Berlin is a cool city. Multicultural and artsy, Germany’s capital city is home to artists and creatives from all over the world. A hub for freelancers, digital nomads, and entrepreneurs, the city also boasts excellent museums, a boisterous nightlife, and every type of cuisine imaginable. You could spend weeks (months!) in this city and not get bored.

While I didn’t love the city when I first visited, after returning a few times, Berlin began to grow on me. I love the city now.

As the biggest tourist draw in the country, Berlin has a lot of hotels to choose from. And they really run the gamut. I’ve stayed in some fantastic ones and some that I definitely wouldn’t recommend.
So, to help you in planning your trip, these are what I think are the best hotels in Berlin:

1. Hotel Oderberger

Formerly a 19th-century public swimming pool building, Hotel Oderberger is a lovely retro-chic hotel that could be described as “accidentally Wes Anderson” (its whimsical, symmetrical, and has a vintage design style). A four-star property, this place has a lot of amenities, including a cocktail bar and fantastic breakfast buffet. It’s served in a former thermal power station and boasts a waffle bar, homemade pastries, and healthy options like smoothies.

The gorgeous historic swimming pool, with its vaulted stone ceilings, is still here, and you can even rent it out for a private after-hours dip. There’s also a sauna which is perfect for those cold or rainy Berlin days.

The spacious rooms are cozy and comfortable, with a lot of character thanks to the hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, subway tile detailing, and restored original windows that let in a lot of natural light. In-room amenities include a flatscreen TV, mini fridge, and an electric kettle for coffee and tea (some rooms even offer a full kitchenette). The bathrooms are sizable, and offer walk-in rainfall showers, heated towel racks, and complimentary toiletries. I like that the bathroom doors are reused from the building’s bathhouse days. It’s a unique, historic place in a picturesque neighborhood filled with some of Berlin’s best restaurants and bars.

2. Hotel Johann

Situated by the lovely, leafy canal in Kreuzberg, this three-star boutique hotel offers daily yoga, a comfy lobby with a co-working area, and a sunny breakfast room where you can enjoy a daily buffet of fresh fruits and veggies, fairtrade coffee, cold cuts, muesli, and lots of fresh bread. You can even eat outside in the inner courtyard if the weather is nice.

I like that the rooms here are big, with high ceilings, large windows, and wooden floors. All rooms come with extra-large flatscreen TVs and comfy beds, and I especially love that the bathrooms have heated floors as well as large walk-in showers. Larger rooms come with a desk, but I appreciate that there are single rooms perfect for solo travelers on a budget.

I also like that the hotel also prioritizes sustainability. They generate almost all their own power, have extensive water and energy savings measures in place, and partner with a local initiative to save “imperfect” organic produce that can’t be sold in a grocery store but is still perfectly good to eat. It’s a homey, family-run hotel that offers a lot of value.

3. Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin

Opened in 1907, this five-star hotel is one of the poshest in Berlin. Located right across the street from the Brandenburg Gate, it has all the style of an über-luxurious Old-World hotel and has hosted many famous guests over the years, including Franklin Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, and Michael Jackson (who infamously held his infant son, Blanket, out of a window here). There are several restaurants, including one with a Michelin star and another that offers an opulent breakfast buffet complete with caviar, champagne, fresh in-house pastries, and much more! There’s also a pool and spa, though at the time of writing both are closed for renovations.

The stately rooms and suites are spacious and comfortable, though I personally think the classic décor of fabric-lined walls and mahogany shelving feels a bit dated. The rooms have all the amenities you’d need though, with tea/coffee making facilities, a desk, safe, and flatscreen TVs with Chromecast. The marble bathrooms are huge too, with a separate bathtub and walk-in shower as well as complimentary toiletries. Overall, this is the perfect choice for travelers who want a luxurious stay that’s close to a lot of main sights.

4. Capri by Fraser

Located right on Museum Island in the neighborhood of Mitte, this four-star apart-hotel offers bright and airy self-contained apartments that are perfect for longer stays. Every studio has a kitchenette, and there’s a 24/7 gym, laundromat, and restaurant that serves a breakfast buffet every morning too. Plus, the history nerd in me loves that the building is set atop an archaeological site, which you can see through the glass on the lobby floor!

All the studios have a stylish and fun design, with bright pops of color. The kitchenette includes a cooktop, microwave, sink, fridge, and electric kettle (tea and coffee is provided). As someone who’s always working on the road, I appreciate the large work desks, and the smart TVs are convenient for when you want to wind down. The bathrooms are quite spacious and have a sleek design, with walk-in showers that have nice water pressure (always important in my book). I think it’s the ideal choice for someone staying longer-term who wants to be near the museums.

5. Vienna House Easy

This three-star hotel is located in the heart of trendy Prenzlauer Berg, just a few steps from the tram and metro that will take you anywhere else you need to go. If you’re working on the road, there’s a co-working space, as well as a 24/7 snack shop in the lobby for those late-night munchies. In the morning, there’s a continental breakfast with muesli, cold cuts, tons of baked goods, and fresh juice, coffee, and tea. Vienna House is pet-friendly too if you’re traveling with a furry friend.

The large rooms are bright and fun, with big windows that let in a lot of natural light. I like that the colorful walls feature murals and other artwork by local artists. All rooms have a desk, a large HDTV with Chromecast, and comfortable beds with an outlet and light set right in the headboard. The bathrooms are a bit on the small side but feature walk-in showers with good water pressure. Overall, this is a good choice for budget-minded travelers who want something more than a no-frills two-star hotel.

6. 25Hours Bikini Berlin

25 Hours is hugged up against the city zoo and the entire place is jungle-themed (it really feels like a fun urban oasis here). You can try to spot animals from the rooftop sauna or the appropriately named rooftop Monkey Bar (which has regular DJ nights and serves an excellent breakfast in the mornings). There’s also a leafy hammock lounge to hang out in and bike rentals available. The staff is really friendly and helpful, plus you’re right next to the S and U Bahn Zoologischer Garten so it’s easy to get around the city from here.

There are two categories of rooms here: urban or jungle rooms. Urban rooms have views overlooking the city with an industrial chic design that features exposed concrete ceilings. I’m partial to the jungle rooms, as they have floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the zoo, hardwood floors, and wood-paneled walls (some jungle rooms even have hammocks). All rooms feature free minibars and Bluetooth speakers, and large rooms even come with free use of a bike. The moody forest-green tiled bathrooms are sleek and luxurious, featuring rainfall shower heads and complimentary toiletries. It’s one of the more unique hotels in the city.

7. Orania

This stylish five-star property in edgy Kreuzberg is set inside a restored Art Nouveau building from 1913. I really like that the entire place leans into the style of that time. And, as a jazz fan, I love the regular (and free!) live jazz concerts by Berlin artists, set right in the intimate cocktail bar. The breakfast they serve is excellent (you can choose from a buffet or a la carte), and there’s a 24-hour gym too.

A boutique hotel, there are just 41 comfortable rooms and suites here, all of which are elegantly decorated with hardwood floors, warm cream-colored walls, and rich red fabric headboards emblazoned with the hotel’s signature elephant logo. The sustainably-made beds are really comfy, and all of the soundproofed rooms include a desk, flatscreen TV, a minibar, Nespresso machine, complimentary bottled water, plush bathrobes, and slippers. The bathrooms have a rain shower, heated towel racks, and organic locally sourced toiletries (suites have a bathtub too). I really like this place. It’s a great option for travelers looking for luxury in one of my favorite parts of town.