A perfect weekend in Berlin

In the foyer of the hostel, the three friends hug and kiss each other on the cheek. "This place reminds me of our school," said Judith. "But that was not nearly as hip," replies Anna. In fact, the hostel building was originally built in 1907 as a school. After two years’ renovation work it is now the most modern youth hostel in Germany. "Let’s sit in the lounge and have a cup of coffee," suggests Catherine. "Then we can relax and have a chat." The windows offer a great view of the red-brick facade of the hostel. The listed building still resembles a school with wide corridors and staircases and high arched windows in some of the rooms.

 

Later, as the three students entered their bedroom, they are taken aback: The former classroom has retained its charm but is now tastefully decorated to a high standard room with modern furnishings. The clean design with subtle colors and matching materials immediately appeals to the young women. All 125 rooms with a total of 445 beds are equipped with shower and toilet. On the ground floor are several easily accessible disable-friendly dormitories.

 

 

Katharina, Anna and Judith put their rucksacks down, decide who will sleep in which bed and then go to the dining room together. "The weather is so nice, let's go out on the terrace," suggests Judith. The choice of what to have for dinner is difficult because the variety of dishes from the wok to the grill is so extensive. The food is then cooked in the open kitchen in full view of the diners. After dinner, the friends sit together for a long time. They haven’t seen each other for a year and there is so much to talk about.

 

 

The next morning after a substantial breakfast they set off together to explore Berlin. The “Ostkreuz“ transport hub for most major regional railway and bus services  is only a few steps away. Visitors can quickly get from here to Berlin and the major tourist attractions: Alexanderplatz, Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz and Reichstag. The three friends prefer to visit other places though. The first destination is the East Side Gallery, a graffiti covered segment of the former wall which cuts through the city as a reminder of Berlin’s recent past. Then they go to Tempelhof Airport where Judith is fascinated to see how the people have taken over the former airfield and use it for jogging, roller-skating, picnicking or for making small gardens.  In Treptow there is a paradise for old things in a factory building where a large flea market is housed. In Marzahn-Hellersdorf Katharina, Anna and Judith relax a little after the numerous impressions with a stroll through the largest Chinese garden in Europe. In the evening they want to go to a concert or a theatre performance together. "I'll ask at the hostel reception," says Anna. "In any case, Berlin is incredibly fascinating and so diverse."

 

 

The new, modern Berlin Ostkreuz Youth Hostel offers modern, state-of-the-art amenities and will welcome visitors to Berlin: families, school classes and groups. The Youth Hostel has 445 beds. All rooms have en-suite showers and toilets. Ostkreuz is ideally suited for wheel chairs and guests with restricted mobility.

 

 

It is Berlin’s fourth hostel and the largest one run by the German Youth Hostel Association (DJH). The good transport connections make the city’s many attractions easily and quickly accessible.