ARCOTEL Velvet has a modern but sterile business ambiance without the business features to match. The lobby is decked out in red and black, with glossy black floors, leather couches and chairs, a coffee machine, and Andy-Warhol inspired Pop Art pieces on the walls. The hotel bar has a similar look, with dark wooden floors, chairs with red leather padding, and a red-and-black bar. Overall, the atmosphere is a bit bland, but couples seem to appreciate the property for its central location to tourist attractions, despite its lack in amenities and basic guest rooms. 

The hotel is conveniently located for sightseeing tourists. Surrounding streets are filled with restaurants and bars, while the Spree River is only a five-minute walk away. The Pergamon Museum is a 12-minute walk from here, while other museums on Museum Island are 20 to 25 minutes away. Many top sites are within a 20-minute walk, like the Bradenburg Gate, the Reichstag building, and the Berlin Wall Memorial, but others can be a bit of a hike, like the Holocaust Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie, which are about 25 minutes on foot, though six to 11 minutes via public transportation. There’s a U-Bahn station and tram stop around the corner from the hotel, and a bus stop is a three-minute walk away. It’s a 20- to 25-minute drive to Berlin's Tegel Airport, or 25 minutes via public transportation. Schönefeld Airport is around a 30- to 40-minute drive, or around 45 minutes via public transit.

The hotel's 85 rooms are decorated in a simple, contemporary style. With red carpets, red headboards, white linens on beds, and dark wooden furniture, the contemporary furnishings are all tidy and well maintained, but bland and lacking in character. All of the amenities guests would expect from this level of hotel are present, including free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and well stocked minibars. Free apples are a nice touch, while Superior Rooms also include free bottled water and coffee- and tea-making facilities. Suites are more spacious and have living rooms as well as kitchenettes with two-burner stoves and sinks, plus some also have balconies. Bathrooms vary, but are fairly spacious. Rooms with open-floor bathroom plans have simple curtains separating the bedrooms from the bathroom facilities, which don't offer a lot of privacy and might be an issue for some, though toilets are in a separate vestibule behind a door. Showers or shower/tub combos, hairdryers, and Eco toiletries (some in wall dispensers) are provided. Note that some guests complain of street noise, especially in rooms on lower floors.

The hotel doesn't have a proper restaurant, though there is a bar on-site where a breakfast buffet is served every morning for a fee. The bar provides a different selection of drinks under a central theme that changes every couple of months -- past themes have included black tape art, Spanish tapas, and Mexican Mezcal. Guests can enjoy a drink or breakfast on the outdoor patio. Other facilities include business suites available to rent as meeting space, plus free Wi-Fi throughout the property -- though some guests complain of a slow/patchy signal. Limited parking is available for a nightly fee.