Stilwerk Hotel Kantgaragen

The room was spotless, with modern amenities, a lovely view, and a bed I could happily sink into all day. I also appreciated the free water and earplugs, plus the option to use the sauna at Holmes Gym, about a 15-minute walk away. The temperature was a problem, though. The room got very hot overnight, the AC didn’t work, and I had to sleep with the window and blinds open. Streaming on the TV also failed. I spent another 45 minutes messaging support on WhatsApp, but we couldn’t get it working. Someone on site could probably have sorted that quickly. Getting into the room was frustrating too. There’s no one there to help in person, though customer service does reply quickly on WhatsApp. I hadn’t realized I needed to complete a pre-check-in and upload passport photos, so I spent about 25 minutes downstairs with my luggage calling and messaging the hotel to work out how to get in. After a long travel day, I just wanted to show someone my passport and go to my room. If they fixed these issues and had basic on-site help, like a receptionist, this would be a five-star stay for me.

We weren’t told beforehand that this was a self-service hotel with no reception or room cleaning. Breakfast was very limited too, and the coffee was restricted to one cup. They offered us a 20% goodwill discount, but even at that price I don’t think it’s worth it. You could book a flat with the same self-service setup.

Communication before arrival was excellent, and they also handled a question I had during the stay really well. The room was spotless and got another thorough cleaning halfway through my trip. I’d booked a medium apartment, which is a little larger, and the bed was the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in at a hotel. I’ll definitely stay here again on my next visit to Berlin.

I’d pick another hotel. The room was spacious and looked nice, and the place was quiet, but the digital setup made simple problems difficult. There’s no staff on site, and everything runs through the app. It didn’t work well for me, and when it fails you’re stuck. At night you have to enter the five-digit code at the hotel entrance, elevator, and room, which got annoying. The window faces another building, so people can see you clearly with the curtain open. The lights also kept going out while I showered. They’re controlled by a motion sensor outside the shower, so about every five minutes I had to open the door and wave from outside. The room felt cold even with the AC at its maximum of 25 degrees. I was fine dressed, but not if I wanted to walk around naked. For help, you start with an in-app AI chat and wait about 20 minutes before it passes you to a person. The agents weren’t especially helpful. It may save the hotel money, but it doesn’t make things easier for guests. Breakfast is at the café downstairs, whose staff say they have nothing to do with the hotel. They offer one of three set options. The sandwich tends to fall apart, so I had to eat it with a knife and fork. They wouldn’t serve the filling on a plate with the bread on the side. This might suit someone who wants everything contactless and doesn’t mind avoiding people. I’d rather have a smaller room and real staff around when I need help.