Our stay at Tom and Arzu’s vacation apartment was the longest of our two-week German trip: 7 nights. The place is in a low-key neighborhood about a 10-minute bus ride from the Hauptbahnhof (main railway station), and a 5-minute walk from a U-Bahn (subway) station. The neighborhood has a well-stocked grocery store a block and a half from the apartment, and there are small restaurants and a couple of bakeries around the corner.
We were surprised that the apartment was so quiet for being in a bustling capital city. The front room is high and airy, and has abundant northern light. The kitchen faces the central courtyard and is fully stocked with crockery, cutlery, pots and pans, and small fridge and electric stove. WiFi was great.
Tom gave us a thorough and helpful review of the apartment and the neighborhood amenities. Most importantly, he was amazingly quick to respond to any questions we had when we texted him through the Airbnb app. Because of our week-long stay, he and Arzu graciously did our laundry for us, which we hung up to dry on an industrial-strength clothes rack they provide in the apartment. There’s an amazing German-language library of fiction and travel writing in the front room.
We felt completely at home in Tom and Arzu’s place. They were unfailingly helpful and completely discrete throughout our whole visit. Tom even ordered us a cab for our early-morning departure to nearby Tegel airport (a 10-minute drive).
It sounds like a cliché, but we truly felt like the apartment was our home during our Berlin sojourn. Potential older clients should be aware that the apartment is on the fourth floor of the building and there’s no elevator, so be prepared for a good workout!