City West / Zoo

25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin

★★★★★

The 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin is one of the most entertaining places to stay in Berlin, and a perfect base for the elegant western centre around the Kurfuerstendamm. It occupies the upper floors of the Bikini House, a 1950s landmark of West Berlin modernism built by the architects Paul Schwebes and Hans Schoszberger, whose open middle floor once gave it the look of a two-piece swimsuit and its nickname. After a major revitalisation, the building reopened with a concept mall on the lower floors, and the hotel opened in January 2014, with interiors by the Berlin designer Werner Aisslinger and his studio, refreshed in 2025. The theme is the urban jungle: the hotel sits between the Berlin Zoo and the city, and its 149 rooms on floors four to nine are divided into Urban rooms, facing the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and the city, and Jungle rooms, looking straight into the Zoo, with views over the ape house and the elephant enclosure. Rooms come in medium, large and extra-large sizes, with natural materials, plants, hammocks in some categories and a relaxed, playful style, and the large rooms include Schindelhauer bicycles for guests to explore the city. On the tenth floor, NENI serves eclectic East Mediterranean food at long tables under a greenhouse-like roof, with 120 seats and views over the Zoo and the city, and the Monkey Bar, with its fireside corner and rooftop terrace, is one of the most popular bars in west Berlin, busy with locals and visitors in the evenings. On the third floor, the Nomad Day Bar is a daytime cafe and co-working space that turns into a wine bar in the evening. The Jungle Sauna on the ninth floor has a dry sauna and rest area overlooking the ape house. Guests can also use an electric car free during their stay. Prices start in the mid-range and rise with room size and view.

Choosing a room: the Jungle rooms are the reason to stay, especially for families and animal lovers, and the extra-large rooms are spacious enough for longer stays. Urban rooms have city views, including the bombed spire of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, and are often a little cheaper. Room sizes start compact, so if you are travelling with lots of luggage or for a long stay, upgrade to a large room. The design is fun and comfortable rather than luxurious, with good beds, rain showers and thoughtful details.

Eating and drinking: NENI is a good choice for a lively shared dinner, and the Monkey Bar is busy, so go early in the evening to get a seat on the terrace, especially on summer weekends, and expect a queue at peak times; hotel guests have the advantage of being in the building. The views from the tenth floor over the Zoo and the city are part of every visit to NENI or the Monkey Bar.

Location: the hotel is on Budapester Strasse, 200 metres from Zoologischer Garten station, a major hub for S-Bahn, U-Bahn and regional trains and the airport express buses. The Tiergarten park begins right next door, the Zoo and Aquarium are opposite, and the Kurfuerstendamm, KaDeWe department store and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church are a few minutes on foot. Mitte and Museum Island are about twenty minutes away by S-Bahn. The main downside is that City West is quieter in the evenings than the eastern districts, but the Monkey Bar ensures there is always something happening in the building.