Wyndham Garden Berlin Mitte

The Wyndham Garden Berlin Mitte is rather nice for a mid-range hotel, but that doesn't mean it's the four-star establishment it paints itself to be. The exterior is a high point -- arched accents, cornice details, a gabled roof with terra-cotta tiling. The inside is spacious but generic with a chain-hotel vibe: patterned wall-to-wall carpeting, light wood furniture and wainscoting, and neutral walls. The courtyard terrace is a high point with wicker seating, a glass roof, and red carpet leading guests to the lobby. Rooms were spacious but decor can be quite dated (though some rooms were being renovated during our visit in late 2016). Travelers should note, as it causes some confusion, that the hotel shares its address and some property features with a sister hotel, the City Hotel Berlin Mitte, which has fewer but more modern rooms. (At times, this second hotel gets overbooked, and guests are shuffled to the Wyndham.) This property is competitively priced, and attracts tourists and travelers who don't mind staying outside of the tourist-center of the city.

While the hotel is technically in Berlin's popular Mitte area, it's on the northern edge of the district, in a largely unremarkable residential neighborhood with few shops or restaurants in walking distance. But the nearest U-Bahn station is less than a 10-minute walk (with tram and S-Bahn stations also in walking distance), and guests can get from the hotel to Alexanderplatz in about 25 minutes riding public transport. Checkpoint Charlie and Brandenburg Gate are both  24-minute ride away. Guests can get to Berlin-Tegel Airport in about 35 minutes via public transit while Berlin Schönefeld Airport is about an hour. 

Rooms are spacious and clean with large windows that let in lots of natural light, but decor is sparse and dated and furniture and carpeting often show wear-and-tear. Most rooms feature a classic chain-hotel look of navy or red wall-to-wall carpeting, white walls, wood laminate furniture, and neutral upholstered furniture. Suites make an attempt at modern decor, but they're big enough to feel almost vacant, plus the pairing of bright green carpeting and white walls reads as stark. Bathrooms are contemporary and roomy with white tiling, and many feature combo showers and tubs. During our visit in late 2016, some rooms were being renovated.

All rooms feature sitting areas, desks, safes, and coffee/tea makers, and free Wi-Fi, and most have flat-screen TVs. Note that not all rooms are air-conditioned. Upgraded rooms may add extra space, minibars, or individual toiletries (rather than the dispensers in standard rooms).

While the Wyndham falls short on location and rooms, it does offer a solid set of features, starting with a pretty nice restaurant that's open for dinner and a daily breakfast buffet -- though this may cost an extra fee. A pleasant lobby bar and lounge area offers drinks (including some beer on tap), coffee, and light fare, plus seating extends onto a roomy outdoor terrace with a glass roof. A nice fitness center has wood floors and modern cardio and weight-lifting equipment. There are also seven meeting and event rooms on-site, though there's no business center. Wi-Fi is free, but some guests complain that it requires logging in again and again. The hotel offers bike rentals and on-site parking, though both cost extra fees. Pets are allowed for an extra fee.