Intervarko

The tenant wasn't friendly or helpful. We booked a room for two but were given separate beds, with the explanation, "you did not specify you were a couple !" There was no way to switch rooms. We were also charged an extra 10 euro for arriving after 6pm, even though that hadn't been mentioned during booking. It is apparently written somewhere on their website. The room had no toilet or shower, which wasn't clear in the description, and the shared toilets weren't very clean. Berlin is a lovely city with nice people, but I'd avoid staying here.

It's conveniently surrounded by nice restaurants, supermarkets, clothing stores, and other shops. The hotel service was friendly and helpful, and the rooms were clean with nice furniture. But they're very small, and the beds, especially the mattresses, were barely acceptable. There are no toilets in the rooms, just two in the hall on each floor, and there's no elevator. There wasn't any breakfast service either, and the hotel has no restaurant.

The beds were the main downside for me. They had very thin mattresses on wooden boards, and at 191 cm I found them too short. The huge pillow didn't help, though some people might like it. The sheets were clean and smooth, and the bed didn't really keep me awake, but the comfort was just on the edge for me. Otherwise, this was a very clean hostel in former East Berlin, with easy, clear arrangements and high standards of cleanliness.

Getting into the building nearly put me off, since a couple of sketchy guys were hanging around the door. Once inside, the room felt safe and warm, and reception was basic but accommodating. The shared unisex bathroom was fine, though it caught me by surprise. Trams make it easy to get into Berlin. It was a good stay, just don't expect too much.