I like it to visit Berlin. The German capital is an absolutely great city!
I like to stay there in a holiday flat. It’s cheap and you are absolutely independent. The last times, when I have been in Berlin, I stayed in the 1234 Holiday flat/Ferienwohnung in Berlin-Schöneberg. It’s a very quiet place to stay – and a good position for visiting the city. And, if you are interested in, it’s less than 10 minutes’ walk to the gay area around Motzstraße and Fuggerstraße.
Following I write about my experiences in staying at “1234Holiday Flat” in Berlin Schöneberg. I stayed there (flat 7a) last time with a friend from June 10 to June 14, 2011. Here is my review:
Holiday flat facilities:
- Internet: I didn’t have a laptop with me, so I don’t know if Wi-Fi works well. On the homepage it says, that they offer free Wi-Fi for their guests.
- The staff are very friendly, you get your key from a person directly in the house. You also get a second key, if you need. You have to pay for the flat when you arrive there.
Flat-facilities:
In our holiday flat (number 7a) I found the following facilities:
- You can lock the door of the flat with a key.
- Flat has a balcony.
- There are a kitchen, a combined living- and sleeping room and a bathroom.
- In the living- and sleeping room there are a couch, a table with two chairs and a big couch.
- On the balcony there are a table and chairs.
- In the kitchen we found everything we needed, e.g. refrigerator, microwave, plates and other kitchen facilities.
- There are some windows in the flat and they can be opened.
- There is no air condition in the flat, but a fan is available and worked well.
- I am not sure, but I think smoking is in the flat not allowed.
- TV-set with big screen and a lot of TV-programs in digital quality.
Most of the TV-programs are in German language, but you can find a news channel in English and other languages.
- In the flat it was very quiet. You can leave the window open during the night.
- They keep the flat really clean but they don’t change towels and make your bed every day.
Bathroom:
- The bathroom is located in the flat, you don’t share it with other guests.
- There is a shower combined with a bath tub.
- Hot water worked well.
- Toilet paper, soap and towel are provided.
Location of the holiday flat:
- The holiday flat is located in Berlin Schöneberg at the corner Barbarossa Street/Landshuter Street.
- There are three subway-stations very close to the holiday flat. To the subway-stations “Viktoria-Luise-Platz” (U4), “Bayerischer Platz” (U4) and “Güntzelstraße” (U9) it’s about 5 minutes’ walk. From there you have excellent connections to the different airports and train stations in Berlin.
- It’s very easy to find it first time when you come from Bayerischer Platz or Viktoria-Luise-Platz. It’s a yellow building and there is a sign in front of it.
- To Kurfürstendamm and KADEWE shopping center it’s about 10 minutes’ walk.
- To the gay area with bars and clubs of Berlin Schöneberg (Motzstraße, Fuggerstraße, Martin-Luther-Straße,…) it’s less than 10 minutes’ walk.
- There are also some shops with drinks and food close to the holiday flat.
- There are some bars and restaurants around, especially into direction of Motzstraße and Victoria Luise Platz. One special restaurant and bar you should visit is “Schöneberger Weltlaterne” in Motzstraße. They have great food, the owner is singing old german songs and sometimes there is also a piano player.
Summary
I enjoyed the stay in the 1234 holiday flats. It’s a really good starting point for visiting the sights of Berlin. It’s located in a quiet street close to the gay area of Berlin Schöneberg. Compared to other hostels and hotels it’s a cheap place to stay in Berlin. I felt really welcome and safe there.
You can find more information about the 1234 Holiday Ferienwohnungen here on their homepage or, if you don’t like it, choose another holiday flat or hotel.
And what experiences did you have in the 1234 holiday flats in Berlin? Tell us and write a review here!
Do you know the railway market in Samut Songkhram? From Bangkok it’s an about 2 hours train ride to this special market. And it’s definitively one of the best things on my trip through Thailand I’ve ever seen. There the trains runs directly through the Mae Klong Railway Market 8 times a day!
We visited the city of Samut Songkhram (the old name is Mae Klong) by train and slept one night there. We searched for a hotel by chance and found the Samut Songkhram Hotel about 3 minutes’ walk from the Mae Klong Railway Station.
This hotel is really basic hotel – but for one night it was OK. I stayed there with friends from February 24 to February 25, 2011 in a twin room (two beds). Here is my review:
Hotel facilities:
- Internet: I didn’t have a computer with me – so I didn’t try to get a Wi-Fi internet connection. But I think there was no Wi-Fi available.
- Check-out time is 12 AM.
- The staff at the reception were friendly, but they didn’t speak English.
Room in Samut Songkhram Hotel in Mae Klong
Room-facilities:
In my twin room (two beds) I found the following facilities:
- You can lock the door with a key.
- There is a window in the room and it can be opened.
- Air condition was available and worked well.
- Smoking was in the room allowed.
- TV-set with normal screen and some TV-programs in good quality.
Among others I found TV-programs in English and Thai.
- In the room it was very quiet.
- They keep the rooms clean.
Bathroom:
- The bathroom is located in the room. The walls do not completely separate the bathroom from the sleeping room, there is a free space to the ceiling.
- There is a shower in the bathroom.
- Hot water worked well.
- When you use the sink, the water is going cross the floor to the receiving canal.
- Toilet paper, soap and towels were provided.
Location of the Samut Songkhram Hotel:
- It’s about 3 minutes’ walk from the Mae Klong Railway Station.
- From the station go to the north and turn on the second bigger street to the right. On the right side of the street you will see a sign “HOTEL”. That’s it.
- In Google maps the street is called Si Champa.
- There are a lot of food stalls in the evening close to the hotel. And there is – of course – also the Mae Klong Market.
- There are also shops and some restaurants.
- The location of the hotel is really central.
Summary
It was great to stay one night in Samut Songkhram. It’s a small city and there are no tourists. So you can see real Thai life. Great!
Of course also the Mae Klong Railway Market is great. You must see it, when you are in Thailand! You can go there by local train from Bangkok.
The hotel was really basic, but we felt safe there. Unfortunately I forgot to ask for an business-card. But there was no computer at the reception – so I think, it is also not possible to make a reservation via email. Go there and ask for a room – it’s the easiest way.
If you don’t like to do it “offline”, choose another hotel.
And what experiences did you have in the Samut Songkhram Hotel? Tell us and write a review here!
My last destination on my trip through South East Asia was Bangkok. First I stayed in the dorm at Hua Lamphong Hostel, then I searched for a single room.
About 7 minutes’ walk from the Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok I found the “Cozy Bangkok Place Hostel“. It was definitively a cosy place in a small road, where you can find real Thai-life.
Following I write about my experiences in staying at “Cozy Bangkok Place Hostel” in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. I stayed there as backpacker from February 27 to March 3, 2011 in a single room. Here is my review:
Hostel/Guesthouse facilities:
- Internet: Wi-Fi internet is in all the rooms and in the lounge available.
The speed of the internet connection in the Cozy Bangkok Place Hostel is, compared to other hostels or hotels in Thailand, fast. There were also public computers in the lounge. You have to pay for use.
- There is a lounge and a vending-machine for drinks.
- There is a washing-machine, where you can do your laundry.
- Check-out time is 12 AM.
- The staff at the reception are very friendly.
Single room at Cozy Bangkok Place Hostel (click for more photos)
Room-facilities:
In my single room in the second floor I found the following facilities:
- You can lock the door to your room with a key. To go into the hostel you need a key-card. You have to pay a deposit for it.
- There is a window in the room but you look through it only into the hall.
- Air condition and fan were available and worked well.
- Smoking is in the room not allowed – Non smoker room.
- In the room it was quiet. Unfortunately the floor in the hall is made of wood. It looks really good, but it’s also a little bit noisy. There is always a cracking-sound when someone is going.
- They keep the rooms really clean, but do not change towels or make your bed every day.
Bathroom:
- Bathroom and toilets are located on the floor next to the single-room. You share toilet and bathroom with other guests.
- There is a shower.
- Hot water worked well.
- Toilet paper, soap and a towel were provided.
Location of the Cozy Bangkok Place Hostel:
- The Hua Lamphong Train Station (Bangkok Main Railway Station) and the Hua Lamphong Metro Station are not far away. To the train station and the metro station it’s about 7 minute’s walk.
- Directions and maps shown on Hostelbookers are right. The hostel is located in a small, quiet road. In Rama IV Road you have to turn left at the Military Bank (blue sign).
- There are some small shops with drinks and cheap food close to the hostel. Convenience stores (Seven Eleven, Mini Mart) and more cheap restaurants you can find in Rama IV Road and at the train station.
Summary
I enjoyed the stay at the Cozy Bangkok Place Hostel. I liked especially the road, where it is located. You can find real Thai-life there.
The location of the Cozy Bangkok Place Hostel is also great. It’s only a few minute’s walk to the Hua Lamphong Railway and Metro Station. The single rooms are also – compared to other hostels in Bangkok – really cheap there. I felt welcome and safe there.
You can book the Cozy Bangkok Place Hostel here or, if you don’t like it, choose another hostel.
And what experiences did you have in the Cozy Bangkok Place Hostel? Tell us and write a review here!
