Neukolln should not be the place to stay for first timers. It’s far from the tourist hubs. It’s a hipster neighborhood in the making. In parts still rough. The graffiti which is part of the culture of Berlin dominates this neighbourhood and can be daunting. It’s certainly not pretty.
Having said that, Virginie’s apartment is located right next to amazing pubs and restaurants. Particularly Gaston, Bruester, Dr TO”s and Dots! It’s great for food from breakfast to dinner and drinks. The weekend sees a vibrant gathering on the road but that won’t disturb you as the apartment is located at the back of the building. Bear in mind that the apartment is a good 10 min walk to the Uban and 6 min to the bus.
The only thing that went wrong with our visit was that Virginie had agreed to an early check in at 12.30 ( her regular check in is at 4pm) but due to her cleaning service not being available we eventually got the apartment at 7.30 pm. We lost a whole day. And that was a bummer.