Hauptbahnhof / Europacity

Hotel AMANO Grand Central

★★★★★

Hotel AMANO Grand Central is the hotel to choose if you arrive by train, or if you want a practical, stylish base with quick links to everywhere. It stands on Heidestrasse directly opposite Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the city's great glass central station, where long-distance trains from across Germany and Europe arrive and where the S-Bahn, the U5 underground line and the airport express connections put Mitte, Alexanderplatz and BER airport within easy reach. The area around the station, once railway land beside the Wall, has been transformed in recent years into the Europacity district of new offices, homes and canalside promenades, and the hotel fits right in with its clean, contemporary design. Rooms are arranged by size rather than by fancy names: cosy singles of around fourteen square metres, comfy and comfy plus rooms, roomy and roomy plus rooms of up to thirty-five square metres, and business apartments of around thirty-eight square metres, which are good for longer stays. Some categories offer twin beds. On the ground floor, GAMBINO's by AMANO is an Italian pizzeria that is handy for a relaxed dinner after a long journey, and the adjoining bar is good for a drink. In summer the Grand Central Rooftop Bar opens with views over the station and the government quarter. Breakfast is served every morning, a little later at weekends. The location also has real sightseeing value: the Reichstag, the Chancellery and the Spree riverside are a short walk south, the Hamburger Bahnhof contemporary art museum is around the corner, and the Tiergarten begins just across the river.

Who it suits: travellers arriving or leaving by train, who can be in their room minutes after stepping off the platform; first-time visitors who want a central, well-connected base close to the Reichstag; couples on a city break who want modern design at a sensible price; and business travellers who will appreciate the apartments. It is not in a historic or nightlife district, so evenings out mean a short ride into Mitte, and families may find the rooms compact, though the larger categories can work for a parent and child.

Living in it: choose a roomy or roomy plus room, or a business apartment, if you are staying more than a couple of nights, as the smaller rooms are best for short stays. Book a Reichstag dome visit before you travel and walk there along the Spree in about a quarter of an hour. In summer, go up to the rooftop bar for a sunset drink. Parking is available in an underground garage at a daily charge, but spaces cannot be reserved, so arrive by train if you can. The hotel can arrange a taxi transfer to BER airport.

Value: rates sit in the lower-middle to middle range for central Berlin, generally good value given the location and design. Berlin adds a City Tax of 7.5 percent of the net room price, so check whether your rate includes it. For an easy, stylish stay by the main station, with the Reichstag and the Tiergarten on foot, it is one of the most convenient addresses in the city.