Grand Hotel Esplanade Berlin

Our Cityview room was beautiful, with all amenities, modern, and with a great bed. I stayed at hotels in Chicago and NYC, and for double the money, the rooms were smaller and not so nice. Maids were not picking up the tips, so that was good. But why? Internet was not free, nor breakfast. The hotel location was excellent and quiet, not in one of the popular areas - for those one would have to pay more. If you get to know the public transportation system, then you realize that Lutzwofer Strasse is very close to Kurfuerstendamm (bus M29), or Unter den Linden (100), or to the S-bahn station in Nohlendorf Platz. Reception desk people were very friendly and helpful. The bar nice and opened late. Very close to the hotel (east) is Hiroshima Strasse, where you can see the Italian and Japanese embassies, built in the Nazi era. Nice buildings, if you ask me. And right across Spree is the Bauhaus museum also worth seeing. Tiergarten Park is also very close, with biergartens strategically placed. Great experience overall, I recommend it warmly.

The hotel is in convenient walking distance to the Tiergarten and Cultural Forum. Not handy to tram or subway stops. Staff are friendly. Breakfast is not included but it is a lavish buffet. No coffee pot in the room. Rooms are clean and spacious. Excellent fitness facility and equipment. If you want to take the hotel's boat tour, plan ahead; it only goes a couple times a day.

The hotel really benefits from an excellent central location which is great if you have kids or don't want to travel for ages to see the sights of Berlin. Even the bus tour of Berlin stops les than 5 minutes from the hotel. The breakfast buffet was excellent although the evening dining was somewhat limited and no kids options. I must say though that the chef was very flexible and practically served us our own menu! We used the room service everday and it was always prompt with the right order. It does have a pool but although the kids liked it I found it a bit too cold. I think the kids liked it because there were other chikdren there to play with. Attached to the pool was a gym which looked clean and well stocked although I couldn't bring myself to go to it! All the staff including the reception were very helpful and showed care and attention to my children. I would definitely stay there again even if I went without kids as the location is great, the room was clean and spacious (we had the cityview room) and the staff were lovely. It also has a really cool bar "Harry's New York Bar" and whle we were there they had a great singer/pianist on every night. Great for unwinding after a hard day's sightseeing :-) Overall I would say the hotel was worth every penny.

Where to start?\n\nWe actually got very lucky with getting our room for a reasonable price. We were actually not expecting such a high-calibur hotel for the price we paid, but it seems that prices have gone back up due to the upcoming Easter weekend.\n\nThe rooms are spacious and cozy. The business center is not free, but the fees for using them are reasonable (see tip).\n\nHowever, aside from the service, there are two features that set this hotel apart from the grain: the spa and the breakfast buffet.\n\nThe breakfast was not free with the room (about 24ￜ per person), but it was completely worth it. With a myriad of yogurts, juices, and foods to choose from, it is almost dizzying to walk into. Everything is arranged beautifully and the dining area is stellar. The hotel does not overlook any small matters, even going so far as to use fresh flowers everywhere.\n\nThe spa/pool/fitness area is also outstanding. The pool, while on the small side, is christaline and seemingly like a reflection pool. The fitness area was not well explored but there was a vast variety of machines therein. The spa/sauna is the most notable. 3 full sauna rooms (multi-gender), showering facilities, cool down rooms, the works. \n\nThe staff was very friendly and never ceased to be helpful, whether it was guiding us to Checkpoint Charlie or reccomending where to shop. Very helpful despite (the travelers') language handicap.\n\nOverall, the hotel was an amazing stay. If I am ever back in Berlin, this hotel will be on the top of my list.

Type:Area Attractions Distance: In hotel

Making the Most of Your Internet

The hotel charges some flat rates for Internet/Business Center usage.\n\nI think the flat rate is either 5ￜￜￜ for an hour or 7,50ￜￜￜ for an hour.\n\nRegardless, it's a bit steep.\n\nHowever, what they don't tell you is that you don't get kicked when time runs out. Feel free to grab a coffee, kick back, and surf the web to your content. Just make sure you keep the card they give you.

Type:Dining Distance: In hotel

Roast Beef is not Roast Beef

Perhaps it may be a faux of the American, but in Eck (the restaurant in the hotel), be wary of the roast beef. One may order it expecting a hot peice of cooked steak. This is not the case. Yes, the sides will be warm, but you will recieve a plate of cold-cult, deli style roast beef. Not even any bread for a sammich :c\n\nAlso, a martini is unattainable. Gin in a regular glass is not a martini. Also, olives must be imported from another place in the hotel. Touchￜￜ hotel. You may keep them.