Michelberger
WHAT?
Simply put, the Michelberger is effortlessly cool. It’s the epitome of Berlin: open, experimental, youthful, artistic and exciting. Owners Nadine and Tom opened the hotel in 2009 in a former 19th-century industrial building at the heart of bustling Friedrichshain, a stone’s throw from the river Spree. Throughout the hotel, high-end design is blended with local style, think blocky East-Berlin architecture, sleek Italian tiles and handmade glass chandeliers.
While rooms are oh-so-quirky-cool, with big wooden beds, bold industrial lighting and minimalist Danish design, they are just the cherry on the cake. The restaurant’s food is simply divine and the courtyard buzzes with electric energy: Berliners queue for the chance to get a table on Friday for dinner or Sunday for brunch. All ingredients are locally sourced, and dishes rotate depending on the season. And if that wasn’t enough, the Michelberger is perfectly placed for exploring Berlin, whether you want culture, history or dancing, you’ll find it on your doorstep.
WHY?
I fell in love because...
- Owners Nadine and Tom, as well as all the staff, love this place and go above and beyond to ensure you leave feeling the same
- This is so much more than a hotel: they have their own coconut water brand, run a ridiculously good restaurant, and host live music events
You must...
- Check out the hotel’s weekly farmer’s market: there is a lot of great produce from local Berlin brands on offer
- Curl up in the courtyard with a glass of something from the wine bar, and enjoy the music being played by one of the regular DJs
You might dislike...
- The hotel is on a main road and it can sometimes get noisy in the front-facing rooms
- As the building is listed, there’s no air conditioning (but fans are provided in every room)
WHO?
Introducing Nadine and Tom!
“We wanted to create a destination, somewhere that was simultaneously cosy and cool, somewhere that would benefit both guests and locals, and somewhere that would go far beyond merely providing visitors a place to lay their heads.”
They love…
“The people here! Both the guests and our team! It’s such a beautifully diverse group who all add to the place. Plus both the availability of great food and our central location in Berlin are huge pluses!”
Nadine and Tom’s insider tips
- Maybachufer, the section of the canal that runs through the nearby neighbourhood of Kreuzberg, boasts so many amazing cafes, bars and restaurants. You have to take a stroll by the water, stopping regularly for refreshment
- Take in a film at Kino International, a gorgeous old movie theatre
- The East Side Gallery is a cultural highlight in Berlin, and it’s just a stone's throw away
- Hire one of the hotel’s bikes and ride up Frankfurter Allee, the grand Boulevard of East Berlin, dotted with some architectural gems! Afterwards, explore the small boutiques in the Friedrichshain neighbourhood
Michelberger
"Wonderful hotel, wonderful staff! Hotel is absolutely whimsical, and I had a great time during my stay. Definitely try to stay at the “Hideout” room, which includes a full size dry sauna right in the room."
THE
ESSENTIALS
- Sleeping arrangements: There are 132 rooms that fall into 7 different categories for different tastes and different budgets. I love the Loft rooms, which feel very Berlin thanks to their wooden mezzanines. Each category has its own personality and exudes a sense of cool luxury, plus Hideouts have saunas! Beds are mostly kings, but some can be twinned on request.
- Bathroom set up: All rooms have showers, while the Luxus and Hideout rooms also have bathtubs.
- Food: There’s a great onsite restaurant, which serves an organic breakfast, lunch and dinner to guests and Berliners alike, with ingredients all coming from their own farm and local producers. The only guest rooms with kitchen facilities are the Hideouts, which have a small induction cooktop, fridge, kettle and basic cooking utensils.
- For families: There are special family rooms that have 4-5 single beds. Cots and high chairs are available to borrow, and there’s a table tennis table in the courtyard, too.
- On-site equipment: All rooms have Dr. Bronner's soaps, and Overlook, Luxus and Hideout categories come with bathrobes, slippers, yoga mats and meditation pillows.
- Optional extras: You can hire one of the hotel’s Rackete bikes to explore with. On-site parking costs €10 per day.
- Help: The reception is open 24/7 and there’s always a friendly face to help out.
- Remember to pack: Clothes for yoga! There are free classes for guests.
- Pets: Bring you doggy! Let the hotel know in advance, and you can get a dog kit which includes a bed and dog treats.
- Sustainability: The Michelberger has implemented lots of sustainable measures, including using recycled toilet paper, stocking socially and environmentally ethical soap, and buying mattresses made from Asian eucalyptus wood produced using sustainable forestry (these are also biodegradable). Cotton rugs are made with unused material from the fashion industry, linen napkins and cushion covers are sustainably produced, and cleaning products are all eco-friendly.
WHERE?
The Michelberger Hotel is located in Friedrichshain, Berlin, a stone’s throw from the Spree and famous East Side Gallery.
You can easily drive, and there’s on-site parking (extra cost).
The closest station is Warschauer Straße, easily accessible from Berlin’s central station.
