L-C Hotel Gates, Knessebeckstr. 8-9, T 31 10 06, F 31 22 060, http://www.hotel-gates.com U-Bahn Ernst-Reuter-Pl. Claiming to be the first hotel in Europe to have free 24-hour internet access in every room, the recently overhauled Hotel Gates is a cleverly marketed combination of old (the 1950s breakfast room remains unaltered, though implausibly shiny) and new. Service is friendly. Book online for lower prices. A-B Bleibtreu Hotel, Bleibtreustr. 31, T 88 47 40, F 88 47 44 44, http://www.bleibtreu.com S-Bahn Savignyplatz. The Bleibtreu experience includes a florist, café and "wellness centre" as part of its grand scheme. Though some of the gobbledygook ("dreaming fortifies the soul") used to justify the concept borders on the self-righteous, it's hard to deny the effectiveness of the design. Hyper-modern lighting and natural materials combine with specially designed Italian furniture and enormous quantities of glass beads to very slick effect. You can even set the TV to wake you up in the morning. The breakfast buffet is E15 extra. B-C Hotel Art Nouveau, Leibnizstr. 59, T 32 77 440, F 32 77 440, http://www.hotelartnouveau.de U-Bahn Adenauerplatz. This friendly and helpful fourth floor hotel is in a restored art nouveau era building with well designed contemporary touches and some original features. Beds and bathrooms (cleverly built into rooms to take advantage of natural light and not interfere with the original ceilings) are modern, furniture is antique and floors are wooden. The buffet breakfast is in a sunny room. There is also an 'honesty bar' which guests can tuck into at any time. B-C Ku'Damm 101, Kurfürstendamm 101, T 52 00 550, F 52 00 55 555, http://www.kudamm101.com U-Bahn Adenauerplatz. This boldly modern hotel opened in January 2003. With ample business facilities, the prime target is clearly trade fair- and conference-goers. However the Ku'Damm would also make a good out-of-centre base. Whereas modern hotels in the city centre tend to use angles, the Ku'Damm's signature is the curve. With a modern minimalist take on vaguely 70s and 50s themes, seating, the bar and the (especially groovy) TVs are all curved and most furniture is adjustable and movable. Le Corbusier colours and coloured lighting add to the tight design. Even the buffet breakfast (in a seventh floor room with spectacular views of the city) is visually striking. C Hotel Askanischer Hof, Kurfürstendamm 53, T 88 18 033, F 88 17 206, http://www.askanischer-hof.de S-Bahn Savignyplatz. This hotel predates the Second World War and tries to retain a 1930s feel. This is mainly successful: large, sunny rooms have antique furniture and very shiny bathrooms. Some touches, however, such as pictures on toilet seats, and third-rate art in the corridors, detract from the generally classy feel. C-D Propeller Island City Lodge, Albrecht-Achilles-Str. 58, T 89 19 016, F 89 28 721, http://www.propeller-island.com U-Bahn Adenauerplatz. Almost certainly the most extraordinary hotel you will ever stay in, Propeller Island City Lodge is mind-boggling, amusing and visually stunning in equal part. Each of the 32 rooms is a painstakingly conceived and brilliantly realised piece of fantasy and sculpted work of art, from the Distorted Room, where the floor steeply slopes and nothing is quite right to the Dwarves Room, only 1.4 m high and full of small woodland people. Each room has a stereo which can play specially composed 'sonic sculptures'. Breakfast is an extra E7. To book, send a fax stating a choice of three rooms. Check the rooms on the website. Since reception is only open from 0800-1200, you should also give your time of arrival as precisely as possible. C-E Hotel Charlot am Kurfürstendamm, Giesebrechtstr. 17, T 32 79 660, F 32 79 66 66, http://www.hotel-charlot.de U-Bahn Adenauerplatz. On a wide tree-lined street with golfing and sailing shops, this might feel a long way from the cutting edge of contemporary Berlin, but it's still only a short walk from the Ku'damm and not more than 20 minutes from Bahnhof Zoo. It's also a bright, friendly and attractive if blandly decorated place. Rooms without en suite facilities are especially good value. C-E Pension Dittberner, Wielandstr. 26, T 88 46 950, F 88 54 046. U-Bahn Adenauerplatz, S-Bahn Savignyplatz. Recent winner of the 'most friendly pension in Berlin' prize, this is indeed a very welcoming place to stay, in a quiet street off Kurfürstendamm. The style is distinctly German, despite the oriental prints which combine with contemporary art on the walls. Some rooms are palatial, one with a grand balcony, and even the standard doubles are light and spacious, with high ceilings and tall windows. Rooms facing the inner courtyard are especially quiet. D Hotel-Pension Elba, Bleibtreustr. 26, T 88 17 504, F 88 04 59 55, http://members.aol.com/hotelelba S-Bahn Savignyplatz. Attractive both inside and out, Elba has a comfortable feel and a friendly, informal atmosphere. Sizes vary among the 16 rooms but high ceilings give the place an airy feel. The decor is largely modern but with occasional odd pieces of carving.
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