Berlin NEW YEARS EVE

Hi all,

I'm thinking of spending my NYE in Berlin as I am into techno music and know there is plenty to hear in Berlin.

Just a couple of questions if anyone can help?

1. Would anyone know when I would need to book a hostel or hotel room by so that I can make sure I get in before it is booked out? I am assuming that they would book out early for NYE.

2. Would anyone happen to know of a website I can keep an eye out on to see what DJs will be playing in Berlin on NYE?

3. I will be in Netherlands for Christmas and was thinking of catching a train to Berlin. Can anyone recommend places to stop along the way? or things to do in Germany?

Thank you!

Pat

[ Edit: Edited on 28-Apr-2009, at 16:29 by phatpat ]

Hi Pat,

You could consider Couchsurfing as an alternative to a hostel or hotel. The FAQ explains how it all works.

Same goes for Amsterdam and stop offs along the way.

If you prefer to have your own room, Hotelscombined is the best way of finding a hotel room. The site works in the same way as those that search for the cheapest airfares. After you've added your data and the first page loads, click the "Price" column header to sort the results by cheapest hotel first.

This site also has a Berlin Travel Guide with links to accommodation.

[ Edit: Edited on 29-Apr-2009, at 04:27 by Blinq ]

Berlin just before Christmas and NYE is pretty slow, hostels offer special deals during that time. I know that during Christmas it is relatively easy to get a hostel bed in Berlin, I am less sure about NYE. But if you book in September/October/November and intend to arrive 1-3 days before NYE you should find something.

I also recommend that you arrive a little bit early because a lot of the underground DJ's do not advertise anywhere online, you find out about parties and such from posters in the streets and in the magazines like Zitty and such.

As for hostels I can recommend, check out

Heart of Gold
Meininger (Hallesches Ufer)
Odyssee (www.globetrotterhostel.de)
Ostel (www.ostel.eu)

AO (at Zoo) and Helter Skelter are also supposed to be good. Best location for the party at Brandenburg Gate are Helter Skelter, baxpax and Heart of Gold, as it they are only a 20 min walk from Brandenburg Gate (very close by Berlin standards) and are on a direct S-Bahn line (one stop with S 1, S 2 or S 25 from S Friedrichstrasse to Brandenburg Gate). For other parties the hostels in the East (ostel, odyssee) would be good as they are in relatively hip areas. But basically anything within BVG zone A close to an S or U stop will work very well.

http://www.bvg.de/

As for catching the train from the Netherlands I would recommend breaking the trip up in the Harz mountains, especially if there is snow. If you use regional trains there are special offers you could use, with the Niedersachsen Single ticket it is possible to get from the Dutch-German border near Enschede to the Harz mountains for only 20 EUR.

[ Edit: Edited on 29-Apr-2009, at 12:50 by t_maia ]

One of the best ways of getting a room in Berlin at the very last second, is to approach a registered taxi and ask them. There are plenty of drivers who's families put up for the night extremely cheaply. It's been an ongoing thing since before the wall came down - and is still a big business in adjoining Eastern European countries too. I've done it many times. The hospitality is always great, the prices are rock bottom, the food is superb and you get to meet families with fascinating stories to tell.

I'd recommend booking around August time, especially if you're staying in a hostel (which i'd recommend doing). I looked at it last year in september and at that point the better hostels were starting to fill up for NY, the crappier hostels still had rooms but might aswell book early and get a decent place.

heart of gold is a great hostel and in a good location for getting to places.
The circus and all the meininger hostels are good but a bit more hotel like so you don't quite get the mixing you do in the others.
helterskelter is good, if not a little more run down but has a bit more character to it, plus theres a large club on the ground floor.