We will be staying in Berlin on 25 October 2013 for four days. Which is the best area (we are on foot) to be in? We want to see as many sites as we can. We are looking at VRBOs and hotels. Thanks everyone, you are all a big help!!
I second the recommendation for Pension Peters, it was recommended to me on this site (by Ken!). I really enjoyed my stay there, inexpensive, very quiet and a good breakfast. They accomodated my gluten free diet and ensured I had a sandwich to take with me on my last day (I did tip the lady tending to the breakfast room though, but only 5Euro). It was easy to get onto the train (close to 2 different stops). I did take 2 walking tours, I am sorry I cannot remember the name of the company, one out to the Palace, and another to the Jewish area. We used public transportation and you met them in front of the train station that was within walking distance of the hotel (perhaps it is the company Ken is recommending to you). I really enjoyed Berlin. It was so easy to use the public transportation. Great meals for affordable prices. At Pension Peters, they recommended great spots to eat and there was a pizza place right next door, so when my feet were tired from walking, I could have a nice (gluten free) pizza. It was a little hole in the wall restaurant, but good food. There was lots of construction going on near the Museum Island area, but the train lines were unaffected. Have a great trip. I was there for 6 days and could have stayed a few days longer.
Alfred, I would highly recommend Pension Peters, which is about half way between Bahnhof Zoo and Savigny Platz stations so access to transportation is very convenient. The room I had was clean and modern, and the staff were extremely helpful in providing information! I'd recommend booking WELL in advance though, as they're very popular. There are some nice restaurants in that area, and also Schwarze's Cafe which is only a few doors from the hotel (open 24-hours as I recall) and Dicke Wirtin's across the street (good place to get a pint of Guinness and some "pub grub"). The local tours with Original Berlin Walks usually depart from the plaza in front of Bahnhof Zoo. If you're thinking of taking any tours of that kind, it's only a short walk from the hotel. I took several of them (including a trip to Sachsenhausen), and found the Guides to be extremely knowledgeable and they provided an interesting tour. Happy travels!
I'll third Pension Peters.
Pension Peters - great people, great breakfast
A year ago, I stayed in one of the Berlin Habitat apartments. I stayed in the Capri studio near the Rosenthaler Platz u-bahn station. I really enjoyed the neighborhood ... in the former east. I thought this was a great neighborhood to stay in ... lots of shops and cafes and within walking distance of both Hackescher Markt and the Museum Insel. The owner was very easy to do business with and accepts payment by credit card. I'd definitely recommend and I also posted a review on tripadvisor.