Best Kid-Friendly Hotels in Berlin

The Ritz-Carlton brand is known for its great kid-friendly amenities, and this hotel in no different. The luxurious property offers a comprehensive kid’s program that includes a welcome gift, babysitting services, an in-room safety program (power outlet and edge protections, drawer locking), and children’s menu. There are also baby tubs and heating equipment for baby bottles available. For adults, the hotel offers elegant rooms with modern amenities, a large spa, indoor pool, sauna and fitness center. There are also several dining options and 24-hour room service.

This luxury property is a popular choice for large conferences, but it has a few solid amenities geared toward families, such as free welcome gifts for kids, babysitting services, and a Sunday brunch menu for kids. The hotel’s convenient location in central Berlin, overlooking the Zoological Gardens and a short walk from the famous Tiergarten, is great for families who want to be close to the sights and to kid-friendly attractions. For parents, the InterContinental has all of the amenities you'd expect from a big, upscale chain: an extensive spa, indoor pool, fitness center, and two restaurants (including one with a Michelin star).

The upper-middle-range Hotel Novotel Berlin Mitte, centrally located on Spree Island, is within walking distance of Museum Island and Gendamenmarkt. This 238-room chain hotel is especially family-friendly -- children 16 and younger stay for free and also get free breakfast, a video game room, indoor and outdoor play areas, and a library. Guest rooms have a modern, gray-toned color palette with splashes of bright blue or red textiles, and come with flat-screen TVs, minibars, large work desks, and free basic Wi-Fi. (Superior Rooms offer free minibars, free premium Wi-Fi, and tea/coffeemakers.) A small on-site fitness center with a sauna are available to guests at no extra charge, and the on-site restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine and offers outdoor terrace seating.

Located near a popular square with a variety of entertainment, dining, and shopping options, Scandic Berlin Potsdamer Platz is an upscale, chain hotel with 564 modern rooms. The hotel offers the staples of the Scandic chain including a 24-hour snack and coffee area, a fitness center, and children’s play area. A breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet is available for a fee, and the hotel has a modern, funky bar area with an à la carte menu. The hotel pays extra attention to sustainability, including an air-conditioning system that some guests may find to be inadequate.

The Hollywood Media Hotel is a quirky, film-themed property right on Ku'Damm, a central shopping strip in Charlottenburg. Film posters, paintings, and statues cover the lobby, hallways, and elevators. While each of the 182 rooms is named after a different filmmaker or movie star, the decor is surprisingly simple and on the verge of bland. But the plain, slightly old-fashioned rooms are big in size, and can accommodate families; the Family Rooms, in particular, are convenient, with two bedrooms (one with two twin beds). Hotel perks include a breakfast buffet, small fitness center with sauna, and on-site restaurants. With a convenient location in the heart of Charlottenburg, this hotel is a good, quirky pick owned by a German film director.

Made up of 11 apartments of various sizes in an historic building, Brilliant Apartments offers a cozy and homey place to stay in the trendy and picturesque Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin. The area is central, but fairly quiet, too, with lots of restaurants and shops within walking distance, and all major sights within a quick metro ride. There's a great cafe, Krone, on the first floor, which serves breakfast for a fee. The apartments are spacious and tastefully decorated, with separate kitchens, sitting areas, and dining areas.

Hotel Berliner Hof is a basic, no-frills hotel near Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The 76-room property occupies part of a larger commercial building, and its simple, big rooms are clean and offer great light. One unique feature here is the availability of family rooms that can sleep up to five people. Also, kids under 16 stay for free and get free breakfast when accompanied by a paying adult.

The mid-range Hampton by Hilton Berlin City West is located in east Charlottenburg, near transport and great shopping along Ku'Damm. Rooms are clean, comfortable, and contemporary -- if slightly generic -- with flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi. Perks include free hot breakfast, a 24-hour bar, small but modern fitness center, and inexpensive bike rentals. Some rooms havebalconies and all have electric kettles and bright, new bathrooms. While this is a great pick for value (and for the helpful concierge desk) there is a railway track on one side of the hotel that causes a lot of noise