Daud and his family are wonderful hosts, providing maps, snacks, and a charming home while in Berlin. Their comfortable flat is spacious, has traditional architecture (high ceilings, wood floors, large windows) with a modern, open kitchen and beautiful bathrooms, including a lovely bath that gets amazing morning light. You get a feel for old Kreuzberg with contemporary touches.

This flat is in a fantastic neighborhood, close to a wide array of restaurants and markets (the Tibetan place around the block and the Turkish restaurant on Gneisenaustrasse were favorites) and great boutiques on Bergmannstrasse. It’s very close to U-Bahn stations to connect you to the rest of the city, and you're in walking distance to the park at Tempelhof airport.

A bonus for us: We traveled with our year-old daughter, and the flat was set up perfectly for a small family. The crib, high chair, toys, childproofing and playground maps allowed us to travel light and arrive to a space that welcomed us all.

Daud was thoughtful, friendly, quick to respond to questions before we arrived, and provided stellar recommendations to his neighbourhood.

We can't say enough good things about this spot. It's an incredible flat, and we recommend it to anyone looking for an authentic Berlin experience in a great part of the city.