Grimms Potsdamer Platz

The location was quiet and safe, close to the U bahn and bus stops, and within walking distance of two or three art museums. The room itself was extremely clean and neat, but the dryer function on the washing machine didn’t work, which was my second complaint. My first was an unpleasant late-night encounter with a male staff member on my way up to my room. He treated me with a lot of suspicion, as if I were an intruder, and demanded to see my hotel card. Would he have done that if I were white? I doubt it. Perhaps he couldn’t believe an Indian woman could afford to stay there. The hotel needs to sensitize its staff to help prevent racial profiling in the future.

Getting around was easy, with a metro and train right next to High Park at Potsdamer Platz. The Berlin Wall and Berlin Mall were also within walking distance. We arrived before check-in and could leave our bags in a secure area, and the reception staff were friendly and informative. Our apartment was modern, clean, tidy, and spacious, with a good-pressure shower, a handy cooking area, and a place to relax. We had a lovely stay.

There was a thoughtful New Year’s Eve surprise waiting for us, a bottle of champagne. The breakfast had good coffee and was tasty and high quality, though the choice wasn’t huge. There was still something for everyone, and the price for what you get felt great. The hotel is also very well placed: Potadam Platz and Berlin Mall are about a 10-minute walk, Brandenburg Gate around 20 minutes, and there’s literally a subway entrance from the hotel. Our room was spacious, regularly cleaned, and had everything we needed, including a hair dryer, iron, and full kitchen with dishwasher, plus a huge terrace. A few things could be better. The corridors feel like those in a residential building, so it doesn’t quite feel like a hotel, and from a room in the middle you can hear other rooms’ entrance doors. The hotel smell was a bit strange, and our curtain had a small stain, nothing terrible. More breakfast options would be nice.

The staff were really nice and got us fans, since there’s no AC. The apartment was amazing, very clean, and right next to a subway.