Ackselhaus & Blue Home

Occupying a set of pristinely restored 19th-century townhouses on a quiet Prenzlauer Berg street, the four-star properties ackselhaus and bluehome are exotic (and splurge-worthy) escapes in the heart of Berlin. We’re still dreaming of the water-filled courtyard and sculpture-studded winter garden. The two properties, which share reception and common areas, are ideal for travelers willing to spend a bit more for something special.

The ackselhaus and bluehome offer 35 rooms between them. All rooms (in both properties) come with a large flat-screen TV, and most also offer an iPod-compatible music system.

The spacious rooms and apartments at the bluehome are Bali-inspired. Indonesian elements (white curtains draped above teak beds, bold oil paintings of orchids, wicker chairs...) abound and work well with the contemporary (and movement-sensor!) lighting and silkscreen wallpaper. All bluehome rooms are equipped with a mini-fridge. The apartments, which offer two bedrooms and a kitchen, represent a particularly good value for groups. The best rooms have balconies overlooking the koi pond in the serene central courtyard.

Meanwhile, over at the ackselhaus, each room is different, looking to the rest of the globe for inspiration: "Rome" drips with understated luxury, the "Salon" exudes British sportiness and the "Honeymoon" is Frenchy-romantic. We loved an Asian-inspired apartment lined with dark paneling and decorated with objets d’art.

As would be expected, the bathrooms here are no less luxurious. You can look forward to anything from cool stone-hued countertops to a sleek boxy sink or sumptuous sunken tub.

The ackselhaus and bluehome feel like a tranquil, private oasis in the heart of the city. Their shared Club del Mar, lined with fish tanks and prints, is one of the most elaborate breakfast rooms we’ve seen. And we could have lounged all day in bluehome’s Indonesia-inspired courtyard or the Italian-inspired garden at ackselhaus.

Wi-Fi is free throughout, and the hotel offers free use of a laptop in the lobby. The breakfast buffet at Club del Mar comes at an additional (pricey) fee, but it may be worth it to cozy up by the fireplace under opera-house chandeliers. Note that there is no elevator in the ackselhaus—instead, sisal-covered stairs lead to the rooms.

Value

With double-room rates starting at €260, the ackselhaus and bluehome is by definition not a “Cheapo hotel.” Still, we list it because it offers “affordable luxury.” With plush furnishings, fine-tuned details, common spaces that feel like havens and some very spacious rooms that feel like living museums, this place is truly unique. And although the rates are higher than we normally like, they represent a good value for those looking to stay in style—we’d even go so far as to say that the apartments can sometimes be a great deal for groups.