Centro Hotel Kurfuerstendamm

Ivbergs Premium keeps value first in mind: It's light on amenities but offers an excellent nightly rate in return. With that in mind, the exterior and lobby aren't particularly special: The hotel's glass-and-metal exterior, while modern, is rather imposing; inside, the lobby is spacious and generically contemporary, with neutral tones and leather club chairs arranged in clusters around tables. Lovely chandeliers dangle from the ceilings, and modern art (though not particularly fitting) adds some needed color to the walls. There's no lobby bar, but the entrance to the attached restaurant, Via del Sol, is in the left corner. Although there are a few attractions nearby that are suitable for kids, the hotel is mostly geared toward guests who are middle-aged and on up. 

Located on the edge of Schoneberg and abutting Charlottenburg, Ivbergs Premium Hotel is central to West Berlin's top tourist attractions and is especially ideal for those coming to Berlin ready to shop. The first place to start is Kaufhaus Des Westens (KaDaWe), the biggest department store on continental Europe (seven minutes away on foot). It's located the next street over from Kurfurstendamm shopping avenue, which offers a mix of mid-range and designer stores, along with drugstores. A 15-minute walk will take guests to the heart of the shopping boulevard.

One foodie experience guests staying here shouldn't miss is the Wintergarten and food hall experience at KaDaWe, which is akin to a very posh food court (think lobster and a Moet champagne bar), though food can be bought at reasonable prices as well (pasta!). The immediate area around the hotel doesn't have much to offer in the way of restaurants, although there are many good ones in a five-minute walking radius, and plenty more a short subway ride away. Cheap street food, like Berlin's famous kebabs and currywurst, is also plentiful near KaDeWe. Ivbergs is also near West Berlin's gay scene and quite a few bars are nearby. 

Also nearby is the Bauhaus Archive Museum (a 12-minute walk), while Legoland Discover Center Amusement Park is about 15 minutes by bus or U-Bahn. Popular tourist attractions Potsdamer Platz, Topographie des Terrors, and Checkpoint Charlie are about 15 minutes away by direct public transit. The entrance to Berlin's famous Tiergarten Park is a 15-minute walk from the hotel; the zoo, which is within the park, is about 10 minutes away using public transit.  

Tegel Airport is 30 to 40 minutes by public transit or 15 minutes by taxi; Schonefeld is about an hour by public transit or about 20 to 35 minutes by taxi, depending on traffic. 

Rooms are compact, with a color scheme of dark-green (the dated carpets and leatherette chair) and neutral tones of brown and white (everything else). There's no drawer space in the Single Rooms, as wardrobes and shelving are open. The art on the walls includes nighttime photos of a city other than Berlin, which is a bit odd. It's worth noting there are no tea- and coffee-making facilities, and irons, ironing boards, and kettles must all be requested from reception. Rooms do include a minibar and an in-room safe (though it's not big enough for laptops). There's also a cable flat-screen TV, but only a couple of channels aren't in German-- guests who want to relax with some TV at night will likely find themselves paying for Wi-Fi. 

Bathrooms are generally small and monochromatically gray, though the tile and sink area are modern with clean lines. The toilet is tucked behind a partial partition. The glass-door showers are stall-style and quite small, but the showerheads are powerful. Toiletries and a hairdryer are provided. 

One notable downside of this property is that guests have to pay for Wi-Fi. There's also a lack of other features -- no gym, pool, or sauna -- though this unusual for a hotel in Berlin. Breakfast is well-reviewed, however, the very plain breakfast room isn't nearly atmospheric enough to justify the price of the meal. The attached restaurant, Via del Sol, seems cut off from the rest of the hotel, although dinner there is excellent value (it should be noted that the food is generically international and not Spanish, as the name might suggest). There is an on-site gift shop, with tourist trinkets at a cheaper price than other places around the city, though more special souvenirs can be found down the street at KaDaWe. For those with cars, parking is reasonably priced, compared to paying for metered parking on the street.