Mashana Malowa

There are a million and one brilliant hotels (and Airbnbs) in Berlin, even with some of the world’s most strict restrictions on Airbnbs and other vacation rentals. Hotels are literally everywhere here, but fear not; we’ve done the hard yards and collated some of the best into one handy guide.  Our team of local experts and our own Time Out travel editors have reviewed a number of top places to stay in the city, from an iconic historic jazz institution to a newly-renovated affordable hotel in Ku’damm. Whatever you’re searching for, here are our top hotels in Berlin. Happy travels.  Updated December 2024: We’ve just crowned our brand-new top hotel in Berlin, awarded five stars by our local writer Kate Bettes. Read on to see what it is.  RECOMMENDED: 🛏 See our list of the best Airbnbs in Berlin📍 Discover where to stay in Berlin🖼 Find out the best things to do in Berlin Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

I moved to this city in the deep, dark depths of the pandemic. My first flat was, obviously, awful. The landlord was dodgy (shock). It was full of mould. The shower was next to the kitchen and had no door. Still, though, I look back on those days fondly. One rare sunny afternoon we climbed out of my flatmate’s window to sit on the roof, drinking homemade Bloody Marys and blasting the Bad Boy Chiller Crew from a box speaker into the sticky, polluted air of Kingsland Road. We got quite a few glares from passers-by, but also a fair amount of smiles.  Whether you’re moving here for study, work, family, or another reason, your first months in London will be challenging, but you’ll probably look back on them with such fogged-up rose-tinted glasses it will hardly matter anyway. Use this time to meet as many new people as you can and to make mistakes. Be broke, go to M&M world (don’t actually), get lost on the tube. That said, there are some things I wish I’d known before coming here. Hindsight is a blessing, as they say. But we’re not gatekeepers, so we asked Time Out staff to share their top tricks and tips for anyone moving to the capital. Some of these folks have been born and bred here. Others are adopted Londoners, like you might well be one day. Listen up, take note, and good luck. 

For a city as cool as Berlin, an awful lot of its top hotels are a bit stuffy (and expensive). But Radisson RED Ku’damm by Radisson Hotels, newly renovated and reopened for September 2024, is a breath of fresh air.  Whether you know the brand’s collection or not, there’s something exciting in the air here; be greeted by the delightful staff, give a customary hello to the iconic Radisson RED bear statue, and start spotting the art on the walls; much of it surrealist photography with a splash of red. Since the refurb, it’s got the sparkle to prove it, including a brand-new gym and a very nice bar with cocktails and a DJ, but the whole place even smells fresh – a signature Radisson scent throughout smells more like you’re at a spa for the day.  There are 133 rooms, ranging from about £70 to £120 (we said about – we’re talking about hotels here). So these are actually affordable rooms, probably what you’d pay for an Airbnb, but they feel uber-luxurious; big fluffy beds, some very striking art (even in the shower), a coffee machine, USB-C ports, a clothes steamer and a very large TV. If you’re lucky, your room might even have a view of the courtyard below. In summer, you’ll be lucky enough to eat out there yourself at the hotel’s restaurant, but the restaurant’s interiors are just as cosy in winter. Exec chef Giovani’s food is something to shout about wherever you eat it, serving up perfect, often untraditional Italian plates with a modern twist, from risottos to silky, meaty past