These elegant apartments in a renovated 19th-century building offer the best of both worlds: a home from home in a vibrant, residential neighbourhood, combined with the feel of a luxury hotel. As well as space and comfort in abundance, the high ceilinged 16 apartments ooze opulence with marble-clad bathrooms, heavy silver chandeliers and plush soft furnishings. The huge 2- and 3-bedroom versions have lots of communal space as well as spacious double/twin bedrooms, while the 1-bedroom apartments are cosy and compact without scrimping on the comforts of their bigger neighbours. There is also a shared BBQ in the quiet courtyard, and a small communal roof terrace that's perfect for aperitifs before a night out on the town.
The sociable Schöneberg district has had its fair share of famous residents, from Albert Einstein and Christopher Isherwood to David Bowie. Nowadays it's home to many well-heeled young families and continues to be the centre of Berlin’s gay scene. Situated in the centre of west Berlin, it's just a couple of U-Bahn stops from the famous shopping boulevard Kurfürstendamm, and an easy link from the airport.
Highs
- Convenient location in the heart of Schöneberg, close to shops, restaurants, bars, cafés and public transport
- The 2- and 3-bedroom apartments are very spacious and ideal for families or groups of friends
- Great value
- Ideal for longer stays with well-equipped kitchens, a washing machine/dryer, and plenty of storage space
- A stone’s throw from Winterfeldtplatz, where one of Berlin’s best food markets takes place twice a week
Lows
- A one week minimum stay requirement
- A starter pack of coffee capsules, tea and cleaning materials is provided, you'll need to buy all other basics
- Maid service only on request (extra cost); if staying longer than a week you'll need to wash your linens
- Views from the apartments are a little drab, but you're literally a 2-minute walk from pretty Winterfeldtplatz
- Though the friendly, helpful management have an office in the building, it is closed on weekends (there's a safe key lock system)
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're wrapped up well, a crisp January day would be perfect for exploring without the crowds. The city can get busy during fairs (such as ITB in March) and the Christmas markets (late November to late December).
Our top tips
Chocolate lovers should head to Winterfeldt Schokoladen, a beautiful old-fashioned chocolate shop and café, 10 minutes' walk from the apartments. This Schöneberg institution sells a wide range of its own and luxury-brand chocolates, and the café is a great place to start the day with a hearty breakfast, which includes homemade chocolate spread and jams.
- Boutique Apartments
- 14 bedrooms
- Self catering (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
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Roof terrace
Rooms
The apartments are laid out across two buildings, and vary in shape and size, but are identically decorated in muted beige, black and brown tones with Baroque detail. Think marble fittings in the bathrooms, ornate silver mirrors, and mosaic flooring in the hallways with some original parquet floors in the street-side 19th-century building. While the décor is unadventurous we also found plenty to love in our huge 2-bedroom apartment: the abundance of comfy seating and mood lighting, walk-in closets, a free-standing bathtub, monsoon shower and spacious, well-equipped kitchens. High ceilings and long windows allow lots of light to flood in.
One-bedroom apartments are cosy and well-designed, with an open-plan kitchen/living room, while the 3-bedroom apartments have very high ceilings (some with original stucco), accentuating the already generous amount of space. With the exception of the small one-bedrooms (Type B), all beds can be set up as twins or doubles, and all bathrooms have tubs.
Features include:
- Fan
- Hairdryer
- Safe box
- Tumble dryer
- Washing machine
- WiFi
Eating
The kitchens are well-equipped, with an electric hob, microwave and fridge-freezer, kettle and coffee machine. As well as plenty of crockery and pots and pans, you’ll also find thoughtful items such as a peeler, sieve, lemon-squeezer and a teapot. You'll need to buy all groceries, however, tea, coffee capsules and sugar plus cleaning materials are supplied. In summer you can barbecue outside on the small communal courtyard between both buildings.
The Wednesday and Saturday market on Winterfeldtplatz, a 2-minute walk away, is a foodie’s dream: lots of organic and local produce, dizzying arrays of cheese, bread and freshly made pasta, and lots of stalls selling cooked food ranging from Bratwurst to gozleme (filled Turkish flatbread). The area around the market is also choc-a-block with restaurants and cafés, and there are supermarkets within a 5-minute walk of the apartments.
Features include:
- Coffee maker
- Dishwasher
- Fridge
- Full kitchen
- Hob or stove
- Microwave
- Oven
- Restaurants nearby
- Toaster
Activities
- The area nearby is fun to explore on foot or by bike (there's a rental place around the corner) and sociable Schöneberg is great for families and couples, and is also Berlin's gay epicentre. Apart from the lovely local produce market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, there are many bars and cafés, independent clothing stores, and antique and antiquarian bookshops
- The nearby U-Bahn stations Bülowstraße and Nollendorfplatz are on the U2 line, which takes you directly to many of Berlin’s top attractions. Heading west, you can stop off at Wittenbergplatz for the famous KaDeWe department store, the zoo and nearby shopping mecca Kurfürstendamm
- At the end of the line you’ll find the architecturally fascinating Olympic Stadium, built in 1939 and still used for sporting events
- Heading east, the U2 stops at Potsdamer Platz, pretty Gendarmenmarkt, and Alexanderplatz, from where you can walk to the Museum Island or the boutique-shopping and gallery district around Hackescher Markt
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Cycling
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Nightlife
- Shopping / markets
- Wildlife
Kids
The apartments are perfect for families: spacious, with full kitchens with dishwashers and washer-dryer machines, and 1-3 bedrooms in each, plus free baby cots and rollaway beds. The local infrastructure is very family-friendly, with playgrounds and restaurants that welcome kids. The nearby Gleisdreieck park has a skate park and table-tennis tables.
Best for:
All ages
Family friendly accommodation:
All bedrooms in the 2- and 3-bedroom apartments can be set up as doubles or twins. The one-bedroom Type A apartments are also big enough for a small family; there's plenty of room in the bedroom for a cot, and an extra bed can be set up in the living room.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms
Kids Activities on site:
DVD player
Kids Activities nearby:
Playgrounds and a skate park
Families Should Know:
The quiet backyard is separated from the street by a gate
Distances:
- Airport: 30 minutes (Berlin Brandenburg)
- Shops: 1-minute walk
- Hospital: 15 minutes' drive (Charité)
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
The Palacina is in the attractive Schöneberg district of west Berlin. The apartments are at the drabber end of Winterfelderstraße, close to the busy Potsdamer Straße, but a 2-minute walk up the road is bustling Winterfeldtplatz, from where a warren of pretty streets branch off. With 2 U-Bahn stations close by, you are well connected to other parts of the city.
By Air:
Fly to Berlin Brandenburg airport. You can take a taxi from the airport, but it's easy to reach the Palacina via train, bus and U-Bahn.
By Car:
As a tourist there is little point in having a car here because the public transport is so good. If you do want to hire a car, see our car rental recommendations. You can park at the Palacina (extra cost).
Detailed instructions 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 26.0 km BER
Other:
- Beach 200.0 km
- Shops 0.2 km
- Restaurant 0.2 km