First, we have to say that on Ivos’ Airbnb page he showed a beautiful photo of the view out the window of his apartment. While we were there, the actual view was even much prettier than he showed, and the sunsets were spectacular. The apartment, itself was every bit as nice as promised. It was clean and simple, without a lot of clutter, which we really appreciated. It was well stocked with some basic food and kitchen supplies, as well as towels and laundry detergent. There was a modern washer/drier, though its location in the washroom did make the room a little cramped. That being said, the top of the washer/drier was a wonderful place for our toiletries. The apartment was on the 14th floor of the building, and with the windows closed very quiet and peaceful. There was a well-stocked grocery store nearby; turn left out of the front door to the building and walk less than a block to find it. The Jannowitzbrucke S+U bahn station was conveniently only a block away, and the apartment was a short walk from other helpful U-bahn stations and bus stops.
However, I think the most positive part of our experience in Berlin was Ivos, himself. We were flying into Tegel airport in Berlin and had a problem with our luggage that delayed our arrival at the apartment by over three hours. Even though we finally arrived late in the evening, Ivos happily met us at the door to the building, showed us the features of his apartment, and spent quite some time helping us to know how to get around and what to see and do during our stay in Berlin. It was a real pleasure visiting with Ivos, and we wished that we could have spent some more time getting to know him and learning of his experiences growing up in East Berlin. Thank you, Ivos, for letting us use your wonderful apartment and for your splendid hospitality.