Motel One Berlin-Hackescher Markt, Berlin, Germany

The hotel is on the corner of Dircksenstrasse and Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse; this is a bustling neighbourhood near the city's medieval heart. Nearby is Hackesche Höfe, a 1907 courtyard complex that now houses indie shops and cafés, and the Berliner DDR Motorrad Museum.

Alexanderplatz and its transport links are a short walk south, so you're well-placed for exploring.

By plane: direct flights to Berlin Brandenburg from London (1 hour 40 minutes), Manchester (1 hour 55 minutes) and Edinburgh (2 hours 5 minutes). It's a 45-minute drive to the hotel. Parking costs €18 per day. Book flights to Berlin.

There's a large ground floor area that multi-tasks as a reception, bar, lounge and remote working space. Style is eclectic, with retro charis, upcycled wood, Danish lights and tiled pillars, all brought together underneath a black ceiling with exposed pipes.

Staff are friendly and genuinely want to help, whether that's offering advice on the area or even printing out documents for you. Bedrooms don't have a phone so if you need something you'll need to go to reception - or use your own.

• Bar
• Lounge
• Terrace
• Free Wi-Fi

Corner rooms ending with the numbers 19 have the best view and the higher you go, the better. There's a switch for 'ambient' lighting so you can change the mood, plus individual anglepoise lamps over the bed for reading.

Cosy One, The One, Special One
Facilities include: ensuite bathroom with toiletries, hairdryer, flat-screen TV, desk and chair, free Wi-Fi

'Let the good times beGIN!' jokes a bar menu with a 'gindex' offering an incredible choice of 46 different gins. There's no restaurant but you can get nibbles and toasted sandwiches from the bar plus a wide choice of drinks.

One Lounge: cosy lounge and bar. Toasties and bar snacks. Open daily, 24-hour service.