Holiday Inn Berlin City West By Ihg

I booked this hotel for a business trip and paid the full amount in advance directly to the hotel, without using any booking platform. From the moment we arrived, the experience was extremely frustrating. The hotel could not find our reservation for three rooms, could not initially find our payment, and did not have our names — which, remarkably, had never even been requested. The booking was apparently registered under a fictitious contact name that had nothing to do with us. We spent around half an hour at reception trying to understand what had happened. Since we had business appointments, we eventually had to leave our luggage there and go. What made the situation worse was the attitude at reception: instead of trying to reassure us or take responsibility for the confusion, we were made to feel as if we were the ones causing the problem. When we returned later, after further “checks” with the administration department, the same issues started again. They could see the company name and the deposit, but not the final payment. Only after we provided our own bank documentation were they finally able to confirm that the balance had in fact been paid. The next day, all three of our room key cards had been deactivated because they had apparently been limited to 24 hours. Once again, none of us could access our rooms and we had to return to reception to have the issue corrected. The following morning, I was stopped in the breakfast room because something was still supposedly wrong with our booking. Eventually, I was allowed to continue. At the third day, yet another problem appeared: breakfast was shown as unpaid. In the end, we discovered that the hotel had simply failed to charge it properly, despite the fact that we had eaten breakfast there for two days. To make matters worse, on our final day none of our three rooms was serviced at all. There is also misleading information on the hotel website. It advertises a “Fitness Center”, but when you click on it, the description refers instead to an “Offsite aerobics instructor”. This is clearly not the same thing and gives a misleading impression of the facilities actually available at the hotel. For a business trip, this level of disorganisation is unacceptable. We lost time repeatedly dealing with administrative errors that were entirely outside our control. The staff attitude , sometimes, not welcoming or accommodating, and the whole experience created unnecessary stress during a work trip. The rooms themselves are basic but comfortable. Unfortunately, this is overshadowed by the poor organisation, inconsistent service and handling of guests. I would not recommend this hotel for business travel, especially if you need reliability, accurate information about the facilities and efficient service.

Initially, I was very satisfied and gave five stars, but my experience over the last six months and across more than 18 nights has steadily declined. Service quality has deteriorated significantly. During my last stay, the sauna was turned off at 9:30 PM, and the front desk unhelpfully told me it was closed because it takes 20 minutes to heat up, ignoring that 20 minutes remained until closing. Additionally, my room was not cleaned despite the tag, and I frequently encountered slow elevators and stuck parking barriers. This lack of professionalism is leading me to switch hotel chains and loyalty programs.

I stayed at this hotel while passing through Berlin on my way to visit friends in northern Germany, and I had a very positive experience. The staff was exceptionally kind, welcoming, and helpful throughout my stay. They assisted me with currency exchange and were also gracious enough to accommodate an early check-in following my flight from the United States. After a long international journey and the significant time difference, being able to check in early and get some much-needed rest was greatly appreciated. The hotel itself was clean, comfortable, and well maintained. I found the accommodations relaxing and had everything I needed for a pleasant stay. I also had the opportunity to enjoy the food, which was delicious and very reasonably priced. Overall, I was extremely pleased with both the hospitality and the quality of my stay. The kindness of the staff especially stood out and made my arrival in Germany much easier after a long flight. I would gladly stay here again whenever I fly into Berlin and would certainly recommend it to other travelers.

Facilities are sufficient but old - rust is observed everywhere in the bathroom and the sprinkler has a sharp noise when in use. Food - moderate quality. No daily cleaning service - it's the only hotel I stayed in Deutschland without cleaning service. Several restaurants are within walking distance and the traffic is convenient.