Part of Berlin’s special appeal is its energetic, anything-goes vibe. And there is no better place to experience this than in the Prenzlauer Berg district, with its bohemian atmosphere and thriving café culture. With no signage outside, the apartments are discreetly located in a renovated late-19th-century tenement block on Oderberger Straße - one of the area’s prettiest and most vibrant streets, choc-a-block with cosmopolitan restaurants and boutiques. For Anglophile owner Simon, who lives in the same block with his family, renovating the apartments has been a labour of love: today, bold colour schemes, plush fabrics and decorative wallpapers combine with vintage and bespoke furniture to give the apartments a retro-meets-luxury vibe. Communal areas are also being improved, with the addition of lifts, a landscaped courtyard and freshly decorated hallways.
Dispersed throughout the building - some of the apartments face the road, others the inner courtyard - your direct neighbour is likely to be a local. A mix of studios, 1-bed and 2-bed apartments, there's something for everyone (couples, friends, families). All of the apartments are fully self-catering, but if you don’t feel like cooking, there are eateries in abundance in the immediate vicinity, including Café Krone, which is in the same building and extremely popular with locals.
Highs
- Excellent value
- Unbeatable location in Prenzlauer Berg with good transport connections to the rest of the city
- Simon and his staff are extremely friendly and helpful and provide a folder of insider tips for exploring Berlin
- Attractive apartments with funky individual design; all have glossy white kitchens and wood floors, some have balconies
- The lack of signage out front means you really feel like you live here - plus you get all the conveniences of home
Lows
- While each apartment is immaculate, the property as a whole has some ongoing works (common areas etc)
- It’s an old – and partially residential – building, and noise carries, whether it’s children in the courtyard or a blaring radio. But triple-glazed bedroom windows ensure a good night’s sleep
- Most apartments are in the rear part of the building and the ones on the lower floor don't have a view
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 (such as ITB in March) and the Christmas markets (late November to end December).
Our top tips
While exploring Prenzlauer Berg, don’t miss the less touristy area around Helmholzplatz, with its leafy, cobbled streets and burgeoning restaurant and café scene.
- Boutique Apartments
- 14 apartments
- Self-catering (on-site cafe)
- 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
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Bicycles Available
- Laundry Service
- Lift
Rooms
The apartments are priced according to size and sleep between 1-5 people. As is typical in Berlin, the apartment block is made up of a front building facing the street, and a rear building facing the inner courtyard.
The Studio Homes are great for couples, while spacious 1 Bedroom Homes (with or without a balcony) are ideal for couples or a small family. The 2 Bedroom Homes sleep 4 + a baby for larger families or groups of friends.
Owner Simon scoured local design stores, flea markets and antique shops for vintage furniture and accessories and enlisted the help of a French designer to overhaul interiors with funky colour schemes (moss green and sky blue or salmon pink and yellow) and decorative wallpapers. All of the apartments have wooden floors and quirky decorative details, from retro vases and teapots to kitsch paintings on the walls. Some bathrooms are small but all are beautifully decorated.
Features include:
- Central heating
- Cots available
- Hairdryer
- Radio
- Toiletries
- TV
- WiFi
Eating
One of the best things about staying here is that you can easily eat out or self-cater. Well-equipped kitchens have everything you need from a bread basket for your morning Brötchen (bread rolls) to champagne glasses if you have something to celebrate. All apartments have a table and chairs or high stools; all have a stove top with hobs, a well-sized fridge, pots and pans, decent crockery and a coffee maker and electric kettle. A few basics are provided (washing up liquid, salt, pepper, toilet paper) and supermarkets are a short walk away.
In the heart of Berlin's hip Prenzlauer Berg district – one of the city's main going-out areas – there are countless cafés, restaurants and bars on your doorstep. Oderberger Strasse and nearby Kastanienallee are overflowing with restaurants, from Italian to Greek, Vietnamese to German. The apartment building itself is home to Café Krone, popular with locals for its laidback atmosphere, friendly staff and comfy sofas - not to mention a great selection of drinks, yummy food and homemade cakes.
Features include:
- Café
- Coffee maker
- Fridge
- Full kitchen
- Kids' meals
- Restaurants nearby
Activities
- Don’t miss the huge weekend flea market in the nearby Mauerpark (a strip of parkland where the wall used to run between East and West Berlin). As a result of all the action, the bars and cafés on the Oderberger Strasse are packed to overflowing on Sunday afternoons
- In summer the atmosphere in the Mauerpark is almost festival-like, with street artists, musicians and groups of locals enjoying a barbecue
- Fancy a Sunday morning stroll? From the end of the street you can follow the route of the wall along the 'Berliner Mauerweg' (Berlin Wall Trail). A 15-minute walk will take you to the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse, or Simon can arrange bike hire for your stay if you prefer to pedal
- To experience the more sedate side of Prenzlauer Berg, take a stroll to Kollwitzplatz, where there is a popular food and crafts market on Saturdays. The shops and boutiques in the surrounding streets are great for browsing
- Many of Berlin’s cultural highlights are within easy reach. From nearby Kastanienallee, you can take the tram 3 stops to Hackesher Markt, the heart of Berlin’s historic (and trendy) Mitte district
- From Mitte, it is a 10-minute walk to the Museum Island (highlights include the Pergamon Museum for near Eastern art and architecture, the Bode Museum for Prussian Baroque paintings and one of the world's largest coin collections, and the Neues Museum for Egyptian collections including the iconic bust of Queen Nefertiti)
- Don't miss the beautiful Brandenburg Tor, the proud symbol of a now-united city, and the Reichstag parliament building
- The Holocaust Museum and Checkpoint Charlie are sobering but important places to visit
- From Eberswalder Strasse, 5 minutes from the apartments, the U2 U-Bahn is handy for reaching Alexanderplatz (for the landmark Fernsehturm TV tower), Potsdamer Platz (the geographical heart of Berlin) and Charlottenburg (for the famous palace)
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Cycling
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Nightlife
- Shopping / markets
Kids
Although the apartments work better for adults (high tables in the smaller apartments, fragile ornaments, shower bathrooms etc), families are welcome. Being able to self cater is obviously an advantage, and Prenzlauer Berg is teeming with young families. Nearly all the cafés and restaurants are child-friendly and will provide highchairs, and there are many playgrounds in the area, including the large Hirschhof just a few minutes down the road.
Best for:
All ages
Family friendly accommodation:
All apartments work for families. The Studios can fit 1 baby cot or 1 rollaway bed. The 1-Bedroom Apartments sleep 2-3, with space for 1 on an extra bed or sofabed in their living room. The 2-Bedroom Homes are best for large families (sleeping 4 + a baby). All apartments except the Home Studios have a bathtub.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
Babysitting:
Private English-speaking babysitting is available. Contact the apartments in advance to arrange
Baby equipment:
- Cots
- Baby bedding
- High chair
Remember baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking
Children's meals:
The apartments are self catering, but there are no microwaves. There's an on-site café and plenty more nearby, as well as takeaways for the nights when you want to eat in, but can't be bothered to cook.
Kids Activities on site:
- Children's DVDs
Kids Activities nearby:
- Plenty of playgrounds nearby
- Children's museum Machmit is a 5-minute tram ride away
- Moritzhof children's farm at the Mauerpark nearby has pony riding and a petting zoo
Families Should Know:
We don’t recommend booking an apartment with a balcony if you have small children. Make sure you ask when booking.
Distances:
- Airport: 20 minutes
- Doctor: 5 minutes
- Hospital: 5 minutes
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
The apartments are located in Prenzlauer Berg in former East Berlin. The nearest U-Bahn station is at Eberswalder Strasse (U2). There are two tram stops (M1 and M10) within 10 minutes’ walk.
By Air:
Fly to Berlin Brandenburg.
From the Airport
There are regular regional trains (20 minutes) and S-Bahn trains (30 minutes) that stop at Alexanderplatz. A taxi takes about 30-40 minutes.
By Car:
It is possible to park on the street without a permit, although spaces are hard to find, particularly in the evening. 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 sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Berlin and getting around
Airports:
- Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt 25.0 km BER
Other:
- Beach 200.0 km
- Shops 0.1 km
- Restaurant 0.1 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 3 independent reviews from i-escape guests
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape