Of all the airbnbs / vacation rentals I have stayed at, this is by far the best experience I have ever had. I stayed in this flat for 3+ months while interning in Berlin and it truly became my home. Here are some of the details that made the place a gem:

Location: The flat is in one of the nicest areas in Berlin, in Prenzlauer Berg and close to the border of Mitte, so you are within walking distance to a number of tourist sites but away from all the buzz and the tourist traps. Within a 20 minute walk, you can get to Alexanderplatz, the Berlin dome, the Berlin Wall, the Spree and Mauer Park (my favorite Sunday activity- make sure you check out bear pit karaoke). Anything else is just an easy train ride away. The flat is also at the end of Kastianallee, a beautiful wide street filled with amazing restaurants from all ethnicities and the famous Prater Garden (beer garden). If you do not feel like eating out, three super markets are within a 5 minute walk. Transportation is super easy as two U-bahn (subway lines) are within a 5 minute walk and two trams are within a 2 minute walk. I cannot emphasize how great the location is-- roughly 80% of restaurant, bar and shopping recommendations made to me were within walking distance from the apartment. Whenever friends visited, they said they liked the areas more than others. And, never once did I feel unsafe-- even while walking home at 1AM. It truly is one of the best locations you can find!

The apartment itself: The apartment is very nicely decorated and well stocked with everything you need (even for a 3 month stay)! The wifi was consistently good (which I cannot say about all vacation rentals) and there was a nice selection of DVDs for entertainment. I felt very comfortable in this flat (the sectional couch is cozy enough to take naps on!) and all my Berlin colleagues also commented on how cute and nicely decorated my home was.

The hosts: Erika and Jochen truly made the stay the best part. Because they realized I was staying in Berlin for an extended period of time by myself without knowing a word of German or anyone in the city, they picked me up from the airport and spent time making sure I was settled in (they have a binder of useful and detailed information that they walked me through-- very prepared!) and gave me a number of recommendations for food. Whenever I had a question (e.g., how to set up Netflix in Germany), they were very responsive. Every so often, they checked in on me to see if I needed anything. They were truly wonderful people who genuinely wanted me to have a pleasant stay in Berlin!

I loved my stay at the Pehnert's home and know that everyone stays there will as well!