Das Stue

Das Stue is a five-star hotel in the quiet diplomatic quarter on the southern edge of the Tiergarten, just steps from Berlin Zoo. Its main building was built in the late 1930s as the Royal Danish Embassy, and the hotel's name comes from the Danish word for living room. The stone facade and grand entrance keep the formality of the original building, while the interiors are contemporary, with designer furniture, art and playful touches such as animal sculptures that nod to the zoo next door.

Rooms and suites come in a range of categories, from Stue Rooms to Junior Suites, a Tiergarten Suite, a Penthouse Suite and the Bel Etage Suite. The Embassy Zoo View rooms look out over the zoo grounds, and it is not unusual to see animals from the window. The overall feel is calm and residential, which suits travellers who want a peaceful base close to the centre rather than a busy hotel on a main street.

The restaurant, Carte Blanche, serves French cuisine, and the Stue Bar, with its terrace, is a relaxed place for a drink in the evening. A spa and sports area with a pool gives guests a place to unwind after a day in the city. The hotel's location on the park makes it ideal for runners and walkers: the paths of the Tiergarten start almost at the door and lead towards the Victory Column, the Reichstag and the Brandenburg Gate.

Das Stue suits couples, design lovers and business travellers who prefer a smaller, quieter luxury hotel. Families also appreciate the zoo on the doorstep. Rates are at the top end of the market, and booking well in advance is sensible for weekends and major trade fairs. Ask at booking about current spa access and any room preferences, such as a zoo view.

Choosing a hotel in this part of the city means trading the buzz of Mitte for green space and calm, while remaining only a short ride from the main sights. It is a particularly good base in spring and summer, when the Tiergarten is at its best and the beer gardens and lakeside cafés in the park are open.

The hotel is a short walk from the Zoologischer Garten area, where S-Bahn, U-Bahn and regional trains stop, and bus routes run along the nearby streets. The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the Kurfürstendamm, Bikini Berlin and KaDeWe are all within about fifteen minutes on foot, and the Bauhaus-Archiv and the museums of the Kulturforum are also close.