Berlin has long been at the cutting edge of wacky art, but this place takes the biscuit. You can drink spritzers under a giant horse's head, or chill beside a psychedelic rainbow of wall. Clamber into an oversized bed designed to make you feel like Alice in Wonderland after "drinking me" (room 107); or sleep in a pseudo aircraft cabin in room 309, whose tilting mattress makes you think you're coming in to land. Artists of every ilk have left their mark - provocative female nudes, neon glows, comic graffiti, even shoes - on the walls, and a portion of your stay goes to their royalties. There are playful references to artists and writers: we liked 'Tribute to Edward Hopper' (room 208) and Camus-inspired 'Light and shadow' (510). But all have German bathroom technology and triple-glazed windows (several look onto a railway).
Built around a typical Berlin interior courtyard, the 4-storey neoclassical palais housed the legendary actors' club Die Möwe in GDR days, then a bohemian Künstlerheim (artists' retreat) post-Wall, before being gutted and rebuilt in the 1990s. Nowadays expect friendly young staff, stairwells inscribed with philosophical quotations, and cost-price drinks from the vending machine. A vaulted restaurant next door serves breakfast (and other meals). Turn right - across the Spree - and you're at the Reichstag in 5 minutes, or the Brandenburg Gate in 10.
Highs
- A prime location: you can walk to all the main sites, you're near the river Spree to catch a boat to Museum Island if you prefer
- We loved the rooms, which are quirky and humorous without being uncomfortable (all have excellent mattresses)
- There are rates to suit all pockets, from shared-bathroom singles to 2-room suites
- You can reach the hotel in 30 minutes by train from Brandenburg airport, so if you're coming for a weekend you can minimise travel time
Lows
- The arty rooms vary hugely, and are very much a matter of taste
- The rear wing rooms look directly - and I mean directly - onto the Friedrichstrasse station railway line; the windows do their Teutonic best, but some rumbling is inevitable
- No food is served on-site, but there's a restaurant next door and more close by
- Not all rooms have an ensuite bathroom, some share a shower room down the hall
Best time to go
Berlin is a year round destination. Summers are similar to the UK, perhaps a little warmer and more humid. Winters can be bitingly cold, but as long as you are wrapped up well, a crisp, clear January day would be perfect to explore the city without the crowds. It can get busy during fairs or events (such as the Film Festival in January and the ITB in March) and the Christmas markets (late November to end December).
Our top tips
You couldn't be better placed for Berlin’s main attractions, almost all of which are within a 10-15 minute walk – or you can catch a boat to Museum Island and walk back. Alternatively hire a "call-a-bike" (there's usually one parked nearby), hail a cycle rickshaw, or jump on a passing octocycle (which is exactly what it sounds).
In summer, sit by the River Spree and take a dip in one of the bankside 'pools' (some of these operate in winter too… heated, thankfully).
In summer, sit by the River Spree and take a dip in one of the bankside 'pools' (some of these operate in winter too… heated, thankfully).
- Boutique Hotel
- 50 rooms
- No meals served (restaurants nearby)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Bicycles Available
Rooms
The art rooms are what makes this place special: each is totally unique. Hats off to the artists - most young, local and upcoming - who each spent months turning fairly nondescript cubes into weird and wonderful worlds-of-their-own, all in return for free lodging and a (small) percentage of the revenue. Every 3-5 years they get to reimagine the room in accord with their own artistic journey.
Among our favourites were zebra-striped #101 (Three Women in Red) by Elvira Bach, with its 4-metre ceilings and trio of salacious nudes. We also liked #522, an installation about Marilyn Monroe. Trainspotters might like #305 (Next Station), transformed into an 'S-bahn lounge' complete with original '60s furniture. Even the smallest rooms are interesting: #313 is an invitation to A Collective Story - you are free to add your own history to the walls.
In the rear wing, the newer rooms are well equipped and carefully styled, with top-notch shower rooms. They may lack the ceiling height of the historical building’s lower floor rooms, but they have excellent triple glazing to combat the S-bahn railway just outside. Room #413 (Stellwerk Thiel) makes the most of this, with an in-your-face observation seat and other-worldly locomotive portraits.
Note that some of the cheaper double and single rooms share a shower and toilet in the hallway. Rooms in the historical building are accessed by the philosopher's staircase only, while the new wing has an elevator.
Features include:
- WiFi
Eating
The hotel has a pretty courtyard and an indoor bar area where you can eat your own drinks and snacks; but it does not serve food, so you'll have to head out at mealtimes - no hardship in central Berlin.
Right next door, Habel Weinkultur is a popular lunch and dinner venue for businessmen and politicians nipping over from the Reichstag. Choose from a set menu (anything from classic Berlin to French); or a buffet ranging from Italian minestrones to Scandinavian seafood. They also serve breakfast, but we weren't so wowed by it.
We recommend pre-booking a sumptuous breakfast at the rooftop Dachgarten restaurant, right next to Norman Foster's Reichstag dome (5 minutes' walk away). Not only does it offer bird's eye views and immaculately healthy dishes, but pre-booking here allows you to sidestep the dome’s often lengthy queues. Other options within a 5-minute walk include Die Berliner Republic and Brechts.
Features include:
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Restaurants nearby
Activities
- The Reichstag Dome (5 mins' walk), a stunning glass-and-mirror construction by Norman Foster, with a double helix walkway taking you to one of the best viewpoints over the city (beware long queues on summer mornings)
- The Brandenburg Gate (10 mins), the ceremonial and history-steeped archway which marks the start of the broad thoroughfare of Unter den Linden (Berlin's epicentre)
- Museum Island (15 mins), now a Unesco World Heritage Site, which brings together such a wealth of historical art and artefacts that it would take a week to do justice to all the collections: the Pergamon (Near and Middle East art and architecture), Bode (sculptures, Byzantine art, coins), Alte Nationalgalerie (Classical-Romantic paintings) and the Altes and Neues Museum (respectively antiques and pre-history)
- The Gendarmenmarkt (20 mins), a lovely open square with the tall twin domes of the French and German churches, as well as a concert hall and one of the city's many Christmas markets
- The Berlin Philharmonic Hall (20 mins / bus ride) where you can hear world-class classical music, sometimes conducted by Sir Simon Rattle
- Checkpoint Charlie (3 U-bahn stops), the famous crossing between east and west sides of the city pre-1990, now the site of a small private museum and with a new panorama room giving a 360-degree viewpoint
- The Jewish Museum (3 U-bahn stops), which aims to shock visitors both with its off-kilter Daniel-Libeskind architecture (zigzagging lines and leaning verticals) and with its exhibits (including a dark shaft in which visitors are temporarily 'imprisoned')
- Prenzlauer Berg (a short bus or train ride), a bohemian neighbourhood with funky cafés and Bierhallen in the evening
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Boat trips
- Cycling
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Nightlife
- Shopping / markets
Kids
Children of all ages are welcome, but this is not a great place for families. That said, the hotel is very usefully sited for an older child or teen with an interest in history.
Family friendly accommodation:
Only Double Superior Room #212 (Bildstörung) can take two extra beds. It's on the second floor of the original building, and has a bathtub as well as a shower. Baby cots are available to borrow.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Arte Luise Kunsthotel is located on Luisenstrasse in the central district of Mitte, just off the river Spree in the former eastern part of Berlin.
By Air:
Fly into Berlin Brandenburg (19km SE of city centre).
From the Airport
It's a 30-minute regional train (R7 or R14) or 45-minute S-bahn journey direct to Friedrichstrasse, a few minutes walk from the hotel.
By Car:
Some street parking is available near the hotel, and generally traffic in Berlin flows better than in most cities, but as a tourist there would be little point in having a car here. If you want a car to explore the wider area, see our car rental recommendations.
Detailed directions will be provided when you book through i-escape.
More on getting to Berlin and getting around
Airports:
- Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt 19.0 km BER
Other:
- Beach 200.0 km
- Shops 0.5 km
- Restaurant 0.1 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 2 independent reviews from i-escape guests
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape