Most memorable place to stay in town? In-the-know Berliners told us to follow the monkey hoots to a hammock-strung hotel in a midcentury tower called the Bikini-Haus. Prime views of park and zoo included. The 25Hour Hotel Bikini Berlin is a hangout for locals, too, who come for the leafy rooftop restaurant and bar.
Above: The loft-like lobby has a lounge and bakery with a wood-fired oven. The design is the work of Berlin firm Kec Architekten and Werner Aisslinger of Studio Aisslinger.
Part of the irrepressibly playful 25Hours chain, the 10-story hotel is located in Charlottenberg, right next to the Berlin Zoo and just west of 520-acre Tiergarten Park, once a royal hunting ground. It's part of the revitalized Bikini-Haus (named for its mod, two-part structure), which has been transformed into a concept mall. Photograph via Design Hotels.
Above: To drive home the hotel's urban jungle theme, there's also a hammock area. Photograph via Pulp Collectors.
Above: Guests are offered free use of bikes (and the hotel's Mini Cooper).
Above: There are 149 rooms with floor-to-ceiling views of the zoo or the city. Select a zoo room such as this and you'll sleep to elephant and monkey calls from below.
The artwork is by Yoshi Sisky who left his mark on many of the walls. Photograph via 70 Percent Pure.
Above: Wooden walls and floor create an urban cabin vibe. Metal hanging shelves crop up in different configurations throughout. Photograph via 70 Percent Pure.
Above: The Jungle Room M has a well-situated hammock and en suite bathroom with black fixtures. The hotel's toiletries are supplied by upstart company Stop the Water While Using Me! of Hamburg.
Above: A bed in a wood-paneled niche.
Above: On the ninth floor, a sauna with patchwork-tiled floor and zoo views. (For similar tiles, see Patchwork Tiles: 11 Mix-and-Match Ideas.)
Above: Pale wood furniture is mixed with spots of color in the hotel's Neni Restaurant overlooking the treetops.
Above: The space is built from old hothouse parts. Metal planters in suspended wire baskets create a green ceiling. Photograph via 70 Percent Pure.
Above: Rooms at $115 a night. For more details, go to 25Hours Hotel Bikini Berlin or Design Hotels. Photograph via Studio Aisslinger.
Heading to Berlin? Take a look at 14 Don't Miss Restaurants, Coffee Shops, and Cocktail Bars via our friends at Freunde von Freunden,
Fans of unruly plantings, see 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Germany.
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