Location:
The location of this apartment can not be beat. It’s a three minute walk to the train and literally dozens of restaurants and shops, and a 10-15 minute walk to many historical sites, and a train ride away from all that Berlin and the surrounding areas have to offer. You are in the heart of it all here. Yet, the location of the apartment, set back from the street off of a private courtyard, means the apartment is peaceful and quiet. A perfect retreat after a day exploring the busy city.
The apartment itself:
The apartment itself can be a tad tricky to locate. Follow the directions given carefully and look at the map when you pick up the key! (The key pick up is very easy to find and is a 2 minute walk from the flat!)
The layout:
Once you find your way into the apartment, you’ll find a historic building with high ceilings. The main hallway is spacious with plenty of room for coats and shoes. There are two bedrooms off the hallway on the left just as you enter. Both are relatively large. Off the hallway to the right is the bathroom. It has a sink, shower, toilet and washer and dryer (separate units). The hallway itself leads into the living/dining/kitchen area. The dining table comfortably seats 6. The living room furniture is Ikea style. The 2 living room chairs are small and firm. The couch is also firm but quite uncomfortable. It has seen better days - I think someone damaged the supports at some point. The third bedroom is the largest, and is toward the back of the apartment. It has lots of privacy.
Details about the spaces:
The bedsheets were clean but quite worn. The towels were small and not terribly good quality. All could use an upgrade. The comforters are in better shape. The pillows were also in reasonably good shape.
The kitchen is basic but functional. Mini fridge and freezer. Basic appliances. Lots of glassware and plenty of dishes. Easy enough to prepare basic meals here.
The apartment feels sparse. This is probably in part because the furniture is so small and the space is so large. There also isn’t a lot of art up. It’s not what I would call cozy and welcoming. But it is entirely functional.
A few tips: hot water is funky in a lot of Europe but especially in the shower here. The water randomly gets scalding hot, so be careful, especially if you have young kids.
The bathroom door won’t stay shut unless you lock it with the skeleton key. Just be mindful.
Like in most places, plan to bring your own laundry detergent. I recommend bringing tissues and toilet paper too. The TP here is pretty scratchy - we brought some from home and have used it in several places along our way, including here. Also, if you like a top sheet on your bed, bring one. Like in most of Europe, none is provided. Note this apartment does not have AC. There is one small fan. We found it remained comfortable here even when it was above 90° outside during the day. We just closed the shades. I was truly surprised at how comfortable the temperature inside remained.
The apartment lacks a guest welcome book with recommendations. That would be a nice addition. We explored the area both on foot and using the internet and were able to find good places to eat. It could also use a good thorough cleaning at ceiling height. The 12’ ceilings make that a challenge, I’m sure, but my bug phobic 12 year old spotted numerous spiders up along the crown moulding.
The host doesn’t live locally but was very communicative. If we return to Berlin I would absolutely stay here again. Having explored much of the city, we truly fell in love with this neighborhood.