Alan's place is a great spot for exploring the east side of Berlin. It's a 2-3 min walk from the subway station and from there, it's only a few stops from the major, more connected transfer station that lets you get on the lines to other corners of the city. Alan was very thorough with explaining how everything works in the house. I had to adjust my arrival time a few times due to travel delays but he graciously accommodated me and waited around to check me in. I had everything I needed at Alan's place - a comfortable bed, a washer that worked, drying rack, good shower and it was very quiet (not much house noise heard at all from upstairs).