25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin

Jacob K★★★★★★★★★★4.02 months ago

Two rainy days at 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin gave us more time there than expected, and the hotel is a mixed experience. It tries very hard to be quirky, witty and “special,” but often feels like corporate hipness pretending to be personal. The jokey messages and playful touches are overdone, as if the place assumes every guest wants to be treated like an 18-year-old discovering irony for the first time. That is a pity, because the hotel really does not need to try so hard. The real strength is the location. It sits in the historic Bikini Berlin ensemble, a 1950s West Berlin landmark whose nickname came from its open middle section, like a “bikini” showing midriff. You are right by the zoo, Tiergarten, Zoo Palast, C/O Berlin at Amerika Haus, the Helmut Newton Foundation and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church with its famous ruined tower and the modern additions locals nicknamed the “lipstick and powder box.” The rooms are genuinely comfortable. The bed was great, we slept very well, and some design ideas are actually smart: the wide window ledges work as chill-out spots, the central sink with a double-sided mirror is practical for two people, and even the odd shower layout works. These low-key ideas are much better than the hotel’s louder attempts at being funny. Reception on the 3rd floor feels spacious, but the lounge/bar area has a strange “adult kindergarten” vibe, like a WeWork version of cool. Upstairs is the best part: NENI and Monkey Bar. NENI was excellent - spacious, lively, with genuinely very good food. Try the Balagan-style sharing dishes, especially the salmon and moussaka. Monkey Bar gets its name from the view over the zoo’s monkey area, which is a nice bit of local trivia. The weak point is the staff. Too many seemed disoriented, late and oddly unprofessional. So overall: a comfy and well-located hotel that keeps getting in its own way by trying too hard to manufacture personality.

Carissa Vicky★★★★★★★★★★4.03 months ago

I would say: a unique experience. I’ve never stay in a hotel like this before and it was my first time staying at the 25Hours chain. Hallway to our room is an interestingly, a hypnotic experience. It is very dark hallway with only room number in neons lights as a guide. The room itself, while the space is quite big compared to some other hotels I’ve stayed in before. It was dark. Lights are very minimal. I guess, it’s a room made for sleeping. Also it is an open layout, there is no wall between the bed and bathroom - which again a unique experience for me. The divider between the two is a curtain. The lobby is connected to the mall beside the hotel through its rooftop part, so I would say location is pretty good. It is easy to get around and look for food nearby. The experience of sauna overlooking the zoo during fall is a peaceful one. I enjoy that thoroughly. Front desk staffs are very nice and helpful, so are the people working in the cafe. I think the barista felt bad about their service and told us that our coffee is on the house due to the fact that they were short on staffs, took them a long time to serve + no spoons. I was just happy to get my coffee after a long day of traveling. Overall, great experience.

Mark Kennedy★★★★★★★★★★3.0a month ago

Slightly weird modern hotel with nice room with good view across (an empty) zoo. We were on the 7th floor and it was impossible to sleep until early morning due to the music from the top floor bar. Last night they finally turned it down at 02.00am

Jen★★★★★★★★★★2.06 months ago

the hotel is generally nice and well located. but we‘ve made a few very negative experiences. First, check-in was at 3 we arrived at 3.30 p.m and the room wasn‘t ready - but another 10 minutes and the room was ready. Next we booked the jungle room with jungle view. The room is very nice with the library but there is no view at all - we just see the roof. And we‘re at the edge (last room of the row) so every time the cleaning stuff uses their room we hear everything - so no calm mornings. As we wanted to change our room, the receptionist said that there are no other jungle room available for one more night. And he didn’t even offer us a solution/ or a sorry-offer. But he offered us to book a downgrade room (for the same price)😅. We are truly disappointed and wouldn‘t book it again.

Patrice Blanchot★★★★★★★★★★5.08 months ago

Great hotel, funky and almost bougie! I absolutely loved the design and the view. The staff were amazing: professional, friendly, and welcoming. The breakfast was excellent too. Definitely a hotel I’d recommend!