Potsdamer Inn — Hotel in Berlin

I chose this place mainly for the location and that, at least, turned out to be a good decision. The hotel is a minute’s walk from Bulowstrasse U-Bahn station and just three stops, without changing trains, from the Philharmonie where I was going for a concert (indeed, had I been so inclined, I could easily have walked there). ||||I should have checked the reviews before booking as they might have put me off. Or they might not – I have lots of very fastidious friends whose opinions on such things I’m used to taking with a pinch of salt so I might have ignored some of the more extreme complaints. And it’s true to say I found no evidence of the hygiene issues mentioned below. The room and surroundings didn’t seem dirty, as such, but they were undoubtedly very shabby. The mattress was extremely thin, the walls looked like they hadn’t been painted in ages and the table and chair looked ready to fall apart (in my poorer days I’ve literally rescued better furniture from a skip). The worst thing, though, was that the TV simply didn’t work. I don’t mean it had poor reception; I mean every channel just displayed a message saying ‘kein Signal’ (no signal). I don’t seek luxury – Travelodge is perfectly adequate for me – but I expect basic amenities to work; and a TV that I can’t switch on to watch the news when I get in or before I leave, and a chair I couldn’t sit on as I feared it wouldn’t take my weight are simply unacceptable.||||I note one reviewer mentions how uncommunicative the staff were and this tallies with my experience when I tried to phone with a query. Three times I called, the phone rang out and whoever was at the other end clearly picked up and hung up without speaking. At the hotel it was a bit better. The receptionist’s English was worse than my German but she did at least listen to what I was saying in a mixture of languages. To be fair, she offered me a free breakfast as compensation for the dud TV but this was no use to me and I declined as I’d have felt a bit guilty accepting and then going on to warn people against this place.||||I’ve stayed in worse places – but not since my misspent youth. I can’t remember staying anywhere this uncomfortable in the last 30 years. OK, perhaps, if you’re out all day and return ready to go straight to sleep. But if that’s what you want you can probably get it for less than...

Me and my friend from Ukraine made a reservation in this "hotel". On reception there was not polite man, who said that he dont have any room for us. I told him that we made a reservation. He said he dont care and he cannot help us. Sereously? 21 century, in Germany we still have such "service"? The booking was not refundable. So i asked how we will solve this problem? He created the problem and he must solve it. At least do not charge money for this booking from us. Instead of it he keep repeat that he has no place in his hotel and lyed to us that he didnt received any booking from us. We tryed to cancell booking and asked not to charge us fine. The men on reception wasn't care and he didnt even cancelled our booking. Seems the man receives non refundable reservations, where money charged from people's card and when peoole coming he said he has no place and he cannot help! So money comes to him! Pls be aware of this scammer! Dont stay there! If they charge any money from my card im gonna go to Police. Its descrimination of UKRAINIAN people and scam. Im gonna write everywhere about tis situation and warn all People. When we tryed to look for other place to stay he asked us to leave. Honestly when i seen him and his woman, who are also work in the hotel I wouldnt trust my stay with them. They look like criminals and i dont think People who staying there are safe. I never seen such "service"...

I stayed here last July for 5 nights. I wasn't sure about the weird painted walls (inside)...It reminded me of a nursery school. Place was a bit so so. Location wan't brilliant. It was a fair distance from the main attractions, though there were lots of bars and cafe's in that area. I discovered it was very close to the place David Bowie lived when he made his famous trilogy of albums in the 1970's. (For those interested in such things). Hotel was a bit rough round the edges and when I arrived (very late) it didn't look like a hotel and it was so dark I could hardly see anything. I thought the taxi driver had brought me to the wrong place. Main problem though was the staff on reception were not at all friendly or helpful. One woman in particular should not have been working there. She was like a female German Basil Fawlty. Room was OK and I didn't eat there so I can't comment on the food. I should also perhaps mention it was a bit of a 'red light district' with prostitutes all over the place. I did get my wallet stolen while I was there but I can't blame the hotel for that. Like I say, three stars might be a...