Late Booking for Berlin, Suggestions please?

Price range $150-$200pn, 1 couple.

This place is not in that area, it's near Banhoff Zoo, but was GREAT: http://www.pension-peters-berlin.de/ Rick raves about in his guidebook and on his TV show, and he was spot-on. Typical Rick suggestion; clean, family run, spacious, comfortable and cheery rooms, great group of independent travelers (each, to a person, with their Rick Steves Germany guidebook!), good bfst each AM, etc. It's about a 10 min, very easy and pleasent walk to Banhoff Zoo, so it actually is pretty centraly located. The owners (Annika & Christoph) couldn't be nicer/more accomodating. Good luck w/ the travel planning and have a great time; Berlin's a spectacular and fascinating city.

Do you have a copy of RS Berlin Guide Book yet? If so, great. If not, I would encourage you go get it and read it as it has lots of good information that we used to plan our first trip to Berlin this coming summer.

Agree strongly w/ Charlie. The RS Germany Guidebook is fantastic (as is the case w/ ALL of the RS books!). They're just very practical in how the info is presented. Unlike, say, Fodor's or Frommer's, or the like, which give you ALL of the info on a city and then you have to figure out what to see, Rick's philosophy is to gives you only "the best." At the start of each city's chapter, he always has a section re: how to spend your time, depending on how many days you have. And he then ranks the sights (from those "worth getting up early to skipping bfst for!" to those "worth knowing about," and everything in between.). In a city like Berlin, which is VERY spread out (the sights are sort of all over the place), this is very important, so that you'll maximize your time. Enjoy.

Diane, Where you prefer staying at in Berlin is in Mitte. To the right of Hauptbahnhof is the Meininger Hotel, (yes, it's a chain, but...) on Ella-Treba Straße 9, a large white building, which was highly recommended to me, but I haven't stayed there. The Pension suggested above is in Charlottenburg, the closest S-Bahn station is Savignyplatz. From there to Bahnhof Friedrichstraße to get to the Brandenburg Gate is over 10 mins on the S-Bahn, then another few mins walk to Unter den Linden. If you want something in your price range, the Hilton is located in Mitte, if you want to stay at an American hotel. You're correct...going as far as Alexanderplatz is too far in the east to be close to the sights. I always stay in a Pension in Charlottenburg, several of them in the immediate area, if I don't decide to go for a hostel.

Five plus years ago we stayed at the Westin Grande in Berlin. It was bit pricier than a lot of hotels, but the location was outstanding, and the huge breakfast they provided allowed us to save on noontime meals. It was about a block or two from the Brandenburg Gate , easy walking distance to Unter den Linden, the Reichstag, and the Museen Insel. As a matter of fact, we walked to all the really great places, but a Rundfahrt tour bus gave easy access to other places we wanted to see: Charlottenburg, KuDamm, Checkpoint Charlie (not really worth a stop: We saw female "East German guards" dressed in calf-high fashion boots, manning the checkpoint. But the museum was interesting.) Other modes of transportation were easily accessible. Have great trip. We're going back soon. I hope.

Thanks everyone, checking out your suggestions.

We are booked into the Hilton for under $200pn, includes taxes & service charges. We chose a non Breakfast pkg, and hope to use the pool and amenities for some down time within our stay. As you have said, location is great for enjoying the city and using public transportation. Thanks.

Diana, Great...you're very close to the Französischer Dom and, if you're interested, the chocolate shop at the corner of the U-Bahn station. You're also within walking distance to Friedrichstrasse and Unter den Linden to Pariser Platz and the Brandenburg Gate. You're right where the S-Bahn and U-Bahn network is.