friedrichshain’s popular cafes and bars on a quiet, arboreal street. The crowded lounge area, with big, comfortable couches, is great for socializing.
U5: Franfurter Tor. Wi-Fi €1 per hr., hostel terminal €1 per 20min. Breakfast €5. Sheets €3 for 1st night only. 10-bed dorms €10; 6-bed dorms with bath €18. Singles with bath €39; doubles with bath €44. Reception 24hr.
GLOBETROTTER HOSTEL ODYSSEE
Grünberger Str. 23
HOSTEL
030 29 00 00 81 www.globetrotterhostel
Right in the middle of Friedrichshain’s bars and restaurants, Globetrotter Odyssee is decorated with quirky medieval statues and vaulted ceilings. Muraled walls and rock music in the lounge (furnished with a pool table) give the hostel an East Berlin edge.
U5: Franfurter Tor. Free Wi-Fi, hostel terminals €0.50 per 20min. Breakfast €8. Sheets €3 deposit. Credit card min. €25. Mar-Oct 8-bed dorms €13.50; 6-bed €15.50; 4-bed €17.50; 3-bed €19.50; singles €36; doubles €47. Nov-Feb 8-bed dorms €10; 6-bed €12; 4-bed €14; 3-bed €16; singles €29, doubles €39. Reception 24hr.
U INN BERLIN HOSTEL
Finowstr. 36
HOSTEL
030 33 02 44 10 [email protected]
This small hostel has only 40 beds and is set off a quiet street in Friedrichshain. Rooms are spacious, with pine bunks and brightly colored walls. U Inn Berlin doesn’t consider itself a party hostel; there’s a no-alcohol policy, and quiet hours start at 10pm. This hostel’s speciality is creating a community for its small number of guests, with events like free German cooking lessons every Friday at 7pm.
U5: Franfurter Tor. Linens €2. Breakfast €2. Hostel terminals €1 per 20min. €
0.50 daily supplement to pay for “greening” the cleaning supplies and buying fair-trade, organic coffee. Apr-Oct 8-bed dorms €15; 5-bed €18; 4-bed €19; 3-bed €23; singles €29; doubles €50. Nov-Mar 8-bed dorms €13; 5-bed €16; 4-bed €17; 3-bed €21; singles €25; doubles €46. Reception 7am-1am.
PEGASUS HOSTEL BERLIN
Str. der Pariser Kommune 35
HOSTEL
030 297 73 60 www.pegasushostel.de
Set around a courtyard with picnic tables, this hostel has a laid-back atmosphere, but is full of young energy. Towering orange and yellow walls are decorated with canvases of student artwork. There are private lockers in all the rooms. The top floor rooms include loft beds, set right underneath large skylights.
U5: Weberwiese. Linens included. Breakfast €6. 8- to 10-bed dorms €13; 6-bed €15; quads from €68; triples from €57. Prices vary significantly; call or email ahead to confirm. Reception 24hr.
A AND O HOSTEL
Boxhagener Str. 73
HOSTEL
030 80 94 7 54 00 www.aohostels.com
With over 450 beds, this A and O feels like more like a self-sufficient youth community than a hostel. A bright, airy lounge and bar have their own, separate building with foosball and pool tables. Travelers sleep in towering buildings that surround a courtyard. The backyard has a tar volleyball court and single basketball hoop for pick-up games. This A and O might still have some of that chain-hostel look with pre-fab beds and minimal decoration on the walls, but a few quirky touches, like student-made statues in the living area, give it more character.
U5: Frankfurter Allee. Alternatively, S3, S5, S7, S9 or S75: Ostdreuz. Breakfast €4. Sheets €3 1st night. Wi-Fi €1 per hr., €8 per week. 4- to 8-bed dorms from €10; singles from €19. Prices vary significantly; in the high season, dorms cost as much as €20 per person. Additional €2 for ensuite bath. Reception 24hr.
Kreuzberg
Accommodations in Kreuzberg tend to a bit grungier than other parts of the city, but the hostels also have a much better sense of community. Staying in Kreuzberg lets travelers live in a rich community while still being close to the city’s major sights.
METROPOL HOSTEL
Mehringdamm 32
HOSTEL
www.Metropolhostel-berlin.com
The newest addition to the Kreuzberg hostel scene wasn’t entirely finished when Let’s Go stopped by, but the results thus far are pretty promising. The hallways feel a bit like a hospital, but the rooms themselves sometimes verge on near-hotel accommodations. Superb mattresses, clean floors, newly painted walls, and spotless bathrooms all work to this end. Oh, and those century-old-looking doors are actually 100 years old. The building is a historical site and the doors cannot be replaced.
U6 or U7: Mehringdamm. Shower and toilet in every room. Breakfast, linens, lockers, luggage storage, safe box, and towels included. 6-to 10-bed dorms €9-14; singles €39-49; doubles €49-50. Reception 24hr. Check-in 2pm. Check-out 10am.
HOSTEL X BERGER
Schlesischestr. 22
HOSTEL
030 69 53 18 63 www.hostelxberger.com
For the quickest jump to the coolest clubs in Berlin, no one outdoes Hostel X Berger, located right along the canal. While the accommodations are far from new, the rooms somehow feel relaxed, like you’ve already lived there. A foggy downstairs smoke room with a pool table works like an underground club, while a quiet study upstairs makes good space to work. Rooms are also designed to let you play hard, with a late check-out time and free coffee for the after-party blues.
U1: Schlesisches Tor. From the U-Bahn, head south on Schlesischestr. Luggage storage and Wi-Fi included. 2 computers with free Internet. Linens €2. Towel €1. Laundry €4. Lock rental €1. Key deposit €6. Guest kitchen open until 9:30pm. 4-bed dorms €17-18; 16-bed dorms €11-12. Singles €32-36; doubles €40-46. Reception 24hr. Check-in 4pm. Check-out 2pm.
BAXPAX KREUZBERG
Skalitzer Str. 104
HOSTEL
030 69 51 83 22 www.baxpax.de
This old-school backpacker hostel offers far from the royal treatment, but a weary traveler will find a bed, lively drunk guests, and staff accustomed to drunk guests. Rooms are themed around countries—someone literally sleeps in a VW bug in the German room. A rooftop terrace connected to the guest kitchen is brilliant in the daytime but unfortunately closes at 10pm. Shoddy Wi-Fi is a major turn-off, but the signal is enough to check mail. Staff wakes you up if you sleep past check-out...not that we would know.
U1: Görlitzer Bahnhof. Breakfast options €1-2.50. Linens and towel €2.50. Internet €2 per hr. Laundry €7. Lockers, luggage storage, and safebox included. Guests can smoke in the common room after 6pm. 32-bed dorms €9-14; 8-bed €10-17; 4-bed €14-20. Singles €26-37; doubles with bath €24-30. Reception 24hr. Check-in 3pm. Check-out 11am.
HOSTEL 36 ROOMS
Spreewaldpl. 8
HOSTEL
030 53 08 63 98 www.36rooms.com
Nice large rooms and a beautiful outdoor patio are somewhat robbed of fun by the hostel’s no-outside-alcohol policy. Guests can beer it at the hostel bar or wait until Thursday, Friday and Saturday, when one of Kreuzberg’s hippest underground clubs rocks in the hostel’s basement. Hot travelers can dip in the wave pool across the street at the hostel’s discounted price (€2 per hr.). Old World rooms have chandeliers and great views of the nearby park. Unfortunately some also have an Old World smell.
U1: Görlitzer Bahnhof. Locker rental €2. Linens and towel €2.50. Bike rental €10 per day. Key deposit €10. 8-bed dorms €14-17; 4-bed €18-21. Singles €35-39; doubles €50-58. Reception 24hr. Check-in 1pm. Check-out 11am. Patio and kitchen open until 10pm.
COMEBACK PACKERS HOSTEL
Alabertstr. 97
HOSTEL
030 60 05 75 27 www.comebackpackers.com
As you climb the fish-smelling stairs, you’d never guess that this relaxed hostel waited at the top, just chilling there. The large common room feels more like your mother’s kitchen and stays open all night. Guests can jump out the windows... onto the roof for a smoke or some sun at the picnic tables. The showers are pretty exposed—as in, people will definitely see you naked, and you definitely should not pee because everyone will know, and it will be embarrassing. Anyway—beds are adequate and tend to not be bunked. Rooms are large, wood-floored, and climb-on-the-roof-able, but otherwise unremarkable. The only remarkable thing is the goose lamp in the goose room. It’s a goose. But it’s also a lamp. Staff has a very German sense of humor.
U1 or U8: Kotbusser Tor. Coffee, linens, and Wi-Fi included. Key deposit €10. Full-service laundry €5. Towel €2. Continental breakfast (€3) must be requested. Dorms €14-20. Reception 24hr. Check-in 3pm. Check-out 1pm.
SIGHTS
Charlottenburg
Most of Berlin’s sights are located outside of residential Charlottenburg, closer to the center of the city. That said, Charlottenburg has certain sights that recommend themselves to the traveler with more than a day or two to spend in Berlin. Unique museums, grand palaces, and one of the world’s most historic stadiums are spread out all over the neighborhood.
KÄTHE-KOLLWITZ-MUSEUM
Fasanenstr. 24
MUSEUM
030 32 69 06 00 www.kaethe-kollwitz.de
Through both World Wars, Käthe Kollwitz, a member of the Berlin Sezession (Secession) movement and one of Germany’s most prominent 20th century artists, protested war and the situation of the working class with haunting sketches, etchings, sculpture and charcoal drawings of death, poverty, and starvation. The series of works entitled, “A Weaver’s Revolt,” on the 2nd floor are the drawings that skyrocketed Kollwitz to fame. The death of the artist’s own son, who was killed in Russia during WWII, provides a wrenching emotional authenticity to her depictions of death, pregnancy, and starvation, and her own revealing self-portraits.
U1: “Uhlandstr.” Admission €6, students €3. Open daily 11am-6pm.
SCHL
Oß CHARLOTTENBURG
Spandauer Damm 10-22
PALACE
030 320 9275
This expansive Baroque palace, commissioned by Friedrich I in the 1600s as a gift for his wife, Sophia-Charlotte, stands impressively at the end of a long treelined walkway on the outer north end of Charlottenburg. The Schloß is made up of several parts. Altes Schloß, the oldest section (marked by a blue dome in the middle of the courtyard), has rooms chock full of historic furnishings (much of it reconstructed due to war damage) and elaborate gold guilding. Neuer Flügel (New Wing), includes the marble receiving rooms and the more somber royal chambers. Neuer Pavillion houses a museum dedicated to Prussian architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel. Other sections include the Belvedere, a small building housing the royal family’s porcelain collection, and the Mausoleum, the final resting place for most of the family. Behind the palace extends the exquisitely manicured Schloßgarten, full of small lakes, footbridges and fountains.
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 81