Built 1958 and renovated in 2012, the Berlin, Berlin's dated facade shares little with its modern interiors. The lobby is big and bright with wrap-around glowing display panels on the balcony above scrolling pastel-colored text with messages in German that read things like, "Come back and visit us soon." The decor combines aggressive, street-art-inspired designs and splashes of color with more subdued clean white spaces and walls printed with inspirational messages. Guests are a mix of business travelers and international couples -- kids are welcome but there isn't much for them to do.

Centrally located in the east end of western Berlin, the hotel is within walking distance of KaDeWe, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, and the Berlin Zoo. Though there's very little on the surrounding streets of the property, restaurants and bars are also nearby, as is popular shopping on Kurfürstendamm avenue. Berlin is Germany’s capital and largest city, best known for its lively nightlife (restaurants and bars stay open late), cafes, museums, palaces, street art, and numerous historic sights. Tegel Airport is a bit more than a 15-minute drive northwest while Schönefeld Airport is about 25 minutes southeast.

Most of the rooms fit into one of four categories, each with their own furnishings and decor. Standard Rooms have a green and grey color scheme with small desks and a brightly colored scoop chair. Some of the bathrooms could use a tile cleaning or some minor renovation along with more space for belongings, but they wouldn't be out of place in a three-star hotel. Business Rooms, though similar in quality, are furnished in a bland, contemporary style with more work space. It's the Premium Rooms that have the amenities befitting a hotel in this range, with a street-art influenced modern style that echoes the rest of the property. The designer furniture and cool pendant lighting are all memorable. There are also Executive units that are essentially large business room upgrades with balconies as well as a variety of suites with sleek, artistic design. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, and mini-fridges.

The Berlin, Berlin's event space consists of many meeting rooms and flexible conference halls, totaling more than 32,000 square feet. Quite a few have the stylized decor of an artist's loft-turned-boardroom with wildly painted floors, while others are more conservatively finished with carpeting and ballroom tables. For dining, Restaurant Julius serves contemporary German cuisine, and there's a large breakfast buffet that’s not included with room rates. The hotel's bar also serves snacks and has an outdoor patio with covered seating.

The small business center is located in a curving hallway off the lobby with two computers, a copy machine, and a foosball table. Elliptical machines, treadmills, and free weights fill the 24-hour fitness center, which is attached to the small spa where guests have access to a sauna, a refreshments lounge, and an outdoor garden that has a waterfall trickling from an ivy-covered rock wall. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, but it can be spotty and there's a charge to upgrade to a faster connection.