I was extremely lucky to have two great friends of mine from Florida come for a visit before I head back to the States. With one friend staying for a week and the other two weeks, we decided to make a road trip out of it. I rented a nice lil zippy car from Avis in Braunschweig and it was off to Berlin.
The first week I decided it would be best to book hostels along the way since September is the tail end of the summer travel season. Night number one in Berlin we stayed in a hostel that is like a trip back in time (or your Omi’s house). The Ostel Hostel Berlin is decorated in East German designs, wallpaper, appliances, etc. It’s situated in an area with lots of apartment buildings so it’s a pretty authentic spot if you want to get a feel for how people lived in the days when the wall was up.
Unlike most hostels there isn’t really a lobby or area where you can hang and get to know people. The private double bed room was supplied with an extra cot so we were able to avoid any dorm situation. It was simple but clean although the shared bathroom situation left us feeling a bit yucky. It’s location right across the street from the train station made it really easy to get around Berlin and see the sights. Overall the kitsch, location and super low price tag made for a nice night in Berlin.