Berlin is a city known for being edgy, creative, and hedonistic and many of Berlin’s hotels reflect this hip vibe. From intimate boutiques to modern design hotels, some of the world’s most unique places to stay can be found in the German capital! From my many stays, here are my favorite spots in the city…
1. 25 Hours Hotel Bikini
New, playful, and hip, I loved this wonderful 4-star and already exceptionally rated 25 Hours Hotel Bikini Berlin, located in the city centre (only a 3-minute walk to the nearest metro station and only 3.4 km from Brandenburg Gate), has created a stylish urban jungle complete with animal themes and long leafy plants which hang delightfully from the ceilings.
As well as quirkily decorated bedrooms, an in-house bakery, and a rooftop restaurant – which offers breathtaking 360-degree views of the city – other quirky touches include a Woodfire bakery, a Monkey Bar, a cutely named Bikini island complete with a DJ-corner and complimentary hire of Mini cars and bicycles!
If that’s not enough, there’s even an Airstream street food van permanently parked outside. Overall I thought it was an all-around wonderful experience!
Pitched as Europe’s first ‘Music and Lifestyle’ hotel (located in the ultra-trendy area between Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, where bars, cafés, restaurants, shops, and clubs form part of the lively hub; the East Side Gallery is only an 11-minute walk away), this place has quickly gained a reputation for showcasing dazzling design, striking art, and trendy music, and once I visited, I saw why!
In addition to 304 futuristic rooms designed by acclaimed New York designer Karim Rashid, the 4-star and already exceptionally rated nhow Hotel is also home to recording suites, music managers, and keyboards and guitars, which are even available on the 24-hour room service menu.
Even the hotel staff here are music college graduates—great attention to detail! Guests’ rooms feature state-of-the-art stereos and digital interfacing, and I recommend keeping an eye out for impromptu gigs taking place on the hotel roof!
To book, check prices or availability for nhow Hotel
I think this place is really in a league of its own! This incredible spot (located across the street from Warschauer Straße U-Bahn station for trains to central Berlin and a 10-minute walk from the East Side Gallery) was formed by a group of friends who wanted to create comfortable, budget accommodation that felt more like staying in your fun mate’s house.
I personally think the end result is wow-inducing. It has a high-design, uber-trendy but laid-back vibe that perfectly captures the city’s arty, rebellious spirit.
Located in an old factory building, the high-ceiling rooms are decked out with kitschy wallpaper, flea-market finds, flat-screen TVs built into reclaimed industrial boxes…and a have-to-be-seen-to-be-believed collection of books!
The building, which dates from the 1850s and has an ornate bar and courtyard, is located in the city’s ever-popular Mitte district.
Rooms at the family-run hotel have quirky features such as swings or hammocks and some with a 4-poster bed, iPod docks, and balconies.
Breakfast is an organic buffet, and there is also a restaurant offering simple Nordic cuisine using locally sourced ingredients – a beautiful choice in the city!
Located in the trendy central Mitte district (1.2 km from Alexanderplatz Square and the Berlin Wall Memorial), the quirky, pet-friendly apartments feature wooden floors, high ceilings, and immaculate decor with lashings of eclectic accents.
You can also expect free Wi-Fi, TVs with satellite channels, balconies, and kitchens complete with handy Nespresso machines. Opt for one of the two penthouses, and you can expect extra rooms and rooftop terraces—perfect for all those parties!
I love this place for its atmosphere and incredible location. The Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district is known to be a very hip and creative area, with plenty of choices for nightlife.
The Moxy is part of the Marriott hotel chain but does not feel like a “standard” Marriott hotel. The design of the hotel and rooms is very chic, and the technology is state-of-the-art.
Each room has a 42-inch flat-screen TV and USB ports, plus the hotel has writing walls to let you embrace your creativity.
The Moxy does everything to make you feel welcome, including allowing pets at the hotel and providing a welcome drink (alcohol and soft) on arrival!
This highly rated spot is a sleek, chic, large contemporary hotel located in the fashionable neighborhood of the trendy and central Mitte district (1.2 km from Alexanderplatz Square and the Berlin Wall Memorial).
Decorated in the Amano Group’s signature modern purist style, expect luxury finishing such as hardwood herringbone floors and a striking monochrome scheme framed by plush dark drapes.
The ground-floor bistro serves Israeli-influenced French cuisine, the sixth-floor ‘Apartment Bar’ has huge windows affording great views of the Reichstag, and the rooftop terrace bar attracts hard-core partygoers. The room rates are reasonable, too—bonus!
To book, check prices or availability for Hotel Amano
8. Weinmeister Hotel
Hip, minimalist, and located in the hip central Mitte district (1.2 km from Alexanderplatz square) is this reasonably priced 4-star boutique hotel, one of the most popular spots in town.
Catering to a trendy crowd (without being too intimidating!), the highly-rated place offers modern rooms, an on-site wellness spa, an urban-chic lounge, and a chic rooftop bar that serves meals and drinks around the clock.
The spacious guest rooms have huge designer beds, trendy design details, handcrafted lamps, and black-walled showers with rainfall showerheads.
Opt for a sexy upgraded room. You can expect bathtubs and even a quirky room dedicated to a British pop band. This is a good choice for a chic-designed hotel that won’t leave you penniless.
The Circus Hotel is a famous designer budget boutique with that all-important central location right on the northern edge of the trendy Mitte District, where it bumps into Prenzlauer Berg.
Here, there are galleries, boutiques, bars, and restaurants galore (2.5 km from Alexanderplatz square) offers colorful individually designed rooms with bright quirky decor, climate control, free WIFI and satellite TV.
Opt for one of the apartments, and you’ll find two to three bedrooms, full kitchens, and separate living rooms—perfect for larger groups, longer stays, or families.
This is a great and exceptionally rated funky option for those seeking a bit of style and space in the city without breaking the bank!
Trendy and edgier than most, this minimalistic 4-star design hotel (located on the famous Kurfürstendamm shopping mile, only a 5-minute walk from both Uhlandstrasse U-Bahn station and Savignyplatz S-Bahn station and 4.5 km from Potsdamer Platz train station) has a stylish monochrome interior courtesy of the Graft Group, apparently Brad Pitt’s favorite architects.
The exceptionally rated spot prides itself on the tiniest of details – the lobby is filled with the sounds of the latest funky tunes, the clinical white corridors are artistically lined with red shag pile carpets, and the young, affable, dressed-in-black staff know all the best clubs and bars to be seen at.
All the rooms offer a beautifully chic design, spacious modern bathrooms, and intriguing sloping beds built into the wall. Expect a hip and glamorous crowd!
This stylish and almost provocative boutique hotel is located in the Charlottenburg district, just a stone’s throw from Kurfürstendamm and close to historical attractions like Berliner Dom, the Reichstag and the Brandenburg Gate.
The restored 1911 Art Nouveau building has a 1920s theme with mood lighting, dark backgrounds, marble, brass accents and velvet fabrics, a perfect setting for Mata Hari or a staging of Cabaret. The rooms at Provocateur combine style with comfort; many have balconies, city views and terraces.
The Golden Phoenix restaurant offers a fusion Asian-Peruvian menu, and the Phoenix Bar serves drinks and food in a dramatic luxury setting.
To book, check prices or availability for Provocateur
12. Sir Savigny Hotel
The exceptionally rated 4-star Sir Savigny Hotel (housed in a building from 1893) is based in the literary corner of the city and has set itself up as a curator of that little piece of city history. Don’t worry—you won’t have to quote Proust at check-in, but throughout the hotel, there are gentle reminders of the building’s cultural background.
This is a small boutique hotel with only 44 rooms, so it’s a beautiful oasis of calm away from the hustle and bustle of the up-and-coming bohemian Charlottenburg area, where it’s located (only a minute’s walk from the Savignyplatz S-bahn station for easy access to the rest of the city).
Combining contemporary with old-world decadence, this is a stylish choice with beautiful guest rooms and modern amenities.
If possible, opt for a suite, as they also boast a gorgeous freestanding bathtub and balconies. The Central West location is ideal for those seeking the surrounding neighbourhood’s culture and eclectic style.
Imagine a student hostel that’s all grown up and become a 4-star hotel, and that’s what you’ll find at The Social Hub. There are all the coworking spaces where bright minds spark each other, the fun events and the creative energy buzzing around.
Add a great location in the Mitte district near Museum Island and Holzmarkt, and you have a hotel for globe-traveling cosmopolitans.
Accommodations are available for students, as well as hotel and extended stays. The luxurious rooms have quirky, colorful décor and work desks, free WIFI and a wardrobe to help you settle in comfortably. There’s a sun terrace where you can relax, a fitness center, and a funky restaurant.
Hotel Ackselhaus is an eclectically styled, intimate boutique hotel with classy, groovy decor and gorgeous courtyard gardens. The decor is genuinely outstanding and draws visitors from all over the world.
Housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century building, the beautiful, highly rated 4-star hotel enjoys an upmarket city location on a leafy road in the middle of affluent Prenzlauer Berg (one of the city’s most charismatic residential neighbourhoods, filled with cafes, historic buildings and indie boutiques just North of the city centre).
Globe-trotting, free-thinking entrepreneur Ulf Acksel is the brains behind the venture. Each room (or mini apartment) feels like an elaborate film set designed in a stunning mix of exotic, colonial, and marine styles—just fabulous, darling!
“Stue” is Danish for living room, but this gorgeous upscale hotel has been designed by Spanish architect and designer Patricia Urquiola.
However, it is inspired by German author Christian Morgenstern, who said: “You are not at home where you live, but where you are understood.”
This stunning boutique hotel is luxury all around. It has 78 rooms of 5* accommodation, plus an indoor swimming pool and spa. The chic Berlin hotel even has its own Michelin-star restaurant—Cinco by Paco Perez SO Das Stue.
It is situated next to the famous Tiergarten Park, which you can access directly from the hotel terrace.
If you opt for an upgrade, you’ll get your own private terrace or balcony in your room, which will most definitely be worth it!
To book, check prices or availability for SO Das Stue
Awesome list – we are going to Berlin in June. Thanks for the tips. And if you are ever in Havana come have the best Cuban Mojito at the Havana House on us!
Thanks for that list. I live in Berlin but often have people asking for recommendations for unique hotels. It will be great to just point them to this post!
I had no idea there were so many funky hotels here btw.
I live in Berlin, but before I moved here I stayed in Ostel. It has great decor and an interesting feel, plus budget prices. For a more central option, I’d go for Motel One from your list above. Sure, it’s not quite as interesting as some of the others, but it’s very central and you could walk to most places of interest, no problem.
Are those caskets I am seeing at the Propeller Island City Lodge Hotel? If so, are guests able to stay in them? That is crazy, but so absurd that I would really love having an opportunity to stay there. I find strange things to be really interesting, and to have the opportunity to go to Germany; then stay in a casket, would just make for a really interesting story and vacation altogether. Very cool stuff here!
I love the look of all these hotels to be honest but if I had to choose one to stay in I would probably choose Hotel Bikini – it looks like a lot of fun and that lobby looks incredible!
This is an awesome list of hotels, it’s really hard to choose just one but it’s a toss up between the Honigmond Garden Hotel, Arte Luise Kunsthotel and the quirky looking Ostel – fabulous!
Wow, you’ve picked out some spectacular design hotels here – next time I go to Berlin I’ll be picking one of these for sure 🙂
Awesome list – we are going to Berlin in June. Thanks for the tips. And if you are ever in Havana come have the best Cuban Mojito at the Havana House on us!
Decent inns without a doubt! Every one looks so special and uncommon now I simply need to travel to Berlin!
Nice hotels indeed! Each one looks so unique and unusual now I just need to take a trip to Berlin!
Great collection. I would love to stay on all of those. 🙂
Thanks for your comment Marc! 🙂
Very cool list of Berlin, I’d love to stay at them all but my favourite would be Hotel Q – looks very sleek!
Thanks for that list. I live in Berlin but often have people asking for recommendations for unique hotels. It will be great to just point them to this post!
I had no idea there were so many funky hotels here btw.
Pleased to be of help, we’re huge Berlin fans! Lucky you getting to live in such a great city! 🙂
I live in Berlin, but before I moved here I stayed in Ostel. It has great decor and an interesting feel, plus budget prices. For a more central option, I’d go for Motel One from your list above. Sure, it’s not quite as interesting as some of the others, but it’s very central and you could walk to most places of interest, no problem.
Great list shared by you and it is difficult to choose one of them all the luxury hotel.
Are those caskets I am seeing at the Propeller Island City Lodge Hotel? If so, are guests able to stay in them? That is crazy, but so absurd that I would really love having an opportunity to stay there. I find strange things to be really interesting, and to have the opportunity to go to Germany; then stay in a casket, would just make for a really interesting story and vacation altogether. Very cool stuff here!
Thanks for this great list of cool design hotels in Berlin! love the lights at Ku Damm 101 I would stay here if I had the choice 🙂
Thanks Michela! The Ku Damm hotel is fab!
I love the look of all these hotels to be honest but if I had to choose one to stay in I would probably choose Hotel Bikini – it looks like a lot of fun and that lobby looks incredible!
This is an awesome list of hotels, it’s really hard to choose just one but it’s a toss up between the Honigmond Garden Hotel, Arte Luise Kunsthotel and the quirky looking Ostel – fabulous!