Where to stay in Berlin?

[GilliC]

I'll be in Berlin for a weekend in late October with my boyfriend who's headed there for work the following week. I'm looking at Hotwire hotel deals, and there are some very promising leads. Of the following two areas, which would you say is better? (and why?)  Or is there an even better area to stay? We will probably focus on sightseeing and maybe have a nice dinner or go out on Saturday night.

City Center - Tiergarten - Berlin Zoo


or 

Checkpoint Charlie - Gendarmenmarkt - Potsdamer Platz

[wise_rita]

It's been years since I've been there but of the two I think Checkpoint Charlie is a way more central area. If I remember correctly the zoo was a bit farther out (via metro).

We stayed at the Movenpick, which I don't quite get because the hotel chain and the ice cream have identical logos.

Beware of Berlin booze. Worst hangover of my life was in Berlin, and I've heard that from other people, too. Something about that place makes people want to DRINK!

[msamyfarrahfowler]

I passed by the zoo on my way to that ridiculous 5 story dept. store that Berlin is famous for. I think we had to take a bus out there from city center. It's kinda far out.

The Checkpoint Charlie area is walking accessible to lots of points of interests, and when you get tired, you can just use one of the many underground stops. Oh, and it's close to the Augustiner!!

www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187323-d2005104-Reviews-Augustiner_am_Gendarmenmarkt-Berlin.html

[Wanderista]

Personally, if I were visiting Berlin again, I'd want to stay in Charlottenburg which is a really beautiful, historic and romantic neighborhood with a bit of an art deco/Weimar Republic vibe. It is to the west, but had a lively nightlife. I ran into a lot of jazz music in Berlin. Being close to the Tiergarten would probably be nice as well but Charlottenburg was my favorite area. 

The u-bahn and s-bahn are very navigable, so you should be ok wherever you decide to stay if you are close to public transport.

[alleinesein]

I stayed in the Checkpoint Charlie/Potsdamer Platz area. It was super quiet at night because all of the tourists disappear.

[allibally]

We stayed at Alexanderplatz. H took care of reading all the German for us to get around on the UBahn. Lol. But I thought it was a pretty good area to stay.

[bettyfinn]

Of the two, I would choose the Checkpoint Charlie area but would aim to be in the northern portion, near Unter den Linden. Tiergarten is kind of out there compared to the other sites in Berlin. Most of the stuff to see and do is in former East Berlin, so I would look at staying in Mitte (former East Berlin's city center). You could walk to many places if you stayed in Mitte.

I agree with PP that Charlottenberg is awesome. I've spent a lot of time in Berlin, and wouldn't mind staying there now that I know the city better. But for a first time visit, I'd try to be as central to the stuff you want to see as possible.