2022.12 German Christmas Markets (Part 5)

2022.12 German Christmas Markets (Part 5) – Hampton by Hilton Berlin City West

The only thing to make a six hour drive under grey and overcast skies enjoyable, is to be able to do while reaching speeds up to and over 200 km/h. When presented with the opportunity on Germany’s Autobahns, a lead foot is a must-have. After a full day of driving, we arrived at our hotel in the west-end of Berlin. Located just west of Zoo Station, we were happy to return to this hotel.

Location

This hotel is not located centrally however it’s proximity to transit and neighbourhood made it our preference when we’ve visited Berlin. This would be our third visit staying at this hotel. Both of us find its proximity to high-energy and calming activities a proper mix. Some days, it’s great to head with the crowds to sights, just as it is appealing to have a leisurely lunch at a local restaurant without any set schedule for the day. In both situations, both are not far away from the hotel.

Located on Uhlandstrasse, it is next to the elevated train tracks heavily used by the local S-bahn trains, as well as IC and ICE trains heading towards Berlin central station. By foot, this hotel is close to lots of transit options — two S-bahn stops (Savignplatz & Zoo Station), two U-bahn stations (Zoo Station & Uhlandstrasse), along with multiple bus stops.

Parking is available on-street, if you wish to navigate the parking regulations. There is a nearby public parking garage (complete with a 1960s Ford Mustang) or the hotel’s parking garage. Be warned! It’s tiny, so space might not be guaranteed, and you’ll certainly need your parking skills as the garage leaves hardly any extra maneuvering space.

Other things that are nearby to this hotel, is the shopping area along Kufuerstendamm street. This street has many large stores including the iconic KaDeWe department store. The nearby station is labelled Zoo, because Frankfurt’s city Zoo is just opposite the station’s many bus platforms. The zoo (we visited it several years ago) does an excellent job managing the many animals into a fairly small space in the city. For residents, it’s a potential selling feature as some apartments would have a view to many parts of the zoo from their windows.

Room

We arrived in the evening and there was nobody else waiting to check-in. We were checked-in without issue. To the right of the check-in desk it immediately blends into a bar offering drinks, and a few packaged snacks for purchase. Across from the was some seating that faced Uhlandstrasse. (From the blurry picture below, through the window you can see the railway bridge spanning the street)

Hampton rooms are typically the same, with this being no exception. We unpacked so quickly I didn’t get any pictures of the room. Our room faced Uhlandstrasse. Other rooms will face the courtyard, or the train tracks. I’ve mentioned the railroad tracks because the noise from passing trains has been sufficiently dampen, and only if you open a window or door to the outside will you notice the noise.

The bed was just as rigid as the one in Frankfurt. She was happy we were only staying a few days before moving onto the next hotel.

Breakfast Buffet

The breakfast area is a large open area behind the check-in desk, elevators and interior staircase. The items available are a solid selection and provided us with plenty to fuel our day.

There is an interior courtyard that is available for guests to use, however I do not think anybody was using it during our visit.

In the picture above there is an overflow breakfast area in one of the meeting rooms, the area outside is the alleyway that connects the parking garage to the road.

There are several hot food options, including Currywurst, for those who want something different from eggs and bacon.

Being a Hampton, there were waffle irons, if you wanted to make your own. In addition, the buffet had a selection of bread, buns, cheese, cold cuts, vegetables, and cereals: