Mercure Berlin Tempelhof

"I have no idea why this hotel has good reviews. It is in the back end of nowhere, many miles from anywhere worth seeing in Berlin. So, one spends hours on end travelling to see anything. Therefore, it is very overpriced for its location and quality. Staff are rude, patronising and completely indifferent. One particular member of staff on the front desk was so rude and sarcastic, when l arrived after a very long journey, that my friend and l were left open-jawed. I will spare him the embarrassment of naming him, though l am tempted. Simple requests are met with sarcastic responses and amazement, the same in the bar/restaurant, as if guests are an unnecessary imposition. The staff in the bar/restaurant spend most of their time chatting, and chewing gum, and show visible irritation, when you interrupt them to ask for a meal, drink etc. Guests are incidental. The main event is their chatting. I would not recommend this horrible hotel to my worst enemy. Management clearly have NO idea about service, and have no eye on their staff. It’s a chain, so be warned. Nothing is personalized. It’s faceless. Nobody seems to care. There was one lady, who was on duty for about a day of my stay, and she was more helpful, though staff cannot seem to manage to do anything as simple as even basic requests. They even get that wrong, and look annoyed at being asked to do anything at all. Rooms are fairly spacious and clean, but lack any character. The corridors and carpeting are in dire need of an update, and look very much like something out of the gothic horror film, ‘The Shining’. According to my friend, breakfast was fairly good and varied, but l avoided it, as it was a whopping 24 euros per day, on top of the very expensive room charges. We made the mistake of having dinner there one day. Don’t do it! Not only will you encounter rude, disinterested service, with staff amazed that you interrupted their three, or four way conversation, but the portions are absolutely minuscule, not tasty and extortionately expensive, as in 20-30 euros for something smaller than a starter in the UK. We were shocked. Never again! The entire place has a cold, faceless atmosphere. The rooms are extremely dimly lit (is this to save money on electricity, perhaps?). I have never known such dark hotel rooms, or such complicated lighting. The bathrooms are big and clean. Avoid, avoid, avoid! You can find less expensive, friendlier and far more central hotels, with good service for less money."

"A solid, business-minded hotel in the Neukölln district, a few steps from Boddinstraße U-Bahn and with plenty of shops and supermarkets nearby. I was here for three nights running a seminar and found it perfectly functional for that purpose. The bar area is pleasant enough for an evening drink, though the reception and conference areas could do with a little more fresh air — you can feel it getting a touch stuffy at times. My room, thankfully, made up for it: spacious, tidy, and blessed with a window that actually opens properly — a small luxury I appreciate more than most. Lunches were served on-site, all fine, and the staff were friendly and efficient throughout. The area itself is not one I’d choose for a weekend break — ambulances and police sirens are part of the city’s background music — but then again, this is Berlin, not the Black Forest. For local business meetings or anyone wanting quick access to public transport, the Mercure Tempelhof does the job. Verdict: Not charming (it is Mercure and that is not their aim generally), but competent. I’d stay again for work, though probably not for pleasure."

"1) All the good things First impressions: Hotel is on the corner, entrance is around the corner. Clean, newish-looking lobby with a small seating area, reception counter and bar. good airy vibe. Room: Standard room - Good size, enough for 2 people and a child. There are 2 cabinets, and a tiny (!) ref, safe, luggage space; queen bed, side tables, a desk, arm chair and small table, TV. Big windows with easy to use blinds, so the room gets a lot of natural light when you want it. One window can be partially opened to let in fresh air. Carpet - At first, I was wary of dust, but fortunately, they vacuum every morning. Amenities: Free instant coffee, tea and cream; shampoo, body wash, toilet paper, tissue, towels Extras: - Basic gym for cardio and weights! - And something really useful: an ironing station. This is located in a corner of the floor and is really basic: an ironing board and a good working iron, plus a bottle of water for the steam function. But I really appreciated it because first, there’s no need to wait for room service to bring up an iron and second, it’s free. Service: Reception people are helpful and cleaning staff do a good job. 2) Both a good and bad thing: The Location - Seriously convenient location near restaurants, supermarkets, pharmacy, 5 minute walk to the U-bahn or bus station. Everything you need is down the street or around the corner. The bad: First, you will hear city noise at night. This isn’t a quiet area. Second, the area feels a little sketchy at night and lighting along the inner streets is minimal. Third, it takes about 20+ minutes on the u-bahn to reach certain key tourist areas like museum island. 3) Not good - Free WiFi - Incredibly sloooow; seems like there’s fast wifi that but it has to be paid for. Really? Nit picks: TV - German cable TV with no smart apps; bottled water - Not free & not cheap either Overall: Nice, satisfactory experience"