THE WEINMEISTER in Berlin - Hotel Review with Photos

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Updated: May 31, 2022

Essentials
• Location: Weinmeisterstrasse next to the namesake U-Bahn station.
• Hotel website: the-weinmeister.com
• Hotel phone: +49 30 755 6670
• Check prices for Weinmeister

Review of The Weinmeister Hotel in Berlin, Germany.

The trendy Weinmeister features spacious rooms, a cozy lobby, excellent service, and a rooftop hot-tub.

Weinmeister – Funky and arty hotel that avoids being pretentious in an amazing central location.

The Weinmeister is the kind of place that seems edgy from the outside (hashtags and street art), but get past the window-dressing and it is, in fact, pleasingly traditional. The hotel’s staff provides excellent tailored service. The lobby, with its oversized wingback chairs, is actually a comfy place to relax, and its intimate rooftop terrace with hot-tub provides a slice of secret Berlin luxury (not to mention views) that most locals don’t know about. Then there are the rooms: even the most basic have space for a sofa as well as enormous, almost theatrical beds, and the ten Signature rooms, each designed by a different local creative, provide a unique experience and perspective of the city, whether it’s the vibrant pink color or heavy metal. Above all, though, The Weinmeister is all about its location: it’s in the coolest part of Mitte with some of the best shopping and nightlife in the city, and a short walk to Alexanderplatz and Museumsinsel.

Weinmeister – Location

Address: Weinmeisterstrasse 2.
Nearest Metro/Subway: Weinmeisterstrasse U-Bahn station is less than a minute’s walk (50m) from the hotel.
Area: The hotel is in Mitte, more specifically, in the trendy Scheunenviertel, often referred to as the Hackescher Markt. To the north is Prenzlauer Berg, one of the city’s chicest neighborhoods. While both Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg have been heavily gentrified since the city’s reunification, there are still hints of its shabbier Soviet past.
How to Get There: From Berlin Central Station, it’s 10 minutes (2 miles) via either taxi or public transport. From Brandenburg Airport, it’s about 40 minutes by taxi or public transport.
Private Transfer: We use and recommend Welcome Pickups car service. Booking through a private car service will cost only a bit more than a taxi – about €49 from Brandenburg Airport – but can be worth it to avoid the long taxi queue and for the convenience of paying ahead.
Handy To: Hackescher Markt, Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer, Neue Synagoge.

Weinmeister – The Basics

Ages: The Weinmeister is adults (18+) only.
View: North-facing rooms on the upper floors have city views, while those on the south side overlook the courtyard.
Private Pools/Jacuzzis: No private pools or jacuzzis.
Laundry: Laundry services available (additional charge).
Parking: On-site parking available for €24/day.
Extras: Concierge service, bicycles for hire at reception.
When to Book: There is often last-minute availability, except during September, when many trade fairs hit the city, so booking 1-2 months ahead is a great idea.
How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
Phone: +49 30 755 6670
Email: info@the-weinmeister.com
Website: the-weinmeister.com

Weinmeister – Amenities

Pool: No pool but there’s a rooftop hot-tub with sun loungers, open 10am-8pm.
Spa: An independent company, beautySpa, runs out of the hotel’s 6th floor. They offer a wide range of treatments that need to be pre-booked.
Fitness Center: No fitness center on-site, but the guests can use the facilities at EVO Fitness (0.3 mile) and at the Holmes Place gym chain.
For Disabled Guests: The entire hotel is accessible by elevator and there are 2 Medium wheelchair-friendly rooms.

Weinmeister – Food and Drink

Restaurant: No restaurant but numerous dining options are an easy walk away.
Lounge/Bar/Cafe: The hotel bar, with its quirky lounge and oversized wingback chairs, is in the reception and open to guests 24/7. There are freshly-made cakes and some other light bites in the afternoons, or there’s Cafe Einstein across the courtyard, with whom the hotel collaborates for breakfast. Guests can also drink on the rooftop after 8pm, when the hot-tub closes, to enjoy panoramic views of the city.
Breakfast: Guests have 3 options: a simple “French” breakfast served in the hotel lobby (€4.50), or one of two types of buffet breakfasts at Cafe Einstein across the courtyard (“Berlin” €5.75/“New York” €16).
Room Service: There is 24-hour room service for drinks or there is a hot drinks station with fruits in the lobby. There are many 24-hour stores and snack bars nearby.

Weinmeister – Rooms

Room Types: Small ● Medium ● Large ● Signature • List of all Rooms
Smoking Rooms: The Weinmeister is 100% smoke-free.
Best Room: The Large and Signature rooms are essentially the same, except for the fact that the Signature rooms have all been individually-designed and curated by artists or organizations – some even have original artwork for sale in the room. Each Large and Signature room has a Nespresso-style coffee machine, bathtub, separate rainfall shower, sofa, climate control, TV, slippers, robes, and a hairdryer.

Weinmeister – Local Transport

Walking: Many of the big sights are within a 10-minute walk of the hotel, including Museumsinsel and Alexanderplatz.
Tram/Bus: The useful M1 tram route, which goes directly into the center of Mitte and north through Prenzlauer Berg, can be caught right by Weinmeisterstrasse U-Bahn, a 1-minute walk (50m).
Subway: Weinmeisterstrasse U-Bahn is a 1-minute walk (50m).
Taxis, Uber, Lyft: All taxis charge the same amount in Berlin, even Uber, but the company’s growth has been limited by local taxi firms, which have rallied to compete with apps of their own: TaxiApp and taxi.eu app represent a large number of local companies, including Taxi Berlin (+49 30 202020) and FunkTaxi Berlin (+49 30 261026).

Weinmeister – What’s Nearby?

Recommended Nearby Tours

Secret Food Tours – With specialist tours about craft beer, street food, German food, and vegan cuisine, these tours, led by locals, are always illuminating. They start at different places, depending on the tour.
Insider Tour – This company offers a wide range of extremely well-reviewed tours (including Jewish Berlin, Third Reich Berlin, Cold War Berlin, and more) and their meeting point in East Berlin is conveniently located by Hackescher Markt station, a 7-minute walk (0.3 mile) south of the hotel.
Berlin on Bike – The meeting point for this tour company, which offers a diverse range of cycling city tours, is a tourist site in itself, Prenzlauer Berg’s Kulturbrauerei, a 22-minute walk (1 mile) from the hotel.
Trabi Safari – One of the quirkier options and a must for any motorheads is to drive around the city in a Trabant, the car of the Soviet Union. You’ll see the multicolored little vehicles around and about, and navigating Berlin’s streets in one will give you more of a sense of real life in the GDR than just about anything else. Tour starts from Zimmerstrasse (opposite the Topographie des Terrors), 25 minutes via public transport.

Best Nearby Restaurants

Tinys Pizza x Piccolo Giardino – Whether you go for a great Italian meal, an aperitivo, or homemade dessert, this hidden gem in the Rosenhöfe is sure to delight. $-$$. (0.2 mile).
‘Chén Chè Teehaus – Asian tea house serving freshly-baked sweet treats and Vietnamese mains in a magical bamboo-filled courtyard. $-$$. (0.2 mile).
YOSOY – Lively Spanish tapas joint attracting a mix of tourists and locals right by the Hackesche Höfe. (0.2 mile).
Đistrict Một – The closest you’ll get to Saigon in Europe. Kitsch and colorful diner with convivial outside seating. Pho, dim sum, hot pot, and more. $. (0.2 mile).
Sisal – Cozy local Italian serving unfussy pizzas and pastas at great prices. $. (0.2 mile).
KWA – Kebap with Attitude – Hipster kebabs with a wide range of sauces, chutneys, and inventive fillings, including lots for veggies. $. (0.3 mile).
Kuchi – Great Japanese food with a focus on curries and noodles, great for those not so into sushi. Sleek interiors and cool garden. $-$$. (0.3 mile).
Simela – Excellent pizzeria with a great selection for those with special diets or allergies. $. (0.3 mile).
PeterPaul – Sharing plates of German classics with a twist in a refined restaurant on Torstrasse. $$-$$$. (0.4 mile).
Kopps – Vegan, seasonal, organic, and beautifully presented, altogether excellent. $$. (0.4 mile).
Yumcha Heroes – A modern take on the traditional Chinese tea-and-dumpling house. They make some of the best dim sum in the city. $-$$. (0.4 mile).
Nola’s – From Bircher Müsli to Röschti and Fondue, this place does Swiss food all day every day with a cool terrace overlooking the Volkspark am Weinberg. $-$$. (0.5 mile).

Best Nearby Cafes

Father Carpenter – Cute “breakfast restaurant” in one of the Hackescher Markt’s many courtyards with a slim but excellent food selection. (0.1 mile).
Barcomi’s – Delectable bagels, pies, cakes, coffee, and more from this local favorite (they can also prepare fully stocked picnic baskets for day-trips). The deli is off Sophienstrasse in a picturesque courtyard. (0.2 mile).
The BARN – Simply one of the best coffee shops in the city. Renowned internationally for its roastery (0.5 mile). The closest cafe is a 5-minute walk (0.3 mile) away.

Best Nearby Bars and Breweries

Dal Contadino – Pleasant Italian trattoria and wine bar. (0.2 mile).
Betty F*** – Trashy late-night LGBTQ space in what must be one of the tiniest bars in the city. (0.2 mile).
Mein Haus am See – A 24/7 cafe-bar-club, “My House on the Lake” has cool seating and welcomes everyone. (0.3 mile).
Clärchens Ballhaus – Drinking, dining, dancing, guided tours, and more at this faded but splendid ballroom that’s been going since 1913. (0.4 mile).
Kaschk – Ever yearned for craft beer and shuffleboard? Then this place is for you. (0.4 mile).
Gaststätte W. Prassnik – Bar that serves its own brew, which evokes GDR-era simplicity: “You come when we open. No reservations. No social media.” Smoking allowed in the bar. (0.4 mile).
MuschiObermaier – Rock n’ roll bar with retro music and a punky dive-bar atmosphere. Wednesday-Saturday from 8/9pm. Cash only. (0.5 mile).

Nearby Shopping & Cool Shops

Schönhauser Design – The best and most classic contemporary design house, specializing in German and Danish labels as well as Berlin-based manufacturers. (0.1 mile).
Freshlabels – Like a shoe store for bags, the coolest new backpacks are available to feel, try on, and admire. (0.1 mile).
South Embassy – High-quality Latin American products, from clothes and shoes to wines and chocolate. (0.1 mile).
Tukadu – For lovers of kitsch, colorful, and playful jewelry, come to this heaven, where you can buy handmade designs or choose elements to design your own. (0.2 mile).
Hackescher Markt – The term refers to the shopping area encompassing the eponymous S-Bahn station, Dircksenstraße in the south, Torstrasse in the north, Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz in the east, and Oranienburger Strasse in the west. It’s most famous for its concentration of independent stores scattered in various courtyards, or Höfe. The most famous of these being the Hackesche Höfe, which has a warren of yards and Jugendstil architecture. (0.2 mile).
do you read me?! – You’ll see people carrying this store’s canvas bags all over the city. It’s the hippest magazine store, with a small selection of classic books, many in English. (0.3 mile).
Dr Bronner’s – For green points, head to this, the flagship store of the cult Californian brand. (0.4 mile).
Grober Unfug – Cool comic book store with a good selection in English. (0.4 mile).
Rotation Boutique – Record store and unisex fashion, with an emphasis on sustainable streetwear. (0.4 mile).
FUNDAMENTAL.BERLIN – Homeware and more, inspired by the “mathematics of nature” and made from natural materials. (0.4 mile).
Kurfürstendamm – For luxury stores and international chains, bypass hip Mitte and head straight to “Ku’damm”, as it’s known by locals, and hit all the world’s major brands at once. 30 minutes via public transport.

Nearby Attractions

Alexanderplatz, Fernsehturm, & Karl Marx Allee – Alexanderplatz is the busiest place in Berlin and a great landmark to help orientate yourself to the city. Don’t miss the retrofuturistic World Clock, often surrounded by street performers, and make sure to walk east up the bombastic Karl Marx Allee, a perfect example of large-scale Soviet architecture. Another unmissable example of Soviet pretension towers over Alexanderplatz: the Fernsehturm (TV Tower), which was designed to show off the might of the new regime to the West. Now you can ascend for food or drink, or just to look around. It’s open most days until midnight. All can be reached within a 10-minute walk (0.4 mile).
Museums – There can be few cities as great for museum-goers as Berlin, mostly because they’re all packed into a compact area, the so-called Museumsinsel, an 18-minute walk (1 mile) from the hotel. The island in the Spree features some of the nation’s finest museums: the Alte Nationalgalerie (19th-century art), the Altes Museum (Greeks, Etruscans, Romans), the Bode-Museum (sculpture, coins, medals, and Byzantine art), the Neues Museum (Ancient Egyptians and prehistory), and the Pergamonmuseum (Islamic and Roman architectural set pieces). There are far too many treasures to note, but needless to say, you should plan your time (or go with a guided tour) and buy tickets in advance, especially for the world-famous Pergamon. General opening hours are 10am-6pm (Thursdays until 8pm) and several of the museums are closed on Monday. Also on the island are the Berliner Dom (cathedral) and the Humboldt Forum, which is being built in the former Berlin Palace. Just off the island are the wonderful Deutsches Historisches Museum, which traces German history from the Middle Ages to the fall of the Wall, and the wacky and interactive DDR Museum (see below under Cold War).
Unter den Linden – West of Museumsinsel is this enormous boulevard that leads past the Staatsoper (National Operahouse) and Humboldt University, via many of the flagship stores for international brands, all the way to the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) and beyond to the Tiergarten and its dramatic Siegessäule (Victory Monument). Just north of the Brandenburg Gate is the Bundestag (aka Reichstag), with its inspiring rotunda where the public can overlook the politicians at work in the main parliament chamber below. It’s free to visit, but book well ahead or risk hours in line. 15 minutes by public transport.
Nazi and WWII history – A good place to start is the Topographie des Terrors (Topography of Terror, 25 minutes via public transport), a center dedicated to understanding how the Nazis came to cause such destruction, and built on the former site of the Gestapo, SS, and security headquarters. There are 2 worthwhile memorials to visit that warn of the horrors of war: the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, 25 minutes via public transport) has been purposefully left in its bombed state, while Käthe Kollwitz’s devastating ‘Mother with her Dead Son’ sculpture at the Neue Wache (New Guardshouse, opposite the Staatsoper, 0.8 mile) is a national monument for all the victims of war and dictatorship. During the air raids that destroyed some 80% of the city center, much of Berlin’s life happened underground. Two ways to get insight into this are: visit the site of the Führerbunker (30 minutes via public transport), where information boards explain what cannot be seen below – Hitler’s series of underground rooms and tunnels where he spent his final days, or visit Berliner Unterwelten (10 minutes via public transport), whose tours allow you to explore air raid shelters, and the Myth of Germania exhibition which examines Hitler’s extensive plans for a modernized, Aryan Berlin (and how it would be achieved with widespread forced labor).
Jewish Berlin – Wandering through the large uneven slabs of the Holocaust Memorial, just south of the Brandenburg Gate (25 minutes via public transport), is a deeply moving experience, as is the Jewish Museum (in Kreuzberg, 25 minutes via public transport), which dives deep into German-Jewish history and culture. The Neue Synagoge in Scheunenviertel (0.5 mile) provides tangible evidence of just how important the pre-war Jewish population was to Berlin’s growth and industry in the second half of the 19th century. It now features a permanent exhibition about Berlin Jewry.
Cold War – As you walk around the city, look out for the double row of cobblestones, laid as a reminder of the enormous footprint of the Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall). There are several segments of the original wall that have been preserved: a section at the Topographie des Terrors (see above); the famous painted section, the East Side Gallery (in Friedrichshein, 25-30 minutes via public transport); and the Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial), which spans a few blocks of Bernauer Strasse, between the Nordbahnhof and Mauerpark (1 mile). It’s an outdoor museum telling the story of the wall and its repercussions, with a full-scale reproduction of the double-walled barrier the Soviets created (viewing platform at the corner with Ackerstrasse). The reconstructed Checkpoint Charlie (in Mitte, a block from the Topographie des Terrors, 20 minutes by public transport), a gateway between the East and West from the American Sector, is an evocative tourist favorite, while the Stasi Museum and Archives (in Friedrichshain, 30 minutes via public transport), housed in the real Stasi headquarters, show the depths the secret police of the German Democratic Republic went to for spying on its citizens. For a social history perspective, the DDR Museum (0.5 mile) is a wonderfully interactive glimpse into what life was like behind the iron curtain in the Deutsche Demokratische Republik, or German Democratic Republic (GDR).
Other sights in Mitte – The oldest part of the city can be seen in Nikolaiviertel (0.8 mile), whose tiny alleys and reconstructed medieval church seem a million miles away from the big city, and the heavy-handed GDR-era restoration gives the whole area a sense of Berlin’s layered history. Worth a visit, especially for the open air concerts in summer and the Christmas markets in winter, is the Gendarmenmarkt (15 minutes by public transport), a square often dubbed the most beautiful in Berlin thanks to its perfectly symmetrical neoclassical buildings. The heavily regenerated Potsdamer Platz (20 minutes via public transport) now has much to recommend it, including a walk of stars leading to the Sony Center (0.3 mile from Potsdamer Platz station), and just past that, the Kulturforum (0.3 mile). Designed in the 1960s to show those in the East what they were missing out on in the cultured West, the Kulturforum’s large plaza features the glimmering Philharmonie concert hall, the Gemäldegalerie (13th to 18th-century European paintings), and the soon-to-be-reopened Neue Nationalgalerie (20th-century art), among other cultural hotspots.
Schloss Charlottenburg – There are many sights worthy of a trip outside central Berlin, but Charlottenburg Palace might be one of the best. It was the plush Prussian dream of Queen Sophie Charlotte, whose golden Rococo ballroom and Porcelain Cabinet are jaw-droppingly lavish. It has beautiful gardens for strolling or picnicking, and opposite are 3 excellent museums, the Bröhan-Museum (arts and crafts), Museum Berggruen (a modern art collection featuring Picasso, Klee, Braque, Cézanne, and Giacometti, among others), and the Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg (French Impressionists, the complete print works of Toulouse Lautrec, Dalí, Magritte, Ernst, and Klee, among others). 35 minutes via public transport.
Alternative Lifestyles – The Acker Stadt Palast (0.5 mile), Haus Schwarzenberg (0.2 mile), and ACUD (0.6 mile) are all examples of the progressive cultural centers that burgeoned in the aftermath of reunification, when artists took over crumbling buildings in former East Berlin and lived and worked together. It’s places like these that gave Berlin its edgy reputation and have survived the onslaught of gentrification. If you’re into alternative Berlin and especially street art, make sure to check out Friedrichshain’s RAW-Gelände, a hive of various hip activities and businesses run out of renovated train warehouses covered in graffiti (25 minutes via public transport).

Nearby Markets or Grocery Stores

The Market – Opposite the hotel, this good mini-mart is open 24-hours most days.
Mauerpark Flea Market – For a real Berlin experience, head to Prenzlauer Berg’s Mauerpark on a Sunday for the massive flea market and karaoke in the amphitheater in the afternoons. (1.5 miles).

The Weinmeister – The Hotel

The hotel's modern building is located on Weinmeisterstrasse.

The modern Weinmeister hotel is on Weinmeisterstrasse, right around the corner from the Hackesche Höfe. Its location is ideal for exploring the Mitte neighborhood, which houses many of Berlin’s most famous sights. There’s an entrance to the subway on both ends of the hotel’s block.

The cool front door gives away The Weinmeister’s penchant for graffiti and pop art.

The reception desk extends all the way along one wall of the lobby, turning into a bar. There’s a coffee machine and fruit for guests as well.

The lobby features over-sized and quirky furniture.

Quirky is the only word to describe the laced-up columns and over-sized furniture – sitting in the large wingback chairs will make you feel like a little kid again.

A door at the end of the bar leads out to this pleasant courtyard. The hotel is the modern building on the right while the tables belong to Cafe Einstein, with whom the hotel shares its breakfast offering.

Art can be found on the stairwell as well.

This hotel wears its love for art with pride, on its sleeves and even in its stairwells!

Small rooms feature all amenities, including sofas.

Small rooms are modest in size, but contain everything you might need, including a sofa.

Medium rooms are slightly bigger than the Smalls.

Medium rooms have a little more space, which guests can use to store their things.

Bathrooms blend lots of materials – wood, ceramic, tile, glass, and fabric – giving a designer, stylish effect.

The hot pink Signature rooms are funky and cozy.

This hot pink Signature room feels funky and cozy with its contrasting black and white artwork.

The Signature rooms are updated every few years.

The Signature rooms get updated every few years; this is one of the hotel’s newest collaborations with Sydney-based contemporary painter and street artist Robson.

Signature and Large rooms have coffee machines.

Signature and Large rooms have space for plenty of storage, and benefit from having in-room coffee machines.

Each Large and Signature room comes with a tub and a shower.

Large and Signature rooms have a tub and a shower each, which can be seen through the door in the center of this photo.

Large and Signature rooms have larger bathrooms.

The toilet is separate (door on the right) and there is more sink space in the Signature and Large rooms. The magnifying mirror with light adds a bit of luxury.

Corridors mark the Signature rooms with funky art.

You can tell which rooms are the Signature rooms from the corridors.

The Wacken Open Air festival room is popular with metal fans.

For metal fans, the Wacken Open Air festival room is a must.

The top-floor spa offers a wide range of treatments.

There’s a spa on the top floor that offers lots of different treatments including nails, massages, and facials.

The hot-tub offers amazing views of the Fernsehturm.

You feel like the King (or Queen) of Berlin sitting in the hot-tub with this view of the Fernsehturm.

The terrace has a few sunbeds during the day, but turns into a bar after 8pm (you can even reserve it for private events).

Weinmeisterstrasse U-Bahn is just steps from the hotel.

Less than a minute’s walk from the hotel is Weinmeisterstrasse U-Bahn. The useful U8 line stops here, which goes north to Prenzlauer Berg and south to Kreuzberg.

Just south of the subway entrance is the front entrance to Einstein Coffee (you can also enter via the courtyard at the back of The Weinmeister). It’s right next to one of the coolest stores in the neighborhood, Freshlabels.

The Rosen Kiosk, almost next door to Freshlabels and less than 2 minutes from the hotel, is a so-called Späti – late store. It’s open for drinks, smokes, and snacks 24 hours and has freshly-baked goods during the day.

One block further south is this awesome jewelry store. Either buy their ready-made crazy concoctions, or custom-build your own.

Piccolo Giardino in the Rosenhöfe serves great Italian food.

Almost directly opposite, head into the Rosenhöfe for a spritz or some delicious Italian food at Piccolo Giardino.

YOSOY Spanish tapas bar gets lively in the evenings.

Next door to the Rosenhöfe, is YOSOY, a lively Spanish tapas bar popular in the evenings.

Haus Schwarzenberg is a must-visit ramshackle gem.

Don’t miss another series of courtyards nearby known as Haus Schwarzenberg. It’s so ramshackle you’ll wonder how it’s standing, but there are many cultural gems to be found inside, including cool exhibition spaces, a cinema, and a museum dedicated to Anne Frank.

Hackesche Höfe houses some of the city's best artisanal shops.

One building south is the famous Hackesche Höfe: a warren of intriguing courtyards full of some of the city’s best shopping.

The Neue Synagoge has a magnificent gilded dome.

The Hackesche Höfe is on the corner of the Hackescher Markt, a plaza that is often used interchangeably with Scheunenviertel as the name of the neighborhood. From here, walk west along Oranienburger Strasse to explore the old Jewish district, the heart of which was the Neue Synagoge, with its magnificent gilded dome.

Clärchens Ballhaus offers swing classes and dinner operas.

Cut through the charming Heckmann Höfe to Auguststrasse, which hosts many of the neighborhood’s treasures, including Clärchens Ballhaus – a rambling and shabby ballroom with evocative garden that does fun events like swing classes and dinner operas.

The Barn cafe and Simela pizzeria are also nearby.

A minute’s walk from Clärchens is The Barn, whose legendary roastery is also nearby. It really is some of the best coffee in this caffeine-obsessed city. Simela, a good little pizzeria, is next door.

Kopps vegetarian restaurant nearby has a relaxed vibe.

Kopps is a high-end vegetarian restaurant with exquisitely presented dishes and a relaxed vibe. It’s on the hip Linienstrasse.

The outdoor museum of Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer has a reconstructed wall based on the original one.

From Kopps, it’s a 10-minute walk up Ackerstrasse through the neighborhood of Prenzlauer Berg to one of the city’s best and most moving attractions, the Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer, a chilling reminder of the city’s divided past.

Nola's Swiss restaurant is in Volkspark am Weinberg.

Walk back to Mitte via Volkspark am Weinberg, a pleasant green space that’s always filled with kids and dog walkers. On the small hill is Nola’s Swiss restaurant with its ski gondolas on the terrace.

Dr Bronner's sells its famous all-in-one soap.

Near the park on Weinbergsweg are some great restaurants and stores, including the flagship Dr Bronner’s store, selling the hippy classic all-in-one soap.

Gaststätte W. Prassnik bar allows smoking inside.

Dr Bronner’s is just off Torstrasse, a great street for bars. For those who enjoy the charms of a traditional boozer where smoking is still allowed inside, go to local favorite Gaststätte W. Prassnik.

Kaschk is a popular shuffleboard place nearby.

Keep going East along Torstrasse and you’ll come to the bustling interchange where Schönhauser Allee and Schönhauser Strasse meet. Just south of here is Kaschk, a craft beer bar with shuffleboard.

Betty F*** is a classic LGBTQ bar that gets busy after 11pm.

Betty F*** is a tiny, smoky little LGBTQ bar that gets rowdy after midnight and beyond.

Dal Contadino serves great Italian food.

Almost next door is Dal Contadino, a pleasant Italian trattoria and wine bar. On nice evenings, its tables spill into the street.

Đistrict Một serves extravagant food in an extravagant space.

On the same street, Mulackstrasse, is Đistrict Một, whose more-is-more aesthetic would overpower a lesser restaurant, but luckily the food here lives up to the extravagant decor.

Alexanderplatz is a busy and popular spot.

If you turn right as you exit the hotel, it’s almost a straight line to Alexanderplatz. The square is the busiest place in Berlin and a great landmark to help orientate yourself to the city. Do not miss the walk east from here up Karl Marx Allee to see the Soviet vision for the city.

Nikolaiviertel is the oldest part of Berlin.

Head west from Alexanderplatz to Nikolaiviertel, the oldest part of Berlin. Not much of the original medieval town has survived, but the various reconstructions make for a fascinating history study and it’s fun to wander the tiny streets with their traditional (if touristy) craft shops.

The DDR Musuem offers a glimpse of life behind the Iron Curtain.

Cross Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse to visit the ingenious DDR Museum, which paints a vivid picture of what life was like behind the Iron Curtain.

The Museumsinsel island features several famous museums.

Right opposite the DDR Museum is the Berliner Dom, which is on Museumsinsel, where you’ll find several of the city’s best museums, including the world famous Pergamonmuseum. From the top of the island, it’s just 10 minutes’ walk back to The Weinmeister.

The Brandenburg Gate is close to the Reichstag, the Holocaust Memorial, and the Tiergarten.

Alternatively, keep walking west from Museumsinsel along Unter den Linden to the Brandenburg Gate, which itself is within 5 minutes’ walk of the Reichstag, the Holocaust Memorial, and the Tiergarten. It takes 20-25 minutes via public transport from here to get back to the hotel. Check rates and availability: Weinmeister.

The Weinmeister Hotel in Berlin, Germany

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