Berlin Excelsior Hotel

We stayed in this hotel last week for 2 nights and we were all 100% pleased with this hotel. This is the 1st hotel that we can't give any negative comments, everything i.e.location is very central, less than 5 minutes walk from Zoo station, breakfast was absolutely delicious and plenty of choices, one can put on a few pounds after breakfast , staff were friendly, room was clean & quiet and surprise surprise, there was a kettle for making tea/coffe in the room. We absolutely love this hotel and don't understand why some gave negative comments. Our advice to others who plan to stay in Berlin for holiday, Excelsior Hotel is definately the choice. We will definately come back to this hotel in our next trip to Berlin. Welldone Hotel Excelsior!!

Visited Berlin for the football (England 2 Germany 1, ha ha!) and for a bit of sight seeing. Saw this hotel on the net which was reasonably priced. Having stayed there for 3 nights, I have got say that I was very impressed. Room was spacious and clean. Staff were very attentative, helpful and polite. Breakfast was very good and we had an excellent meal in the in-house restaurant. Location is also very good, 5 minute walk to train / tube and bus station.

Good location,only a few minutes from the u/s bahn station at zoo garden,staff very friendly,breakfast ideal for starting the day,cooked or continental,rooms very tidy, overall would recomend this hotel.

Hotel location is a five minute walk along a wide boulevard from the terminus (Zoologischer Garten) of the X9 tegel airport express bus. The U-Bahn & S-Bahn stations and the very popular free newberlin walking tour start meeting point are also there.

The room and bath size was adequate. Furnishings were simple, showing some wear, but overall cleanliness was very apparent. There was a flat screen TV with BBC & CNN channels available. Coffee and Tea bags are provided along with a plug-in hot water pot.

At the ground floor three elevators are available and the breakfast buffet restaurant was quite busy. The front desk employees are very friendly and I got some very good tourist information from them. A couple of blocks from the hotel is Savignyplatz (a large plaza) where there are a number of international cafes and restaurants with both inside and outside tables.

By european standards, this hotel would be a four star. It appears as such on travelocity and other hotel booking websites. On the hotel's own website I was able to book a single room (with double bed) for 47 euros a night.

very pleased with this hotel

good location and lovely and clean

breakfasts were excellent

i would have no hesitation in recommending it

did'nt think much of berlin

all concrete ,steel and glass. very disappointing

all the wonderful old buildings were destroyed in the war

We stayed in this hotel last week for 2 nights and we were all 100% pleased with this hotel. This is the 1st hotel that we can't give any negative comments, everything i.e.location is very central, less than 5 minutes walk from Zoo station, breakfast was absolutely delicious and plenty of choices, one can put on a few pounds after breakfast , staff were friendly, room was clean & quiet and surprise surprise, there was a kettle for making tea/coffe in the room. We absolutely love this hotel and don't understand why some gave negative comments. Our advice to others who plan to stay in Berlin for holiday, Excelsior Hotel is definately the choice. We will definately come back to this hotel in our next trip to Berlin. Welldone Hotel Excelsior!!

A really enjoiyable stay. The staff were helpful and friendly, the room was clean and comfortable. The breakfast was exceptional, self service with plenty of choice. We were close to the rail and underground stations, and across the road from the Zoo (which was the best we had been to!) We ate in the hotel most nights and the food was very good and surprisingly inexpensive. The best thing of all were the tea and coffee facilities in the room - a rare find in a European hotel. Being January we also got a great deal on the price!

Would defintely return.

Very good value for money - the Hotel matched its description. Rooms were very clean and modern. Breakfast offered an array of things to choose from. Lovely friendly atmosphere in the Hotel Bar. Very convenient just get off at the Zoogarden train stop and walk a couple of hundred yards up a wide street. Clear sign at front of Hotel helps visitors find it. Certainly recommended - great value for money. Ardderchog!

Period of stay: December 3rd - 7th, 2006.

This was an excellent choice of hotel. It is so near the main Zoo station for most trains and city buses and the main city transport office for tickets and information was most convenient - all literally a few yards down Hardenbergstrasse. We could not fault any aspect of the accommodation - the room was regularly cleaned, the furniture and room / bathroom facilities were in perfect condition and it was such a welcome to find tea/coffee facilities - relatively unusual in many European hotels outside Britain!! The self-service breakfast was of a very high standard with adequate choice of menu and efficiently staffed. There was a quality restaurant for other meals in the hotel at a reasonable price and also a choice of other restaurants nearby and a supermarket for essentials. All reception staff were most helpful and accommodating. This hotel we would use again and strongly recommend for its high standard (at a reasonable price), its efficient staff and its convenient location which contributed to our enjoyable stay in Berlin.

After reading the reviews was not sure what to expect!This hotel is very good value the rooms are adequate with t.v and air conditioning and mini bar the room sevice is very reasonable priced.The breakfast was a banquet with english cooked or continental or both if you were feeling greedy!!It was buffet style so you could eat as much as you wanted.The hotel staff were very friendly and helpful.The hotel itself is very convenientley situated 10mins walk to the zoo station which enables you access to all the major sights.An open topped bus is a good way to see the sights on your 1st day.If you dont want to walk far at night turn left out of hotel and left at next road 5mins there is a lovely restaurant very reasonable and very good food.We really enjoyed trip and will definatley go back to this hotel.

Situated 200 metres from Berlin Zoo station, this well appointed 4* hotel is excellent value in every way. Handy for all of West Berlin's main attractions such as KuDamm, Europa Center, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche etc. as well as U Bahn and S Bahn connections to the whole of the City. Group bookings will yield a substantial discount. Our party of 14 paid GBP75 per room per night including a very substantial and tasty buffet breakfast. Rooms are above average in size and are very comfortable with a wonderful modern bathroom and all the facilities you would expect from this kind of hotel - in room safe, mini bar, TV, hairdryer, etc. The airport bus from Tegel stops virtually at the door and you can use your day pass. The staff are pleasant and helpful. The bar opens late though choice of drinks is a little limited. The rooms are remarkably quiet and the lobby is comfortable, though the lobby bar does not open during the day, or at least didn't when we were there in June.

Many amenities are nearby, including the famous 100 and 200 buses from Zoo station that give a circular tour of the city. Buy a day pass that you can use on all transport to get the most from this and other public transport. Remember- Berlin is big. Shops, restaurants, pubs and supermarkets also abound within a ten minute walk. Tiegarten park nearby for a pleasant stroll.

In summary the Excelsior is highly recommended for the slightly more mature visitor who likes a little comfort at a good price. For those younger seeking a more raucous evening, this probably isn't for you.

Stayed for 5 nights.

The staff were polite and helpful, spoke English.

After reading some previous reviews was worried about overcrowded breakfast. But turned out to be no problem, when the breakfast buffet area was full, staff just directed us to take breakfast in the restaurant.

Breakfast buffet consisted of selection of cereals, bread (toast), fried breakfast, selection of meats & cheese, croissants, honey, jam, coffee, tea, juice etc.

Room was OK, felt a bit warm though. Air conditioning in room.

There's warm air blown into the bathroom, so have to keep bathroom door shut or the room heats up.

Restaurant is US themed, menu in German & English. Food good, maybe a little limited.

Hotel is a few minutes walk from Zoologischer Gerten U-Bahn/S-Bahn station so able to get round Berlin very easily.

The X9 bus from Tegel goes past hotel before stopping at Zoologischer Gerten station, helps finding hotel on arriving at station.

We stayed at the Excelsior for seven nights at the beginning of October 2008. We arrived very early but received our room immediately (top floor, facing the back garden, very quiet). The room and bathroom were very compact but reasonably furnished. The cleaning service was fine.

The breakfasts are outstanding by any standard and we found the staff to be very helpful with info vis-a-vis getting around the city.

The hotel itself is centrally situated in the centre of West Berlin, a few minutes walk from the Zoo Railway Station. I would certainly recommend the hotel though we paid quite a high rate because there was a tremendous demand for hotels rooms during October.

Stayed for 5 nights, arrived early in the morning and were pleasantly surprised to find our room was already ready! The staff was very friendly and helpful throughout our stay.

The double room was a bit on the small side, but clean and pleasant overlooking the parking lot in the back yard. The weather was hot and the air in the room was stuffy, fortunately windows could be opened and the air conditioning worked flawlessly. The bathroom was also small but clean. Overall the decor of the room and the corridors were prime examples of '70s style and could do with updating, but for the price the style was not an issue at all.

The only slightly annoying experience with the hotel was how the cleaners and housekeepers kept barging into the room several times quite early in the morning while we were still sleeping or just getting up. This happened nearly every morning during our stay.

There were a lot of options at breakfast. However, at times the breakfast room was busy and full, which meant that breakfast was mainly about eating up quickly and getting out of the bustle.

What we liked best about the hotel was the location, which was excellent, with the U-Bahn and S-Bahn network available just a few minutes walk away!

spent 5 days at the Hotel Excelsior.....

would recommend it ......very good value for what we got c.€76 per room per night including breakfast...booked on-line... would return for the convenience and value

great location, walking distance to Zoo station where all transport links are located and tour buses and walks depart.....walking distance to main shopping are around Kudam....

we had two sizable single rooms with twin beds and clean spacious bathroom with bath and shower....

buffet breakfast was excellent with a wide range of fruit, juices, yoghurt, breads, cold meat , cheeses, cakes tea , coffee etc...eat as much as you like...breakfast time can be very busy especially when tour bus parties are staying

on the down side......hotel looks unattractive on outside…rooms could do with updating and corridors are dark and dreary.....some staff were very helpful....most efficient and functional....weather was very warm and air conditioning in my room had limited effect but windows could be opened...… however beds were very clean, comfortable and room fully cleaned every day…kettle in room...

bar area off foyer is small and dull ...better going out to a neighbouring cafe

Eating out near the Hotel would recommend Cafe Hardenberg 5 mins walk to the left of the Hotel exit for good tasty cheap food especially large filling salads... area behind hotel around Savingy platz c. 10 mins walk has a good choice of restaurants especially the Greek one;

Very good authentic italian off Kudam..... Ristorante Arlecchino on Meinekestrassee

Recommend Insider Tours guided trips, leave from MacDonalds in front of Zoo c. 10 am....best way to see Sacksenhausen and Potsdam in a day is on a guided trip...trips are good value

Overall would return to Hotel Excelsior because of location and the breakfasts...Berlin is a cheaper city than most other western capitals and a great place to visit

really enjoyed staying here the location is perfect for tourists loads to see and easy access to tour bus -a must do and also the boat trip on the spree ask the hotel for the start point up stream its far better and comes back via acanel route so you see different things[taxi to start point 12 euros] rooms comfortable staff very helpfull and friendly breakfast very good bar area very comfortable with excellant staff hotel clean and homely stayed at the park berlin this year and it isnt a patch on the excellsior --[see seperate review]

Stayed at Excelsior for 3 nights 8-11th April. Good check in and we were allowed to store luggage as room was not ready due to very early flight. Room a little small and rather dated and bathroom also very tiny but both kept very clean. Breakfast as stated by other reviews very good with plenty of choice. Bar prices rather expensive and it is advisable to find other bars close by of which there are many. The Europa Centre 10mins walk away has nice restaurants. The Bavarian and also the Allegro were 2 which we tried and found to be very acceptable.

The hotel is very central and a good choice if the Ku'damn is where you wish to shop. The beautiful departmental store is only about 15 mins away and the food dept on 6th floor is a must.

Tour bus is a good way to see the sights as you can hop on and off and starting point is close by. The hotel is a good choice if you wish to be central, but not if decor is a priority as the hotel is rather tired looking.

Stayed here for 3 nights in February. Great location , very close to the Zoo station - 35 mins away from Schonenfield airport - and with a bus station two mins away. Double room was clean , with good heating and a window that opened - rare sometimes. Cleaned thoroughly each morning - usually while we were at breakfast - which was very good , masses of choice , although the fry-up could have been hotter. Small bar in the foyer area , pricey and not much atmosphere. Tv in room has 25 channels , but the only English language ones were CNN and BBC World , so not the best.

Short walk to the Kudamn , and found some nice resturants ( The Piazza and Patricio's) and bars in the Savagny area just 2 streets from hotel.

Take the 100 or 200 bus from across the road to hotel and you'll see all the sights.

Although there was a kettle in the room , only 2 tea bags and creamers - but supermarket close to the station helped us out , also sold Bratwurst/Brockwurst for 1euro each. No toileteries in bathroom -so suprmarket came in doubly handy.

We stayed at Berlin Excelsior from February 14 to February 17. It has a perfect location on a quiet street just a couple of hundred meters from Bahnhof Zoo and Kurfürstendam. The hotel is a little worn down but kept very clean. We had booked superior rooms and these were quite large although the bathroom was rather small. Breakfast was very busy but the hotel managed this nicely by opening the restaurant for breakfast and also a conference room close to the restaurant to make room for everyone. Breakfast was really good and up to the high German standards for breakfast. Prices in the bar was a little high with €5 for a normal beer and €9 for a drink. But instead of visiting the hotel bar go outside the hotel and go for instance to Café Hardeberger on the same street (a couple of hundred meters towards Ernst Reuter platz - the opposite direction of Bahnhof Zoo). Here you can get a beer for €2.50 and a meal for €3 and up. There is also a coffee shop (Balzac) between the hotel and Café Hardeberger. If you want to have something to eat in your room go to the supermarket inside Bahnhof Zoo it doesn't look much on the outside but its quite large on the inside.

To go to the hotel we took the bus from Tegel airport (line X9) to Bahnhof Zoo for €2.10 per person, it took about 15 minutes and the bus runs every 10 minutes on weekdays. Going back we took a taxi which costed €17 including tip on a Sunday.

We had intended to stay for four nights in Berlin and had settled for the Excelsior before having read any of the not so favourable hotel reviews; the price seemed good and the location superb. We were not disappointed! The room was rather small and needs refurbishing, but it proved comfortable and totally quiet. Even the bathroom was very small. The hotel looks rather ugly from the outside and not inviting at all, but the staff at the reception was welcoming, friendly and very helpful when we needed their help. And the breakfast buffet was really nice, including an appreciated choice of morning papers.

The hotel is superbly situated, you can't quite tell from a look at the map, but you are right in the middle of gorgeous shopping, the famous Ku'damm, sights like the Gedächtniskirche, and good restaurants. And it is only a very short walk to Bahnhof Zoo, the busy train and bus station. You don't need to pay a lot of money for transportation to and from the airport, just get on the bus for 2 Euro 30 and walk a few minutes.

Great location, excellent breakfast, staff friendly, rooms a little tired but fine. Comfortable beds and clean. Would recommned and stay there again.

Having read the wide variety of opinions on this hotel, we were not sure what to expect. First of all, the location is excellent, so close to Bahnhof Zoo and all travel connections and a short stroll from really good cafes, restaurants and shops. The hotel was certainly busy, especially when tour groups were in, and the staff were under pressure then, but were normally helpful and friendly. Breakfast, although it ran from 6.30 to 10.30, was very busy indeed between 8 and 9, often involving a wait for a table (though it was a very good breakfast and well worth waitng for). The public areas were perfectly acceptable but very busy at certain times. The universal smoking is more than a bit off-putting, but that is not the hotel's fault. If you can choose your times for checking in and out, for taking breakfast and for requesting information, you should have no problems. The rooms were fine; I can see what some other commentators mean when they say that refurbishment is needed, but they were clean, well serviced and appropriately provided. If you're fussy about decor you might find reason to demur. We were in one of the rooms at the rear of the building, and experienced no noise problems of any kind. I would have no hesitation in staying there again.

I picked The Berlin Excelsior as part of an EasyJet deal and was suspiscous as the overall package price was very cheap. There was no need for doubt as the hotel was a pleasant surprise. It is very handy for the Zoo Station, the main shopping street and Tiergarten, the massive park.

The hotel room was clean, tidy and warm - very welcome as the temperature was starting to drop when we arrived. The best thing I could say was that it was very quiet, not a peep from the neighbouring room or hallway.

Breakfast was impressive, a large buffet with every requirement catered for.

The only gripe is the cold nature of the counter staff who, though never rude, did not convey any warmth. That's excusable if you're to believe the stereotypes of Germans but we encountered much more welcoming service in the shops & restaurants in town.

Excelsior is one of the most centrally located hotels in Berlin. It is just 1min walk from the zoo central station and 2min from kuntam. The hotel itshelf its rather plain. The building is old, but in a very good contition, the rooms small but clean and the breakfast one of the best Ive ever tasted. I can say that Excelsior is a typical bussines hotel and condidering its average to low prices its best value for money.

Hotel about 5 mins walk from Zoo station where you can access the underground, the S bahn, Buses and regional trains. Get a 48 hour or 72 hour ticket which covers all trains and is excellent value for money. Hotel staff very helpful and all spoke english. They recommended 2 excellent restaurants close by Rotosand (Fish) and Maredo (Steaks) both about 15 mins walk from hotel. The hotel rooms are a bit smaller that usual but adequate with excellent storage. Breakfast was a hot and cold buffet with a good selection which included bacon and eggs, fresh fruit, cold meats and cheese etc. I would no hesitation recommending this hotel. 5 mins walk to the Ku Damm which is an excellent shopping street. If you fly into Schoenefeld airport a five minute walk will take you to the regional train which costs 2.10 and takes you to the Zoo station, taxi costs 35 euro

Very nice hotel and in a good location, about 5 minutes walk to the zoo station. The breakfast was really nice with lots of food to choose from and there were tea and coffee making facilities in the room. The staff and management were always very friendly and helpful. We would definitely stay here again when we next visit Berlin.

central location clean and tidy a good base for touring around berlin .food good easy location to find from zooalagical gardens do not get to hung up about bad reviews (most where during world cup)

I was really concerned about this hotel after reading some of the previous reviews, however my fears were unfounded and we found it an excellent base for touring Berlin. The staff were all incredibly helpful and friendly, check in and check out were a piece of cake, the breakfast was really good. The room was smallish but clean and with air conditioning that worked all night, the beds were comfortable. The bathroom could have done with a refurbishment but was clean and adequate + masses of hot water. I wouldnt class it as a 4* but it was a great base at under £50 per room + breakfast for 2.

Re the location, dont be put off by the punks/drunks around the railway bridge. I was travelling with my young teen daughter and we found that they just keep themselves to themselves even at 11.30pm. An Added factor to reassure other travellers - just passed the railway bridge there is an American institute that has an armed German police guard on the pavement 24/7.

Expedia got my group of four a good deal. The hotel is in a very good position. Rooms were good breakfast very good staff very good. There is no downside here. I have read some poor reviews for the Excelsior and in our opinion it doesn`t deserve them..... we have stayed often in Berlin at 3 star places and they have been a long way off the Excelsior .

My wife and I stayed in the Excelsior in September 05 for 4 nights. We enjoyed our stay here. The hotel is in a good area and close to Zoo railway station. It was very clean and our room was small but comfortable. They only drawback was the windows didnt open but we had good air conditioning even if it was a little noisy. The food in the garden restaurant was excellent and we ate there every night. They also did a great breakfast with plenty of choice of everything you can think of. The staff were very efficient and friendly. The hotel was a good base for all tourist attractions. If I was going back to Berlin I would probably stay here again.

Stayed here for four nights in April 2005. The Excelsior is situated a few minutes walk from Zoo station and so it is very convenient for bus and U and S-Bahn connections to all parts of the city including Tegel airport (X9 bus from the airport to Zoo station takes about 20 minutes and the hotel is close enough to walk with luggage). It is also only a few minutes walk from one of the main shopping areas. Although it is on a main road we did not find it particularly noisy. The rooms are not huge but they are clean and have TV, mini-bar and ensuite bathroom with very good shower.The buffet breakfast is excellent - fruit juice, cereals, yogurt, bacon, sausage, eggs, cheese, cold meats, fish, rolls, preserves etc. The food is of good quality and is plentiful. We also ate a couple of times in the evening at the hotel's Store House Grill - again the food is good although we did find the soft drinks quite expensive. We would be happy to stay here again.

Onenight in Berlin, everything we needed. affordable, close to transport and sights! would stay again.

This is not what I would say was a 4 star hotel, more of a 3 star. The room was okay however dated, the bathroom was clean but had years of dirt ground in and needs updating. The room was okay although the previous guests socks remained which didn't leave much confidence in the cleaning.

We had breakfast included with our stay. The food was good however if you arrive at the restauarnt late within the breakfast time you will find it difficult to find a clear table and we had to ask the waitress to clean a table for us, and it wasn't busy when we arrived!

The location of the hotel was good just a 5 minute walk to the trains station (near the zoo). And there are a number of restaurants (opposite direction along the road to the zoo) nearby which are very nice.

Would I stay hear again....maybe but only as a last option. Don't get me wrong this was not a bad hotel I just feel we expected a lot more for price and a hotel that is rated as being 4 star.

this hotel is in need of re decorating but in fairness due to the convenience of its location and what you get for the price it is good value. the breakfast is extensive and quite good although it can be hard to find a table at the busy periods which is a little annoying. the store house grill food is very good and serves until quite late (handy if you get in late with a hunger). excellent staff in the storehouse grill -very friendly but not OTT. service a little slow but food very good quality. Our room was smoke stained and smelt musty, reception staff could not meet our requests to change to a non smoking room. the hotel is very conveniently located and the staff are friendly and helpful.

Went to Berlin through a tour operator which uses the Excelsior. No complaints really - pleasant enough and located near to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and the Ku'damm, and many restaurants in the vicinity. You can buy tickets for the S bahn and U bahn (just five minutes walk away), from reception and the sightseeing buses stop outside.

Room was clean albeit slightly dated, and breakfast was reasonably good. I found the staff to be friendly and attentive.

One can easily spend a week in Berlin - so much to see, and I want to go back to visit places I didn't have time for on this occasion. As I have said, the hotel is fine, but it is a typical tourist/business bland affair as you would find in any city, so next time I shall be looking for a hotel with more character, and located further east.

We paid extra to have a superior room, and we were disappointed. The space was about 21 ft by 11 ft with a large comfortable bed, but the only other furniture was a couple of hard armchairs and a low table. The air-conditioning was one of those portable units that you have to put water in; it wasn't working and although we asked for it to be repaired, nothing happened.

Decor is drab 1970's mahogany.

Breakfast was chaotic -- most days they were overwhelmed with coach parties and you were bounced into an unsuitable small room; you ended up clearing the table yourself. We sat in the bar for ages and the waiter wandered round gossiping with his colleagues, but never came to serve us.

Plenty of good eateries around; try the bistro on the corner (turn left out of the front door) or several in Uhland Str 15 mins walk.

But the Excelsior was too much money for a basic hotel.

Location: Excellent. Close to train & bus stations, as well as a range of restaurants.

Breakfast: Very good

Cleanliness: Very clean

Decor: Dated but totally acceptable

Air Conditioning: In our room (621) I had to stand on a chair to reach the controls. The system was efficient but too noisy to have on at night - so we were quite uncomfortable.

General Comment: It is like city-centre transit hotels throughout Europe, but I would rate it 'Low 3 Star' (not 4 Star) because many 'little things' (e.g. face cloths in bathrooms and tea cups at breakfast) are not provided.

ACID TEST: Would we stay in this hotel again? YES, but not in the summer (air con) and only if the price was right (e.g. 2 or 3 Star rates)

Overall the hotel was o.k., but my expectations were higher, so I was somewhat disappointed with the experience. The room was comfortable, but small and cramped. Bathroom was starting to show wear and tear. The location was good, but noise on the street side made the room noisy at night. They charge you for parking. The main hotel lounge where you check in was always reaking of smoke wich, coming from Califonia, was not the best welcome. The breakfast food was good, but because the room set- up was very chaotic, confusing, and frustrating. There were a lot of large groups in the hotel, which made the breakfast experience kind of like herding cattle through a maze.

Advertised and classed as a 4* hotel, the reality is a little different.

Very 70's decor that could do with refurbishing and small rooms with basic amenities.

Breakfast is like an assualt course as it is very busy and there are too few tables for the number of guests booked in. I ended up taking breakfast back to the room but some of my friends found it so tiresome that ,despite breakfast being included in our rate, they elected to buy breakfast in a local cafe.

Location is good - only a 5 minute walk to the Zoo S and U bahn stations and the starting point for the X9 and 109 buses to Tegel. The trip to Tegel on the X9 bus is about 15 minutes while the 109 takes about 20 minutes. The 100 and 200 buses that run east-west through Berlin start and end here.

Rooms facing the back of the hotel are very quiet whereas the ones at the front face a noisy, busy street. We had a problem with the air conditioning in our room and had to keep the small window open. Luckily, our room was in the back, it was September and the weather was cool.

The room was well decorated and clean but very small for a four star hotel. The closet was also very small and hard to use. The condition of the hotel was very good.

The breakfast buffet was excellent with a good selection of items. Although the Excelsior has a restaurant, we found a number of more interesting ones in the area behind the hotel around Savigny platz.

Most residents appeared to be business or independent travelers. Only one small tour group was observed. Staff was very helpful at a very early checkout and brought us juice and coffee from the closed breakfast room.

Although we had no serious problems at the hotel, we would choose a different hotel next time. We only stayed at the hotel for 2 days and could live with the small room. A longer stay would be less pleasant and very cramped.

The Berlin Excelsior Hotel is well located near the Zoo rail & metro station and it is a good home base for touring the city. It is basic, clean and safe. It is your standard big hotel and lacks any charm, but we didn't spend a lot of time here, so it was fine for us. It was a good value at about 100 Euros a night.

We stayed during the first weekend of the World Cup and despite it being very busy, the staff was very friendly and helpful. We would stay here again

Stayed here in the World Cup too. Booked because I managed to get 99e price, reasonable for the money when obviously prices were high. Interal parking attractive too.

On arrival at around 12.30 no rooms available and front desk staff were wound up. Left bags with friendly porter. The staff were getting whingeing and threats form several rude guests who apparently had been around for an hour or two.

If you arrive at a hotel 3 hours before check in when they are full is it realistic to expect a room straight away? Have you no more imagination than to sit there for that time? Go out and see this vibrant city. We did came back at 6 and went to our room.

Having said that staff were rude also I was ignored, on check in, by someone altogether more interested in their computer screen for some time.

The area is fine with excellent transportation links being on the middle of the main central train line in Berlin - S Bahn.

Have no idea what the person from Houston experienced re undesirables, we arrived back at 6pm, 9 pm and 2 am and had no such issues on our walk back to the hotel from the station.

I have been to Houston and I'm not sure I'd want to walk around there at 2am.

Rooms were a little dark and aircon noisy but for the price I'd stay again, if you want better pay for it. 4 star means lots of things, there's only 5 generally unless you are in Dubai.

Two block walk from the Zoo Bahnhof and on a beautiful avenue close to attractive apartments and restaurants in Savigny Platz. Rooms are small and dark; hair dryers but no coffee maker or ironing board. Staff is very limited at reception and service in the bar is quite poor. Many large tours coming and going make access to front desk difficult. Phone from room; they give priority to phone calls. Breakfast buffet is OK but not elaborate. Elevators are quick and responsive. Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers throughout but doors have keys not cards. No deadbolt or chain. Keys are on large clumsy paddles. Keep with you if possible since it's hard to get them back from desk. No phone books; you have to ask at the desk for numbers. Can't understand the 4 star rating; it's definitely a three. Beware of ordering cocktails; very expensive.

Ottimo albergo, posizione ideale per mouversi in città con la metro (Zoo) e a piedi la sera con i tanti ristoranti i locali de la Kurfurstendamm. La stanza era leggermente piccola ma andaba beno lo steso, la lobby è gradevolissima e la colazione superba, assolutamente una delle migliori!!!

j'ai trouvé dans cette hôtel tout ce que j'attendais d'un établissement 4*: un lobby très agréable et convivial, une chambre confortable et bien équipée et surtout un personnel TRES compétent et amical.

A berlin pour affaires, j'ai été très satisfait des services proposés par l'hôtel. Chaudement recommandable!!

Tired, very tired. This hotel has seen better days and with some effort it could see them again. The location is central and easy to get to. To bad those who own it don't seem to care. And, most annoying - the lack of wifi service, except for a ridiculous fee, is most annoying.

We stayed at the Berlin Excelsior during the World Cup. I have to agree with the previous reviewer, that the 4 star rating is wrong. I would probably give this hotel 2 and 1/2 stars. The service desk was friendly on checkin. Our room was really small. We had 4 suitcases with us, and had trouble finding a place to put all of them. I think the hotel is being renovated, but we stayed on the 6th floor, and it was still old, maybe from the late 80's.

One of the main problems that we encountered at the hotel was the air conditioning. The AC in our room was running beautifully, although it was loud, but we noticed that it wouldn't work at night. I inquired at the front desk, and they told me that they cut off the power to all the AC units in the hotel from 11pm - 7am, because they were too noisy. Since they advertize airconditioning, they shouldn't turn it off at night.

The other issue that we had was the bathroom. The water smelled terrible. I almost thought that it might not be filtering properly in the hotel. Also, they had hairdryers from the 1980's in the bathrooms, that didn't work worth a flip.

The best part of the hotel was the complementary breakfast. I think they had everything I could want for breakfast, a huge buffet. We loaded up with lots of water and juice each morning because bottled water in Berlin is kind of expensive, and the tap water is smelly.

The location is close to the train station, which is nice. We took the bus once, but liked the trains better. The area is kind of seedy, though. There were a lot of bums, drunks, and prositutes in the area. However, they didn't bother us and there were plenty of police around.

All in all, I probably would not stay here again. We only chose this hotel because it was cheap, $100/night, and hotels were inflating their prices during the World Cup.

I stayed at this hotel and it is NOT good and definitely NOT a 4 star hotel. More of a 3 star hotel - at a push!

The exterior is uninviting and the interior and decor is tired and drab.

The rooms are very dark and small, and the walls are like cardboard, so each time the person next door moves you can pretty much hear it.

The furniture was old and dated, and our room had a musty smell. The entrance passage to actually get into the room is narrow and dusty, and the carpets were worn and not overly clean. This continued into the corridors, which were poorly lit. Even the lifts were shabby.

The front of the hotel looks over a busy road, so the windows are double glazed, but obviously you can't open them. The rooms in the back are quieter, but have a very uninspiring view (our room overlooked a car park with some horrific statues!).

The reception and bar area looked like something from the 1980s (same old blue swirly carpet again!) and the reception staff were slow and not quick to attend to people waiting. It is a busy hotel with a lot of people coming and going at the same time, and the staff were not well equipped to deal with the volume of guests. Check out took forever!

My biggest complaint about this hotel is the food. The main restaurant it seems is only used for breakfast (poor choice, and slow service for teas/coffees), and in the evening guests must use the on-site steak house/burger bar - which is very poor. We had to wait over 10 minutes to be seated, and the restaurant was so understaffed. There were just 2 waiters dashing around. The food was OK, nothing special, but quite expensive for what it was, and the service was really bad. We gave up on dessert, after waiting for 15 minutes.

The only good thing is the hotel's location - close to the Zoo station - so easy access to the city (although you do have to walk under a bridge where all the tramps and drunks hang out - they are no trouble, but it doesn't half stink!).

So all in all, it was not a good experience. It wasn't AWFUL, but don't expect a 4 star hotel or service, or you will be bitterly dissapointed. I know that I was....

I would not recommend this hotel, at any price. It is an old, tired hotel, it thinks and the staff think it's something it isn't.

It is in need of a complete refurbishment.

I stayed for two nights 19th and 20th May, I would not go back.

The staff were unfriendly, un-helpful and pretty arrogant, don't use it, pick another hotel.

Old, oldfashioned, busy, noisy, unfriendly, grubby, not accommodating and not at all fair! I advise tour operators not to book this hotel, except for easily satisfied groups!

The hotel is well located. That's all. The front desk people are extremely rude, the manager is even worse. The food is better at the local mc donalds. Rooms are old and extremely uninviting. Check the local cemitery for a more pleasant place.