Lux 11 Berlin Mitte

Our room had loads of space and everything we needed, plus a fantastic view of the TV tower. We liked having a Juliet balcony so we could let in some fresh air. The building's interior was beautiful, and the staff were so friendly when we arrived. Downstairs in the basement there's an essentials room with laundry and ironing facilities, kitchen utensils, and things you might need in your room, such as extra tissues or shower gel. We didn't need to use it, but it was good to know it was there. We stayed Monday to Friday to visit Berlin's Christmas markets and had a wonderful time. We're already talking about coming back.

We had a small kitchen in the room with enough appliances for simple cooking, and the air conditioner was a real help in the hot weather. At breakfast, the lounge had coffee and smoothies, plus great sandwiches and cakes. The room was very clean, nicely designed, and had a view of the tower. It's also close to a grocery store and public transport. From Alexanderplatz, you can walk along the main street and see lots of sights, and Museumsinsel is nearby for cultural and historical attractions. The restaurant in the same building had a good range of food and drinks. The staff were very polite, especially the waitresses Michaela and Theresa :). My food came quickly, and there was nice music and a pleasant atmosphere.

We had bedbugs in our room. I couldn't sleep in the bed, so I moved to the couch, while my wife kept sleeping there. At first I thought the marks were an allergy. The next day, as you might expect, we noticed bites. I had more than 10 and my wife had over 30. One on my neck had become a lump. We complained, and at first the staff were helpful. They moved us to another room and admitted they'd had problems before when we showed photos of the marks. We appreciated the response and hoped they would contain the issue, so we weren't planning to write a review. The following day, the receptionist or manager stopped us as we were going out to ask how we were. I said we were doing better, but we still weren't sure whether some marks were new or whether the bedbugs had followed us to the new room. My wife showed her hand, where there might have been new bites. The response was, “You showed me that yesterday.” That felt dismissive after what we'd been through. Had she even counted the five-plus marks on my wife's hand? After that, we just wanted to end the conversation. We told her, “You know what? Yeah, we're much better, thank you,” and left. It felt like she was trying to control the story and make us feel stupid or suggest we were lying, even though we were still worried. Why ask how we were, then? Luckily there was a laundry room downstairs. We washed and dried our clothes to contain the problem, and I don't think we brought the bugs home.

The room was lovely and clean, and getting around Berlin from here was easy. I’ve just finished a four-night stay, and the whole place was spot on, even as a self-service hotel. My one reservation was that the shower and sink were right in the sleeping area, which might not suit couples. That’s why I’d give the room four stars. Everything else was fantastic, and I’d come back. 😀