Homaris West Side

"The worst hotel experience I've ever had—and I didn't even stay a single night. I booked a two-night stay for €460 specifically because the hotel advertised air conditioning, which was essential with temperatures reaching 42°C in Berlin. On arrival, I discovered there were no staff on site. Everything had to be done online, so we spent around 20 minutes sitting outside completing the check-in process on our phones before we could get in. The room was tiny, dark, and unbearably hot. I turned on the air conditioning only to discover it wasn't working. After spending over an hour trying to get help on chat (which I quickly discovered was an AI chatbot), I finally was informed that there was a building-wide air conditioning failure and I was offered a tiny partial refund. In those conditions, the room was simply not habitable, so we left immediately to find alternative accommodation. The frustration continued for the next month as I tried to obtain a refund for a room I never used and could not use as it was not fit for purpose or what I booked. Customer support was painfully slow and almost impossible to deal with. Eventually after over a month I did receive my refund. The complete lack of on-site staff, the dependence on AI instead of providing timely human support, and the inability to resolve a serious issue at the hotel made this, by far, the worst customer service experience I've ever had. I would strongly recommend staying elsewhere."

"At almost 60 years old and after countless hotel stays, I thought I had seen most of it. Good hotels, bad hotels, quirky hotels, and those that are better forgotten quickly. However, the Homaris West Side in Berlin has managed to secure a very special place in my personal ranking: as one of the few hotels where I actually looked forward to leaving. Even the check-in promised a modern hotel experience. Everything digital, everything automated, everything straightforward – at least in theory. I received a text message early on with the request for online check-in, which I of course completed. I was then informed that I would receive my room number on the day of arrival at 3 PM. A bold promise that unfortunately had the same level of reality as some campaign statements. At 3 PM, no room number was provided. In response to my inquiry via text message, I received the friendly recommendation to please check in. The small flaw in this was: I had already done exactly that. After I explained this again, eventually someone finally told me my room number. Digitalization can indeed also be a form of a treasure hunt. The room itself appeared modern at first glance. Upon a second glance, it looked modern but with signs of use. On a third glance, it seemed more modern but with battle scars. The furniture and decor looked as if they had already endured several campaigns. In fact, it seems that the Homares has a very creative definition of "like new." I was particularly impressed by the ceiling lamp. As soon as you turn on the light, it unfolds fascinating patterns and structures. However, if one thinks of innovative design, one is mistaken. The effects are rather due to the remarkable accumulation of dust and dirt inside the lamp. One could almost speak of a permanently installed light art. The bathroom also offered interesting discovery opportunities. At several places, black spots were visible. Whether these were dirt, mold, or an avant-garde wall design, I did not want to investigate further for reasons of mental hygiene. However, the real highlight was the air conditioning. In the hottest week of the year in Berlin, an air-conditioned room initially sounds like a real plus. However, the Homaris interprets the term creatively. The air conditioning did not cool – it heated. Presumably, it wanted to provide guests with a Mediterranean vacation experience. Now, one could simply open the window. However, the hotel is located directly on the four-lane Bundesallee. Anyone who wants to sleep with the window open should either have remarkable nerve strength or already have experience as an air traffic controller. The contact with the call center was also interesting. After several conversations, I was informed that unfortunately nothing could be done, as the hotel was fully booked. A fascinating statement, especially considering that at the same time, numerous rooms were still available on Booking.com for the upcoming nights. Perhaps it was Schrödinger's hotel: simultaneously fully booked and available. As a solution, I finally received a mini fan. That was undoubtedly well-intentioned. However, physics has the unpleasant property that fans do not cool air, but merely move it. At least the warm air was distributed more evenly in the room as a result. After five nights of sleep deprivation, heat, and various surprises, I have rarely been so relieved to leave a hotel. The Homaris has given me a valuable insight: There are places that one should definitely visit once – and others that one never wants to enter again after the first visit. My conclusion is therefore pleasantly clear: I will definitely not return. And that is one of the few promises that are actually kept reliably in this hotel."

"Never again!!! Although the hotel knows that the air conditioning is broken, it simply leaves the guest in the dark and does not inform them about it. It is warmer in the room than outside. Two fans were set up, which then distribute the warm air in the room. Relaxation is not possible after a long workday. In the end, you will receive a 10% discount at checkout. This is how you are treated as a guest. Not informing me so that I could cancel is completely unacceptable in this weather. Once is enough; I will never book this hotel again. ROOM lala, service is completely unacceptable. You will then be dealt with via WhatsApp using standardized phrases from the AI. Thank you very much The TV does not work, and if it does, they only have 3 channels, as Hans informed me via WhatsApp. Really embarrassing!! And mold in the bathroom is also unacceptable. Everything feels quite exploitative."