Mercure Hotel & Residenz Berlin Checkpoint Charlie

Housed in a Wilhelminian building, the Mercure Hotel & Residenz Berllin Checkpoint Charlie has a historic and majestic exterior that gives way to a modern lobby with a sleek design scheme with gray tiling, cerulean blue chairs and couches, black tables, and abstract lighting. The business center occupies one corner of the lobby, and there's cozy seating around a bookcase filled with colorful art objects and reading material. The bar, accessed from the first floor, is playfully decorated with soft-gray bar chairs and unusual metallic lamps overhead, similar to those in the lobby. Seating areas are plentiful and some feel like private nooks -- for instance, a large blue sofa with colorfully patterned throw pillows surrounds a few cafe tables, while black and red seating occupies a nook near a juke box, bookcase, and wall-size photograph of a uniformed British soldier. There's also outdoor seating in a small courtyard as well as a sharp breakfast room. The upper floors can be reached by an elevator or sweeping staircase, and many of the hallways are hung with art. Most of the clientele are couples or families.

Situated in trendy, artsy Kreuzberg, the hotel is located near some of Berlin’s most historic sights, including Checkpoint Charlie -- a famous Berlin Wall crossing throughout the Cold War -- which is only a four-minute walk. Guests can also access the Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus from there, which takes travelers around Berlin. A 10-minute walk leads to Friedrichstrasse, an area full of shopping, and there are plenty of galleries and cafes in any direction. The historic Gendarmenmarkt, a scenic square that's home to notable cathedrals, is seven minutes away on foot. It's easiest  to reach other attractions like Tiergarten or Brandenburg Gate by using the city's metro, or U-Bahn. The closest station is Stadtmitte, a four-minute walk from the hotel. Berlin Tegel and Berlin Schönefeld airports both take around 25 minutes to reach by car and can be reached by train as well -- Tegel is a 30-minute trip, while Schönefeld is about 45 minutes away.

The rooms at this hotel have a colorful motif that appears in blue chairs, orange pillows and bed runners, and even orange and blue tiling in the bathrooms -- the decor brightens up the rooms, but the swirl-patterned carpets and light wood veneer furniture keep rooms from looking entirely fresh and can be overdone. All rooms also come with double beds, which are two twin beds pushed together. Upgraded rooms have pullout sofa beds in separate living areas, while others have balconies or kitchenettes. Features across the board include flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, safes, and stocked minibars. Upgraded rooms also include free bottles of water and bathrobes. Rooms facing the courtyard are especially quiet. The bathrooms are small and basic in comparison to the rooms, and the tilework -- though brightened by colorful square tile accents -- looks a bit dated. Some have showers and others have shower/tub combos, though toiletries only come out of a wall-mounted pump and towels are thin. Hairdryers and cosmetic mirrors are a nice touch.

The Mercure Hotel & Residenz Berlin Checkpoint Charlie has a small wellness area that includes a fitness room and a sauna, both open 24 hours. The fitness room -- which is quite small among Accor's properties -- only has two machines, an elliptical and a treadmill, and one yoga mat. Guests can also receive free massages on certain evening and bike rentals are available through reception. The hotel also has limited dining options, including limited room service, a breakfast buffet (not included in room rates), and Checkpoint Bar, which serves drinks and snacks, has multiple indoor seating areas, and outdoor seating in the courtyard. Lastly, the hotel offers a business corner with two computers and a printer for guests to use. Wi-Fi is free. Indoor and outdoor parking are available with fees. Pets are allowed, but also subject to fees.