InterContinental Berlin - Berlin, Germany     

This is a very nice full-service hotel. We stayed for 5 nights over New Years. Hotel is in a convenient location that's just far enough from the bustle. Hotel garage has a really small garage and is 20 euros per day. They ran out of space for cars on New Years Eve/Day. Internet is 20 euros per day in the room, but there is free wifi in the lobby, a real treat in Germany! Nice bar, but it has a limited selection for food items, and is fairly expensive-a 3/4 liter bottle of water is 12 euros-and not at all helped by the lousy exchange rate with the dollar. Buffet breakfast was very good and had a large variety items, but was about 25 euros per person. We had dinner once in the LA Cafe, which specializes in Chinese food, was really-well prepared, probably some of the best Chinese food I've had anywhere. Lobby areas became non-smoking on January 1. We had requested a renovated room because of the reviews that had been posted about older rooms. Room was a nice, renovated, contemporary with a queen/king bed. Bathroom was nice but because of it's design and door, didn't contain noise very well, it would be hard not to wake up someone who was trying to sleep if you were taking a shower. Also the shower has the typical 1/2 glass shower panel which tended to leak/splash water all over the floor. There is also a window above the tub opening to the room which has a closed mini-blind in it, which allows for some visibility into the shower & bathroom, which may not be pleasant if sharing the room with a co-worker. There is a nice pool/hot tub area. Access to the spa area is 15 euros. The spa area is really nice and has a cold room with cold plunge pool/ice batch and has an open roof to the outside. Nice sauna/steam areas and 2 relaxation areas, 1 with personal heated water beds and 1 with heated recliner-like lounge chairs. We spent New Years Day there since most things were closed. We had booked the room through our travel agent and had a non-refundable rate which was a bit cheaper. The Priority Club loyalty program would not credit our $1900 stay, calling it a "non-qualifying rate" which I found to be a hugely aggravating. I would choose to stay somewhere else because of this fact alone. Overall this is a nice hotel, but it is a bit expensive and I felt a bit nickel and dime'd at times.

It's been 2 years since my last stay at the Interconti Berlin. Returning with high expectations from my previous stays I was more than satisfied. It even seems they have strenghtened their standard of guest services even further and have added some small amenities. (E.g. I don't remember tea and coffee makers in rooms 2 years ago, also the dusty patches hanging from the ceiling 2 years ago were not the case this time). Housekeeping does their job really thoroughly. Everything else in the hotel is consistent with its 5-star classification. The 2 things which especially stick out are the pool/wellness area (which is great) and the excellent breakfast buffet. If there is an item they don't offer for breakfast just ask the cheff and he'll get it for you :). They only small complaint about my this year's stay is the room temperature. I just couldn't get it warm enough, although I had the sensor set to the highest possible value. I am looking forward to coming again to Berlin Interconti.