The Hilton Berlin is the largest five-star hotel in the capital and looks back on an interesting history. Shortly before reunification, the GDR hotel chain Interhotel began building the hotel, which opened in November 1990 as the Domhotel. Hilton bought the hotel just one year later. We were therefore curious to see what luxury awaited us at the Hilton Berlin.
Booking, arrival and check-in
In mid-February, we thought about where we wanted to spend our child-free weekend at the end of March. The choice finally fell on Berlin - more precisely on the Hilton Berlin. We were able to find a price of 130 EUR/night for the weekend and booked immediately.
After leaving the office routine behind us, we got in the car and drove about 2 hours north. By the way, we didn't park our car in the hotel garage for cost reasons, but one block away in Quartier 205 (Friedrichstraße multi-storey car park). Here it cost 24 hours with the P-Card (mein-contipark.de) only 9.50 EUR instead of 38 EUR in the hotel. From the multi-storey car park it was only a 2-minute walk to the lobby of the Hilton Berlin.
We were served very quickly at the Hilton Honours desk in the lobby. I had already received an upgrade from the Hilton King Guest room to a King Executive room 4 days earlier via the Hilton app. At reception I asked whether an upgrade to a suite was also possible and after a brief consultation with the manager this was unfortunately not possible. However, we were given a King Deluxe room, which is in the room category below the Executive room, but is a lot bigger.
Where is the Hilton Berlin located?
The Hilton Berlin is located opposite the German Cathedral on Gendarmenmarkt in the Mitte district. This prime location offers guests an ideal starting point for exploring Berlin's many sights. Places worth seeing such as Checkpoint Charlie, Museum Island and the imposing Brandenburg Gate are just a few minutes' walk away. The Stadtmitte and Hausvogteiplatz underground stations are also just a few minutes' walk away, making exploring the city even more convenient.
How are the rooms (King Deluxe Room) at the Hilton Berlin?
The King Deluxe Room has an appealing interior. When we arrived in the evening, we found the room a little dark as there were only various ambient lights. However, the room is pleasantly spacious and is divided into a cosy living area and a sleeping area.
In the living area there is a comfortable sofa with a coffee table and a desk on a sideboard. This is also where the only TV in the room is located, which is a little small due to the distance between the bed and the TV. The king-size bed in the sleeping area is very comfortable and is complemented by another sideboard with an integrated minibar. However, some of the furniture in the room is already worn, such as the sideboard on which the TV stands. Another point that detracts from the overall experience is the volume of the ventilation/air conditioning system, which we found annoying. In the summer months, this can interfere with a good night's sleep.
Das Badezimmer ist klein, wenngleich ausreichend groß für zwei Personen, und renovierungsbedürftig. Es verfügt lediglich über eine Duschwanne, die nicht mehr zeitgemäß ist. Zudem sind an verschiedenen Stellen kleine Roststellen zu finden, die den Gesamteindruck beeinträchtigen. Die Pflegeprodukte sind, wie in fast allen Hiltons weltweit, von Crabtree & Evelyn, die in großen Pumpflaschen an der Wand befestigt sind.
What is breakfast like at the Hilton Berlin?
Breakfast is served in the BELETAGE restaurant on the first floor of the hotel. Breakfast times are Monday to Friday from 06:30 to 10:30 and at weekends from 07:00 to 11:00. The Hilton Berlin's breakfast restaurant is large enough to accommodate the number of rooms. The seats at the large window front and especially in the magnificent winter garden with a view of the cathedral are very nice. We found the ambience in the rest of the restaurant area a little dark. There was a separate seating area at the back of the restaurant for hotel guests from the executive rooms. Here we found a cosy and quiet spot by the window and enjoyed our breakfast with a view of the German Cathedral.
The buffet area takes up a large part of the restaurant. The selection is correspondingly large and there are many delicacies. There was a wide variety of cereals, yoghurt and fruit as well as fresh bread and pastries, cold cuts, cheese and the usual hot dishes that make up an English breakfast. There was no à la carte menu, but you could have an omelette or other egg dishes prepared to order. The range of lactose-free, gluten-free and vegan dishes was also very extensive.
A personal highlight was that the breakfast buffet also included sparkling wine or, for the children, an alcohol-free alternative in the form of Robby Bubble. We had never experienced this before in a Hilton hotel, that you can enjoy a sparkling wine breakfast together as a family.
What is the Executive Lounge at the Hilton Berlin like?
The Executive Lounge of the Hilton Berlin is located in the lobby of the hotel. Access is possible during opening hours from 06:00 to 23:00 with a special card. During happy hour, the room number is also checked.
The spacious lounge covers an area of 360 square metres and offers various seating options from sofas, armchairs and normal chairs with tables to high tables. There is also a small separee and PC workstations with printers. Despite the many different seating options, we had to wait for a free seat during happy hour during our stay.
Free coffee, tea and soft drinks are available in the lounge during opening hours. Breakfast is not offered in the Executive Lounge. A separate area in the Beletage restaurant is available to guests for this purpose. Mini meatballs and fish soup were served at happy hour on the first evening. There was also a large and delicious selection of salads, vegetables and cheese. On the second evening we had carrot soup and chicken nuggets. The hot dishes were ok on both evenings, but not a hit. Drinks included soft drinks, various wines, sparkling wine, a good selection of local beers and some spirits.
What does the Hilton Berlin offer for relaxation?
The Hilton Berlin offers its guests a swimming pool, a fitness centre and a sauna area. However, access to the sauna is subject to a charge for most guests, except for Hilton Diamond members. Unfortunately, the swimming pool was closed during our stay. So I was only able to take a quick look at the pool on the way to the sauna. The sauna area consisted of a Finnish sauna, a bio sauna and an aroma room. Both the sauna and the pool were far too small for the size of the hotel.
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Review of the Hilton Berlin
- Location
- Room
- Cleanliness
- Service
- Food
- Price/performance
Summary
The Hilton Berlin is characterised by its excellent location. It is the perfect starting point for business, sightseeing, shopping or cultural destinations such as the Friedrichstadt-Palast or Museum Island. The large lounge also makes the hotel a good choice for Hilton Diamond members, who have free access. The breakfast was also very good and in line with what we expect from a five-star hotel. The downside is that the hotel is not up to date, especially when it comes to the rooms. The bathrooms are in need of renovation and the shower tray also looks a bit out of date. The cleanliness in the rooms was okay, but there was a large layer of dust here and there, especially in the bathroom.
