Estrel Berlin

I arrived at 10 AM and they immediately assigned me a room, even welcoming me to Germany, haha! The room was absolutely beautiful with incredible attention to detail, easily feeling like a 4-star. I couldn't stop taking pictures! The view from the window was stunning, and on my way out, I caught a gorgeous sunrise. When I couldn't find water late at night, a lovely lady at the front desk helped me out. As soon as you walk in, the central ceramic pool grabs your attention – I wasn't sure if I was in a museum or a hotel! Turns out there's actually a gallery within the building; I saw exhibits in a locked hall. Enough talk, just look at the photos! I will definitely stay here again.

Nothing to complain about, the welcome was super, and the staff were very pleasant and attentive. Everything was exactly as pictured online. The room was very clean, and housekeeping came by every morning. The hotel is pretty well located; in 5 minutes you can walk to the S-bahn station, and in 20 minutes you're already in the city center. I also had dinner one evening at the Portofino restaurant, and it was just as enjoyable: welcoming staff, excellent service, fast and efficient, and to top it all off, it was delicious! I had a great stay at this hotel, I recommend it!

This is a massive hotel, so expect long walks. The facilities are okay, but definitely not the newest. The location is a bit out of the way, so you're pretty dependent on the hotel, or you'll need to take the train or drive into the city. As I mentioned, the walks are not only long but also complicated, as some doors close at different times and can't be opened with your room card. For example, after a workout in the gym (the sauna also closed earlier than advertised, unfortunately), I had to go through the restaurant, up the stairs to reception, and then take the elevator back up to my wing…very inconvenient. All in all, it's good value for money if you're just staying for one night or attending an event here.