The Wilmina Hotel could not be more special. As I overheard a member of staff say, the owners spent eleven years renovating the former women's prison complex, and it shows in every detail. The indoor facilities--a cosy drawing room for the guests, especially--and the outdoor areas--an enchanting wilderness garden--add to the attraction of the stay. The breakfast was excellent, and the afternoon tea, a welcome treat. I used the hotel as a private writing retreat and was not disappointed.

First impressions matter, unfortunately. Arriving dead-tired after an eighteen-hour journey, I was greeted indifferently, given a key card, and left to make my own way through several courtyards to my room in the unrelieved darkness, in the pouring rain, carrying my luggage, although there were several employees in the reception area at eight o'clock in the evening, I got lost and had to return to reception to ask the way, but was sent back out on my own yet again. That is no way to treat guests in a luxury hotel.

+ Elegantly designed hotel in a unique setting. Every detail was thought of. + Nothing but peace and quiet once you walk into the courtyard. The hotel garden is a wonderfull place to have your morning coffee of afternoon wine. + Super friendly staff! + Location wise it probably wouldn't be my number one choice for first-time visitors to Berlin. However, if you've been to Berlin a couple of times, like us, Wilmina is the perfect base for exploring the city and its diverse neigbourhoods. We absolutely loved getting to know Charlottenburg a little bit better. + We'll be back!

- The room temperature can get really hot and there's no way to get the heat out as you're sleeping in a converted prison cell with thick walls and relatively small windows. Although we loved the cosiness of the room and its design, I would really recommend taking a room with AC during summer months. The old cell rooms only have a fan, which basically only blows the warm air around.

The location is in a well connected part of town, slightly outside the centre, but easy to get to via numerous S-Bahn and U-Bahn lines. There are plenty of excellent bars and restaurants at various price points. It's close to the upmarket shops of Kurfürstenstraße. The hotel is exceptionally stylish and comfortable and we felt immediately at home. The cocktail bar is superb with a thoughtful menu. There was a communal kitchen where we could grab tea/ coffee/ fruit/ fruit juice at any time, plus an honesty bar for beers and snacks. There are plenty of comfortable places to sit and relax, including a lobby with a gorgeous fireplace. The gym is perfectly equipped. We couldn't use the rooftop pool as it was closed due to ice, but can highly recommend the fantastic sauna. The sauna is open daily in the afternoon, and at other times by pre-booking. The shower was excellent, with good robes and towels. Wi-fi was reliable. The bed was very comfortable. Staff could not have been more helpful, providing advice on transport and places to eat. We chose not to have the hotel breakfast, instead visiting the attached cafe, which did lovely food and coffee.

As Brits, we noticed the lack of tea and coffee making facilities in our room, but the hotel tells us that there are tea/coffee making facilities in the superior rooms, so if that's important to you, do upgrade. I honestly can't think of anything else I'd change.

The front office team was so genuinely friendly and helpful. The whole arrangement of the hotel is truly unique: The historical brick building is surrounded by a beautifully designed garden. My room had the most comfortable bed imaginable. I slept so well that I had to know more about the beds. I asked the reception team about the beds in the morning and it turns out that it turns out the mattress was made some eco-label named COCO-MAT. I think I might need one of these mattresses at home. In the morning, I had a coffee and a croissant in the main garden and was delighted by the bird twitter and the blooming tulips. All the items of the breakfast buffet were carefully curated and highest quality - including homemade jams & chocolate cremes, as well as hummus, pickled vegetables and scrambled eggs. I have stayed at several premium hotels in Berlin, but this one really stands out. 10/10 - could not recommend any stronger!

Hotel Wilmina is the type of hotel holiday travelers usually dream about. Set in a quiet neighborhood, surrounded by shops and quaint restaurants, it's set back in its own courtyard that is so quiet you can sleep with the windows open (I did!) Bedding and linens were superb; everything functioned perfectly. The buffet breakfast, served until late in the morning, was ample with enough choices for everyone's breakfast needs. The hotel offers a coffee room where during the day or night, you can have a little treat of a cold drink or snack. Within the courtyard are various smaller garden areas for relaxing as well as a classy bar where you can start or end your evening with a tipple. For more Berlin action, you can walk ten minutes to the S-Bahn and hop over to city center. Hotel Wilmina is a rare treat for frequent vacationers who wish for something a cut above.

Being in the hotel building felt very surreal, not only because of its history, but also because of how quiet it was—the stay was a real getaway from the city! I loved the little touches of the hotel, it had some elements of luxury, but just the right amount of it. The decoration and the vibe didn't feel overwhelming, and the best part was that you really get to relax here. The pool was small, but if you're lucky, you get to have it to yourself for a while. The hotel receptionists were very hospitable, and it was a nice gesture to accompany the guests to their room, but I felt like the introduction could be a bit shorter. About the breakfast—there weren't many options at all, but the quality of the bread was great. I'd only recommend getting breakfast in the hotel if you're too lazy to head out.

I thought the hotel had just opened for a while, but there were already some stains on the wall of my room, and some parts of the building felt unfinished, maybe that's also the Berlin kind of charm 😄. The receptionists were great, but the same employee training didn't extend to the housekeeping staff. You actually could run into them quite often during your stay. However, some didn't want to greet me, while some were scared to answer my question. What a pity, if they could also receive some hospitality training, the entire experience would be more pleasant as a whole. Maybe this is due to the old structure—the sound insulation wasn't great, there were some quite loud sounds coming from the other rooms. However, it wasn't unbearable.

There is so much to love about this hotel, very accessible, beautifully converted historical building, we loved how the owners have preserved features of it's past life. Decor is very relaxed and beautifully designed. Breakfast was delicious, particularly all the bread and pastries baked at the hotel bakery. So many delightful touches, it felt like the perfect escape. Thank you to the team for making us feel so welcome and helped us celebrate a special occasion. We can't wait to visit again!

Nothing! It was the perfect stay

I liked the general layout. The gardens were beautiful---as was the whole setting

Better light in the bathroom. Better help using the phone. (The person who came up to help me didn't understand it and finally told;d me that the phone was only for call within the hotel.( The restaurant was really a bar with bar food instead of substantial meals and there was very little wine in the glass for a lot of money. That would be fine if you were clear about that and didn't call it a restaurant.

The decor and design is incredible. The hotel used to be a prison and the designers have incorporated many original features into the design concept. The hotel is stylish and very special. The communal areas like the free to use kitchen area and sitting rooms are excellent. Our room was very comfortable with well thought out amenities. All the staff were helpful, friendly and very efficient.

Nothing. But if you want to be in the main tourist areas then the hotel is quite a long way out.

The hotel has a very nice and unique design. It was a peaceful and quiet place, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. We particularly liked the garden and lounge where we spent time with our 6-year-old daughter before bedtime. The staff was incredibly helpful and friendly. They upgraded our room for free and provided us with recommendations for beautiful locations in Berlin.

The bathroom was not comfortable. While it was nicely designed, there was insufficient storage space. The shower was uncomfortable due to the curtain. Additionally, the cleanliness was not as good as I expected.