Pension Schwalbenweg

We came for one night before an early flight and had to get up at 3 a.m. The room was clean and reception was pretty nice, but the constant noise from other rooms and the corridor made it a terrible stay. People played music, sang and slammed doors around midnight, while children ran and yelled in the hallway. I’m a light sleeper, and of the six hours I’d planned to sleep, I got only one. I’d never come back and can’t recommend it.

This might work for someone on a really tight budget with a very early flight, but I wouldn’t recommend it otherwise. I liked the man at the front desk, which made me want to say something nice, but the stay was rough. The room smelled strongly of cigarettes despite the no-smoking sign, and the smell got into my luggage and stayed on me for the rest of the trip. I left the door and window open while eating, then had to close them when mosquitoes came in from the yard. The room itself was clean; a fresh coat of paint might help. The bed was comfortable and very warm, and I felt safe leaving my valuables while exploring the area, though there isn’t much to see. The walls are very thin. Guests next door came in at 2 a.m. and giggled for an hour, and sound carries down the hall when people talk in the kitchen or open and close doors. People came and went all night, so I barely slept. Carpet in the hallway might reduce the noise. A woman travelling alone might feel uncomfortable with men walking half-naked to the shower. The bathrooms were clean, but the shower offered very little privacy. For a one-star place, I’d give it two stars. A flyswatter in the room would’ve helped too.

The rooms are pretty nice for the price, and the beds are quite good. They clean the place often, which I appreciate, though the staff aren’t especially friendly. I think their English may not be very good. There’s no power socket in the men’s bathroom or toilets, which isn’t great. And take your room key if you go into the garden, because if the door shuts, you need it to get out.

This has the feel of an old-fashioned youth hostel, with simple rooms, shared toilets and showers, a sink and only basic amenities. The rooms are very clean, the beds comfortable, and during my stays I never saw or heard the other guests. I’ve stayed at Pension Schwalbenweg several times for flights to and from Berlin Airport or Schönefeld, without any complaints. It’s very convenient for early flights or late arrivals. The S-Bahn station Grünbergallee is 200 metres away, and the S9 connects the airport with the city centre. Trains run every 20 minutes and nearly all night. You can check in or out at any hour using the terminal outside when reception is closed, which I think is great. Prices went up in 2023, so I’m not sure if it’s still worth the money. When I stayed in early March 2023, S9 trains weren’t running because of repair work on the line, which I hadn’t known about.