The Best Boutique Hotels in Berlin, Germany

Sitting in Friedrichshain, the Michelberger occupies a former factory building. This history is echoed in this Berlin boutique hotel’s interior, which positively oozes industrial chic, and is a large part of the reason why the Michelberger has quickly become one of the city’s coolest hotels. From small to mini-dorms for groups of up to six people, its rooms are quirky and unconventional, with funky interiors, oversize hanging lamps and bookshelves made from recycled crates. The hotel bar has a cosy courtyard, and the adjacent restaurant serves one of the best lunches in town, focussing on healthy dishes made with local ingredients. The Michelberger brand also produces and sells coconut water, as well as a small selection of herbal schnapps drinks. The latter might well put you in the mood for singing, so don’t miss Monster Ronson’s Ichiban Karaoke next door.

Sitting inside a former bathhouse designed in 1898 by architect Ludwig Hoffmann, the Hotel Oderberger is a historic accommodation found in the sleek neighbourhood of Prenzlauer Berg. After the pool was forced to close in 1989, an extensive renovation began in 2012, and in 2016, it found new life as one of the best boutique hotels in Berlin. The rooms are lovingly decorated, with comfort, premium, maisonette, junior suite and apartment rooms available. The swimming pool remains in use today, and the stylish hotel also has a world-class restaurant and bar, with a range of trendy art dotted throughout the premises.

With a sauna overlooking the zoo, an in-house bakery and a rooftop bar, the 25hours Hotel has it all. This West Berlin gem is part of the hip shopping mall Bikini Berlin, at the heart of the Kurfürstendamm shopping area. Half of the rooms look out over the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, while the others enjoy views of the city’s zoo, giving a whole new meaning to the term “urban jungle”. The hotel’s light-filled spaces – the brainchild of renowned designer Werner Aisslinger – offer perfect views of the city, and the roof terrace is an ideal spot to watch the sunset while listening to the sounds of its regular guest DJ sets.

Sensual and seductive, the burlesque-inspired Provocateur is just a five-minute walk from the Kurfürstendamm shopping street. This unique hotel in Berlin channels 1920s Paris, with copious amounts of red velvet, dimmed lighting and a colour scheme characterised by rich reds, golds and blues. The hotel bar serves some of the city’s best cocktails and a range of home-made liqueurs and also hosts regular DJ sets. The in-house restaurant is an equally big draw. Run by none other than The Duc Ngo, one of the most important figures on Berlin’s food scene, the Golden Phoenix serves Chinese dishes prepared according to traditional French cooking techniques.

The stylish Max Brown Ku’Damm lies in a quiet, leafy area on the border of Charlottenburg and Wilmersdorf that is both laid-back and within easy reach of some fun and free things to do in Berlin. Its compact yet airy rooms adhere to a quirky design that combines mid-century furniture with vibrant colour, encapsulating the city’s playful vibe, and feature a vintage Crosley record player. But what really sets this hotel apart is Benedict, the 24-hour bakery and breakfast restaurant on the ground floor. Mimosas, anyone?

Close to the city’s largest park, the Tiergarten, SO/Berlin Das Stue is inside a building that once housed the Royal Danish Embassy. This boutique hotel in Berlin is a food lover’s dream, as it’s home to a Michelin-star restaurant (Cinco by Paco Pérez) and a more casual eatery serving tapas-style small plates with a focus on seafood. The hotel’s sophisticated interior design – dark hardwood floors, free-standing baths and a show-stopping crocodile sculpture in the lobby – comes courtesy of Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola. Other facilities include a spa, an indoor swimming pool and a sauna.

Another elegant stay in the western part of the city, the Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof Hotel pays homage to the Bauhaus era with an interior design concept that perfectly combines striking common areas, including its BLEND Berlin Kitchen & Bar – serving innovative cuisine inspired by the city’s diverse population and multicultural character – and more understated, yet highly functional rooms. It also houses the city’s largest hotel pool and caters to guests travelling for leisure or business, thanks to its Business Playground area.

Hotel the YARD, in trendy Kreuzberg, is a stylish Berlin boutique hotel centred around a tranquil courtyard. Its interior is at once minimalist and vibrant, thanks to its nature-themed decor, which features wooden floors, plants and nature photography. Its location makes it a prime spot for art lovers eager to explore Berlin’s creative scene, with König and Berlinische galleries just around the corner. Its on-site bistro offers a range of snacks – the perfect place to sample traditional German treats, such as currywurst.