berlin airbnb review

(Berlin, Germany).  Normally I would not use airbnb on my very first trip to a foreign city unless I have relatives or friends who live there who can show me around and provide local information.  I find it easier for my first time anywhere foreign to have the benefit of a concierge's assistance in getting my bearings in a new place.  Once I have a sense of the area then staying at an airbnb apartment (as opposed to a hotel) is not only more economical but probably preferred since I like cooking breakfast when I travel.

However, on my very first trip to Berlin, I did not heed my own advice mainly because my husband had just visited the city.  We decided to get an apartment via airbnb but our first choices on location were all unavailable so we compromised and got an apartment in a residential area, about a 15-20 minute walk from where we wanted to be.  (My husband had claimed it was a 5 minute walk, but alas it was not.)

So how was our Berlin airbnb experience?

Booking Process.  I've used airbnb several times domestically but this was my first time using airbnb internationally.  I was surprised at the number of rejections I got - primarily based on the reason that our duration wasn't long enough - even though the requirement wasn't set forth in the airbnb description.  After several failed attempts, I finally was able to secure an apartment (the Arkona Suite) which was owned or managed by a man named Stefan.  Stefan appeared to have several apartments in Berlin but this was the only one we could get.  Once confirmed, airbnb charged the amount on my credit card on file, but the funds aren't released to the landlord until you check in and inspect the apartment.

Check-In.  In my recent domestic airbnb rentals, the apartments had keypad doorlocks so there was no need to meet someone to get into the apartment.  But in Berlin, we still had to arrange to meet someone in front of the building to get the keys.  This is fine except if you don't have a working cellphone when you travel.  (Alas, I'm still loving my T-mobile global coverage.)

Our greeter was there when our taxi pulled up and he showed us the apartment.  It was obvious he was new at the job since he knew nothing about the place and couldn't answer any of our questions - i.e., how does the washer work, where do we put the garbage, etc.  But he was nice enough and was actually an expat from Chicago.

The Apartment.  Fortunately the apartment looked exactly like the photos.  It was located on the first floor with nice views of a smallish park.  The living room/dining room area was very bright and airy, with a small TV which we didn't use.  The kitchen was actually quite roomy and functional, but there weren't really anything we could use to cook - barely any olive oil left, no coffee, no seasonings.  The laundry machine was in the kitchen and it took several youtube videos for us to figure out how to wash clothes, but we never figured out how to dry the clothes... 

The bedroom was small but had a nice adjacent balcony, which we didn't really take advantage of during our stay.  For the most part, it was fine, except for the bathroom which was really small and not user friendly.  There was not a lot of storage space, the shower was way too small and short for me which meant it was teeny for my husband, and the toiletries (as well as toilet paper) was quite lacking.  We remedied the lack of accoutrements in the kitchen and bathroom easily enough at a local market.  (Random note - Did you know that they don't wash the eggs in Germany so when you buy eggs in the market they literally could have feathers and poop stuck on them?  Remember to wash the eggs and your hands if you are cooking eggs in Germany!)

The Wi-Fi was decent but definitely not as fast or consistent as what we experienced in our Paris hotel or Paris airbnb.  

Location.  The apartment was located in a nice residential area and the park it faced hosted a nice little farmer's market and flea market during the week.  However, it was a bit of a walk from any of the places we wanted to visit.  For first time tourists, it wasn't that convenient. But I think it would be a nice place for someone planning to stay in Berlin for a longer stretch and who spoke German.  

The overall experience was OK, not great.  If we return to Berlin, we'll likely stay closer to the touristy areas whether it's in a hotel or in another airbnb apartment.