Living Hotel Weißensee by Derag

Derag Livinghotel Weißensee occupies a building with a five-story glass facade flanked by red brick wings accented with white, half-moon balconies. The hotel makes use of the glass facade for a bright, high-ceiling lobby that is bracketed by exposed brick walls. On one side of the lobby is a green marbled desk where receptionists in jackets check guests in. On the other side, there’s a playful Havana-style bar in green and gold, with pleather stools and a palm tree accent. In between, pleather club chairs in orange or taupe are collected into sitting areas. The bar is, perhaps, the hotel’s liveliest feature. Elsewhere, it’s pleasant enough, but can stray toward the flavorless, with dated decor throughout. Still, with spacious rooms and conference facilities, it’s an ideal spot for business guests.

This hotel is situated on a quiet, mainly residential street in Pankow’s Weißensee area, a Berlin neighborhood that’s outside the city’s pulsing center and less than ideal for sightseers. A bus stops right outside the hotel, but connections are usually required to get to city sights, and the closest tram stop is about a 10-minute walk. The tram does offer a fairly direct route to Alexanderplatz, though, taking about 25 minutes (with the walk included). But the majority of Berlin sights, like Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, and Potsdamerplatz, are a bit farther, about 40 to 50 minutes via public transit. Berlin Central Station is about 40 minutes, Tegal Airport 50 minutes, and Berlin-Schönefeld Airport an hour. Parking is offered onsite for an extra fee. 

Guest rooms are, above all, spacious and generously equipped. Every room includes a furnished balcony or terrace and a kitchenette. Even the smallest entry-level single room is quite spacious, each featuring a sitting area with a couch and chair and a desk. Decor is a little mundane and vaguely dated -- think red wall-to-wall carpeting, generic blue upholstery, dark wood furniture -- but everything is well maintained and clean. The framed artwork on the walls offers a little splash of color, and it's a nice step above the generic stuff usually found in standard value hotels. Hotel rooms are air-conditioned -- not a given for Berlin hotels, even at this pearl level. Rooms are decked out with flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, trouser presses, safes, and minibars with four free drinks (two beers, two waters per day). But the real boon are the kitchenettes, available in every room and equipped with sinks, burners, electric kettles, microwaves, and dishes. Compared to the rooms themselves, the white-tiled bathrooms can feel a little small, but they feature combo showers/tubs, hairdryers, magnifying mirrors, and toiletries (mostly from dispensers). Rooms have either furnished terraces or balconies. The entry-level Single Business Room is a comfortable 236 square feet -- larger than double rooms at many hotels in Berlin’s central Mitte district -- though Business Double Rooms only add a touch more space. Of the hotel’s 195 rooms, 126 of them are either standard Business Singles or Business Doubles. Guests who choose one of the remaining 69 upgraded rooms will get 400 square feet or more of space. Extra features might include bar areas, sleeper sofas, bidets, and/or dining areas. The Business Suite adds a separate living area, a separate office/meeting room with guest toilet, a sleeper sofa, and a dinette, while the Double Superior Suite features two floors and a whirlpool tub. Connecting rooms are also available.

The hotel may be a bit far from city attractions, but it packs in a decent amount of on-site amenities. A daily breakfast buffet offers a standard spread of hot and cold options, though some guests find the extra fee pricey. The lobby bar is open in the evenings until late, while the on-site restaurant serves dinner six days a week. In the warmer months, a big outdoor terrace lures both diners and drinkers outside. The hotel’s conference facilities are extensive, with 10 meeting rooms that can host up to 250 guests. Wellness facilities include a 24-hour gym -- it feels a bit bland in style, but there are big windows, six cardio machines, and some weight-lifting and aerobics equipment. The hotel also has a spa area with a dry sauna, light therapy room, rainfall showers, and foot baths, though it’s only open in the evenings. Massages can be arranged.Other features on the premises include a self-service laundry room, a 24-hour front desk with concierge services, and room service for breakfast or dinner. Pets are allowed for an extra nightly fee and on-site parking is available for an extra fee.