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Top 10: the best five-star hotels in Berlin

Hotel Zoo Berlin mixes top-notch style with splashes of pre-war nostalgia, with savvy aesthetic positioning that lands precisely between glam and bling - JAKOBHOFF.COM
Hotel Zoo Berlin mixes top-notch style with splashes of pre-war nostalgia, with savvy aesthetic positioning that lands precisely between glam and bling - JAKOBHOFF.COM

An insider's guide to the best five-star hotels in Berlin, including the top places to stay for sumptuous bedrooms, Michelin-starred restaurants, seductive bars, historic architecture, rooftop spas with pools and central locations, near Potsdamer Platz, Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Zoo and Bebelplatz.

Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin
Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin

Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin

Berlin, Germany

9Telegraph expert rating

This is Berlin’s most glamorous hotel address and has hosted an array of royals and luminaries throughout its history, including Michael Jackson, Albert Einstein and Her Majesty the Queen. Bombed to bits during the Second World War, the hotel now carries a nostalgic, Old Europe atmosphere throughout, from the dramatic elephant fountain and piano in the lobby, to the décor. Overlooking the Brandenburg Gate, the hotel's prestigious location is matched by flawless service. The main highlight of the hotel is the spa with a heated pool, whirlpool tub, hair salon and treatments that range from underwater massages to professional yoga lessons. Don't miss the two-Michelin-starred Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer, helmed by Hendrik Otto. Read expert review From £223per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

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Hotel de Rome

Berlin, Germany

8Telegraph expert rating

This is a perfect sight-seeing base for exploring Berlin, smack-bang in the middle of Bebelplatz. The hotel occupies the site of a former Dresdner Bank building, which was built in 1889. The architects have retained many original features, especially in the spa, which is located downstairs where the bank vaults used to be. La Banca restaurant is an elegant space – formal yet comfortable – with a pleasant terrace for alfresco dining in the summer. La Banca Bar does some of the finest cocktails in town and has regular live music. In warmer weather try the wonderful rooftop terrace, which offers majestic views across the city. Read expert review From £251per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

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Das Stue Hotel

Berlin, Germany

9Telegraph expert rating

This five-star design hotel in central Berlin offers the perfect mix of sophistication, a great location and Michelin-starred cuisine. Inside, period charm is matched with funky interiors, and there’s a Susanne Kaufmann spa. The classically curved main building was constructed in 1938 and once housed the Danish Embassy. The grand lobby features eye-popping artworks and a gorgeous restored staircase, and leads through to the hotel’s lounge, bar, restaurants and garden terrace. Interior features range from colourful sofas and animal sculptures in the lounge to the more neutral, distinguished tones of the Casual Restaurant, and a cosy outdoor dining terrace that rather cutely abuts the Ostrich enclosure of the neighbouring zoo. Read expert review From £184per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

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Grand Hyatt, Berlin, Germany
Grand Hyatt, Berlin, Germany

Grand Hyatt Berlin

Berlin, Germany

8Telegraph expert rating

Service is as impeccable as you would expect from such a large and established hotel brand, with a dedicated reception and concierge staff available around the clock. The Club Olympus Spa & Fitness up on the top floor has a pool, gym, beauty treatment rooms and wonderful views of Potsdamer Platz. The abundant paintings and sculptures (Günther Förg, Monika Baer, John Armleder, to name a few) scattered around the public areas and dynamic interior design by New York’s Tony Chi and Swiss designer Hannes Wettstein give the hotel plenty of contemporary visual appeal. Rooms are decorated in a kind of Japan-meets-Bauhaus style, with Feng Shui layouts, contemporary art, and cherrywood furnishings matched to features like solid marble bathtubs. Read expert review From £133per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

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Hotel Am Steinplatz, Berlin, Germany
Hotel Am Steinplatz, Berlin, Germany

Hotel am Steinplatz

Berlin, Germany

9Telegraph expert rating

This historic hotel, once the haunt of celebrities such as Vladimir Nabokov and Brigitte Bardot, is a beautiful Art Nouveau structure with high-end service, a discreet but central location, an excellent restaurant and bar, and a lovely spa. The Moorish arches and maze-like public areas of the original interior have remained intelligently intact. The gorgeous renovations have juxtaposed aristocratic touches like a marble-encased fire hearth and grand piano with modern elements such as the black and white historic videos screened in the corridors, contemporary artworks and 21st-century technology throughout. The hotel has pretty much everything from an airy rooftop health club and spa to an excellent bar and restaurant, a lobby with fireplace and a leafy inner courtyard. Read expert review From £122per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

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The Mandala Hotel, Berlin, Germany
The Mandala Hotel, Berlin, Germany

The Mandala Hotel

Berlin, Germany

9Telegraph expert rating

This graceful five-star hotel offers exclusive apartment-style suites, an innovative top-floor spa and Michelin-starred dining right on Potsdamer Platz. From the soothing, sand-coloured tones of the public areas and rooms to the burbling fountains in the restaurant and spa, and the staff’s crisp but unhurried professionalism, the Mandala has been designed throughout as a thoughtful and calming experience. All the furnishings, artworks and mini-libraries have been hand picked. As well as two restaurants, the hotel has a bar, a fitness studio that’s open around the clock and the somewhat unique ONO Spa. The spa is known for its progressive light-synchronised and infrared-based detoxes and therapies as well as a full range of traditional and beauty treatments. Read expert review From £122per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

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The Westin Grand, Berlin, Germany
The Westin Grand, Berlin, Germany

The Westin Grand Berlin

Berlin, Germany

9Telegraph expert rating

The Westin Grand offers old-style comforts, elegant services and an ensemble of fine dining and drinking options — not to mention an expansive spa and lovely winter garden. Service is professional to a fault, with a butler and limousine on request, special dog treatments and room service around the clock. The Westin Spa & Fitness Lounge features a large indoor pool, whirlpool tub, beauty room and fitness centre, and on the second floor there’s a pleasant garden with fountains and pavilions. Rooms are classic-contemporary: think tasteful, muted colour schemes mixed with upscale mod cons. Splurge for the Grand Spa Suite, which comes with a separate bedroom and living room, as well as sauna, whirlpool tub and the inevitable stunning view over Berlin. Read expert review From £125per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

• The best hotels in Berlin

Hotel Zoo Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Hotel Zoo Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Hotel Zoo Berlin

Berlin, Germany

9Telegraph expert rating

Hotel Zoo Berlin mixes top-notch style with splashes of pre-war nostalgia, and, thanks to some savvy aesthetic positioning that lands precisely between glam and bling, is amenable to everyone from young clubbers and couples to middle-aged families. The original Hotel Zoo, which opened in 1911, was the official VIP hotel to the Berlin International Film Festival and a magnet for the rich and famous (Romy Schneider and Sophia Loren included). The adjacent lounge area, the Living Room, is the size of a small nightclub and is filled imaginatively and elegantly with large-scale paintings and mirrors, opulent carpets and Tom Dixon wing chairs. Rooms are sumptuously appointed with tasteful fashion photographs and immensely comfortable beds. Read expert review From £138per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

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Waldorf Astoria Berlin, Germany
Waldorf Astoria Berlin, Germany

Waldorf Astoria Berlin

Berlin, Germany

9Telegraph expert rating

A classic Berlin hotel in the city’s upmarket City West district with a convenient location and excellent service. It houses the first – and only – Guerlain Spa in Germany; a ‘beauty universe’ with eight therapy rooms, a pool shaped like a cloud, sauna, steam room and Vichy shower. Elegant and sophisticated, the interiors form a blend of classic and modern touches, from the grand spiral staircase and marble floors to the signature Peacock Alley lounge. The giant metal gate in the lobby pays homage to the towering facade of the flagship Waldorf Astoria New York. Read expert review From £163per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

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The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin
The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin

The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin

Berlin, Germany

9Telegraph expert rating

This sumptuous five-star hotel on Potsdamer Platz has plush, well-equipped rooms, a fantastic French-themed brasserie, two elegant bars and an expansive spa. It is located on bustling Potsdamer Platz and is excellently placed for shopping, museums, nightlife and key attractions like the Holocaust Memorial and the Brandenburg Gate, both of which are in easy walking distance. Interiors are classic Old Europe, with baroque chandeliers, marble staircases and Art Deco furnishings lending an aura of monied refinement throughout. Things run exceptionally smoothly here, thanks to the well-groomed, professionally-trained staff. There’s a very comprehensive wellness area in the basement and also a Club lounge on the 10th and 11th floors for guests seeking more privacy. Read expert review From £141per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com