Radisson Blu Hotel, Berlin

Berlin's Radisson Blu Hotel makes a dazzling first impression. The hotel's entryway leads through an area with
armchairs and a few seating options, and then opens up into a soaring atrium-style lobby
where the large blue AquaDom is mounted in the center. A spectacular focal point, the AquaDom is the largest cylindrical aquarium in the world and has a glass elevator running up the center of the tank, offering interior views of the fish inside, for a fee. Other glass
elevators operate on either side of the lobby -- these are available to guests at no charge. The front desk is to the right side of
the lobby and the Atrium Bar curves around the bottom of the aquarium. Numerous white tables and chairs are set around the lobby, with wavy charcoal rugs and a large glass wall rounding out the contemporary style. The HEat Restaurant, featuring wood-burning fireplaces and chic wooden accents, and the meeting rooms on the first floor
can be reached from the lobby. Couples are frequent guests at this hotel, and many can be seen using the wellness amenities or hanging by the bar. However, business travelers are second to couples due to the immense variety of meeting rooms and business services. Outside visitors also come to see the AquaDom, which makes the lobby an active, but spacious place.

The Radisson Blu is centrally located on the Spreekanal (Spree River), across a short bridge from the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral). It sits on the bank of the river in the Mitte neighborhood, and is surrounded by restaurants, shops, and a large, covered pedestrian-only thoroughfare with cafe tables. The hotel is about an eight-minute walk to Museum Island (and its many museums), and a 25-minute walk to attractions along Unter den Linden boulevard, like Brandenburg Gate. To explore the rest of the
city by U-Bahn or S-Bahn trains (Berlin's metro), guests can walk nine minutes to the Hackescher Markt station or 11 minutes to the Alexanderplatz station. There's also a tram and bus stop about two minutes away. 

There are four types of rooms at the Radisson Blu Berlin
hotel. Standard Rooms have a warm color scheme with brown headboards, white
desks and bedding, and reddish-orange chairs. In keeping with the lobby's main attraction, water-themed art pieces adorn the walls. Other rooms have a similar style, and the Junior Suites
have separate lounge areas with orange couches, while the Nikolai Suite has a
table that seats up to eight with orange chairs, a kitchenette, and a living
room with a built-in aquarium. The amenities are plentiful in each room: a
Nespresso coffeemaker, tea kettle, stocked minibar, and an iron and ironing
board. All rooms come with flat-screen
TVs, though the Junior Suites have two each. The Business Class Rooms each come with
free breakfast buffet, turndown service, a free bottle of water, and bathrobes and slippers. The bathrooms are quite spacious with large vessel sinks, though Standard Room bathrooms have little counter space. Toilets are in separate closets from the shower/tub combos. Suite bathrooms all have two
sinks and separate showers and tubs, while the Nikolai Suite has a jetted bath
and two bathrooms. One of the best features of the rooms are the view
options. Guests can request views of the Spree Canal and the Berlin Cathedral
Church or interior views of the AquaDom. Some rooms even have balconies. 

The Radisson Blu Berlin hotel has a variety of on-site
amenities. The hotel's wellness area includes a pool which has a few lounge chairs surrounding
it. There's also a 24-hour fitness center with exercise machines, free weights,
and a couple of flat-screen TVs, though it is quite small for a hotel of this
size. There's also an on-site Bio or Finnish Sauna which has foot baths, steam
baths, and showers. The hotel caters to its business
travelers with 15 meeting rooms that have great views of the city. DomLounge is the most striking meeting room, split between two levels and offering panoramic views of Berlin. Some of the meeting
rooms have Apple AirPlay technology that allows guests control of lighting, sound, window shades, TV, and presentations with an iPad. Additionally,
the hotel has an business center with a couple of computers and a printer available for guests' use. There are a variety of on-site dining options at the
hotel beyond 24-hour room service. There’s a breakfast buffet that has a
wide selection of food, though it is quite costly. For early risers, there's a free Grab & Run breakfast bag served early in the lobby that includes coffee, tea, water, milk, seasonal
fruits, and muesli bars. The hotel also has an on-site restaurant, HEat, which
has indoor and outdoor dining by the canal and serves a variety of meals beyond
German cuisine. The Atrium Bar, located next to the AquaDom
in the lobby, serves alcohol, coffee, and tea and has pastries during the
day.Parking is available for a fee, and dogs are allowed at the hotel, for an additional fee.