Holiday Inn – the niu, Hide Berlin Friedrichshain by IHG

You know what's funny about this Holiday Inn? It's actually one of those newer "niu" concept hotels that IHG is rolling out, and honestly, it works way better than you'd expect from a chain. I mean, when I first pulled up to Frankfurter Allee 113, I was expecting standard corporate blandness, but the Hide has this whole urban-industrial thing going on that actually fits Friedrichshain perfectly.

The location is pretty solid if you know Berlin at all – you're right on Frankfurter Allee, which isn't the prettiest street in the world, but you've got the U5 literally at your doorstep at Samariterstraße station. That means you can get to Alexanderplatz in like ten minutes, but you're also walking distance to all the good stuff in Friedrichshain. Boxhagener Platz with its weekend markets is maybe a fifteen-minute walk, and you're super close to the East Side Gallery if that's your thing. The area gets a bit quiet at night (which is honestly nice for sleeping), but during the day there's this constant hum of trams and buses that somehow becomes background white noise after a while.

Inside, they've really leaned into this whole "hide away" concept – lots of dark wood, exposed brick, and these cozy nooks everywhere that make you want to actually hang out in the lobby instead of just rushing through it. The rooms are compact but smartly designed, and I actually appreciated that they didn't try to cram in a tiny desk that nobody uses. Instead, you get this nice seating area by the window, and the beds are surprisingly comfortable for a 3-star place. The shower pressure is decent too, which... well, anyone who's stayed in enough Berlin hotels knows that's not always a given. One thing though – the walls aren't super thick, so if you're a light sleeper, pack earplugs. It's not terrible, but you might catch conversations from the hallway or neighboring rooms.

What really sold me on this place was the breakfast situation. It's not included in every rate, but when I did spring for it, they had this whole spread that felt more like a local café than hotel dining – proper German bread, decent coffee, and they even had some vegan options that didn't look like an afterthought. The staff seemed genuinely friendly too, not just going through the motions. Check-in was smooth, and when I needed recommendations for dinner spots, the guy at the front desk actually knew what he was talking about instead of just pointing to a generic tourist map.

Look, it's not going to blow your mind, but for a Holiday Inn in Berlin, the Hide punches well above its weight. That 8.2 rating makes sense – it's reliable, well-located, and has just enough personality to feel like you're staying somewhere that actually thought about the guest experience. If you're looking for something central-ish without paying Mitte prices, and you don't need a rooftop pool or marble bathrooms, this place delivers exactly what it promises.