Don’t make the mistake of assuming Adina Apartment Checkpoint Charlie is right next to the famous historic crossing point of Berlin. It’s not; this particular Adina Hotel – one of three dotted across the enormous city – is around a 10 minute walk from the area, a welcome distance seeing as Checkpoint Charlie is teeming with tourists at all hours of the day. Although the location is rather bare and unexciting for a city as large as Berlin, surrounded by apartment buildings and small neighbourhood businesses, there’s a beautiful, peaceful atmosphere surrounding the cost-conscious property which is most ideal for families wanting a quiet base for their Berlin stay.
Adina’s home-away-from-home approach to apartment-style accommodation is consistent here, with a little over 100 offerings of large studios and one/two bedroom apartments with either kitchenettes or fully-equipped kitchens. The sense of space in the rooms is generous, with even studios large enough to provide great value for the affordable price. Most ideal for smaller groups (1-3) though is the One Bedroom King, featuring a decent sized living area and separate bedroom plus a sizable bathroom and fully equipped kitchen. The bed is sufficiently comfortable, featuring a sturdy but soft mattress that, while not surpassing any expectations, is positioned in a moderately spacious room opposite a mid-sized wall-fixed flat screen TV.
The property’s charming lobby features neat, well-designed spaces far more charming than many similar hotels with comfy lounges and attractive portraits portraying outdoor scenery. It opens up into the large Alto Restaurant which mixes up Austrian favourites with contemporary, tourist-friendly meals. The breakfast spread is generous, though nothing too out of the ordinary.
Continuing that love of rich, spacious amenities is the heated pool and nearby fitness centre, both well-equipped spaces with the former featuring a sizable hot tub at the top-end of a long, narrow swimming pool. The gym should keep fitness-loving guests satisfied, especially as there seems to be a lack of fitness options around the property.
Those craving a view may be left disappointed but travellers more interested in exploring Berlin should find a lot to love here. The UNESCO listed Museum Island is around 1.5km from the hotel, featuring five of the best museums all within a stone’s throw from each other.
The densely packed Friedrichstrasse strip is also quite close, with about 500-600m within the property’s area. There was unfortunately a heap of track work during my stay but it’s only a short walk to a well-connected U-Bahn station which opens visitors up to the entirety of Berlin (and for those looking for an essential day trip: Potsdam or Dresden). The younger crowd will take an instant liking to the whole Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg area, which encompasses some of the city’s most famous bars, nightclubs, restaurants, cafes and art projects. The whole area around the iconic 1316m long East Side Gallery is a must.
Berlin is an enormous, complex city that can feel overwhelming at times. The variety of things to do is second to none as far as Europe is concerned, luckily the city also boasts one of the best tourism websites in the world. Curated blog posts and editorial guides are always very useful but a good starting point for any first-time visitor would be Visit Berlin’s website which can be found HERE.
With so much to do, it’s nice having that relative peace and quiet to return to at Adina, a breezy neighborhood atmosphere that more than makes up for the property’s small but noticeable distance from it’s namesake. Take that with a decent on-site restaurant, spacious rooms and a fantastic swimming pool and it’s no surprise Adina have such a large presence with Germany’s more fair-minded budget travellers.
Adina Hotel Checkpoint Charlie
Address: Krausenstraße 35-36, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Contact: +49 30 2007670
Website: adinahotels.com
The writer stayed three nights as a guest of Adina Hotel Checkpoint Charlie.
Feature image supplied.
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