I spent a few days there in 1999 and it was the best hostel in all of Europe (and I stayed in many). By my second trip in 2001, they were booked in advance for the entire summer- that is what a great reputation will do for you. The hot water heater was broken for 2 days but I dodn't care- clean single beds in huge clean rooms- disco ball in the lobby and plenty of friendly travellers- loved this place.PS: Take Terry's walking tour but expect a long day. He gets mad if you whine but your feet will hurt. He is awesome, seems lonely though. Don't forget to tip him, he lost his ambassador job when the wall fell.
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(Review ID: 3291)
Perfect, July 24, 2003
Reviewer:
sarahbethinrome@hotmail.com
Pros:
n/a
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n/a
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saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
There's a reason this hostel has an almost perfect rating by 20 something reviewers. It's phenomenal! First of all, it looks and feels like an uber hip resort for young travellers. The decor and furnishings are so nice and stylish it seems like that must be what makes it so popular. But no, there's more! The staff is as helpful as can be- helped us pick a walking tour. There are discounts for nearby restaurants. (10%) We stayed at Rosa Luxemborg which is a little smaller than the other location but just as hip. We went to the other one to go to the hostel bar, just a short walk so it doesn't matter which one you stay at really. The hostel bar looks and feels like a real bar, not a hostel bar. It was a lot of fun! The bedrooms are so, so nice. real beds, no bunks. all the furniture looks like IKEA and there are cute little reading lamps for everyone. But I don't recall lockers- I think we locked our bags to our bed (bike locks are a great idea for hostel backpackers). The location was good, walkable to train station, lots of shops and restaurants nearby. They also have all kinds of info on what to do in berlin- books, posters, a nightlife listing. Wish i had been there the night before- they were having a big party. In fact the hostel was definitley our favorite part about berlin- we didn't like the city that much, but the hostel was outstanding.
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(Review ID: 3292)
maybe the best hostel in the whole europe, July 1, 2003
Reviewer:
andres
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Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
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(5)
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(5)
very nice placeexcellent locationrooms are greatstaff is really niceis very cleanmaybe is expensiveis always fully bookedif you can, go there. it's really worth
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(Review ID: 3293)
Brilliant!!, June 28, 2003
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Anonymous
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Maintenance
(5)
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(5)
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(5)
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(5)
This was the first and probably best hostel we stayed in 6 weeks of travel in Europe (May 2003): great rooms, clean facilities, friendly staff and a jolly good breakfast at the nearby Circus II!!! Also get great discounts for transport/ museums and the like... highly recommended
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(Review ID: 3294)
More like a hotel than a hostel!, June 26, 2003
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Anonymous
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Maintenance
(5)
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(5)
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(5)
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(5)
This place was fabulous! Location could not be beat. the bar downstairs was fun and had amazingly good drinks--I recommend the "swimming pool". I've heard that Wednesday night is the night to be there: karaoke. I got there thursday and everyone: staff, hostelers, and even my walking tour guide were all still recounting the excitement of the night before. NO bunk beds:a huge plus! The bathrooms were clean. Discounts are offered at nearby restaraunts...the vegetarian restaraunt across the street has fantastic stuffed mushrooms...maybe the best meal I had in Europe. Overall, I had a wonderful experience and even opted to stay another night to enjoy the comfort and cleanliness. Oh, also, the staff were incredibly friendly and laidback--even saying: "pay whenever you get a chance". Great atmosphere!
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(Review ID: 3295)
Best hostel!, June 16, 2003
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Anonymous
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Maintenance
(5)
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(5)
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(5)
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(5)
The Circus was the best hostel I found in all of Europe. Perfect location, wonderful staff, gorgeous rooms, and not too expensive. I honestly don't have anything bad to say about it.
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(Review ID: 3296)
Helvíti fínt hostel!, June 3, 2003
Reviewer:
lfcatli@hotmail.com
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n/a
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Maintenance
(4)
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(4)
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(4)
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(4)
Definitely one of the best hostels that I have stayed at! If they had a kitchen and laundry service it would be perfect, but they're close enough for me, brilliant place to stay!!
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(Review ID: 3297)
If only they included breakfast!, April 27, 2003
Reviewer:
zaftiger
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Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
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(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
The Circus was the most comfortable hostel I stayed at during my four week trip. The location by the U-bahn was incredible, and the facilities were also very nice. I liked the common area and the internet access. I would have given them 5 stars but they omit some of the amenities that other hostels have, including breakfast, kitchen access, and laundry facilities. I know they have a deal with a cafe down the street to provide breakfast, but it wasn't worth the 4 euro.
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(Review ID: 3298)
14 people can't be wrong, April 22, 2003
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Anonymous
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Maintenance
(5)
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(5)
Facilities
(5)
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(5)
The Circus was best hostel that I stayed at in Europe. There were other hostels I liked better but that's because of the people I was with. The Circus was clean and the staff were helpful. It was SO close to the station that I actually got lost looking for it a further down from the station. You literally exit the station and cross the road and that's it. The rooms were nice and clean and the sheets were starched. The showers had plenty of hot water AND water pressure - do you know how rare that is???? Each room had a large window that opens(not the deathtraps like in London) and huge radiators. Each bed(nice mattress, no bunk beds) had a nightstand so you don't disturb others when you come home after clubbing til 4:30 am(unless you're 3 rude American teenagers who decided it was a good time to discuss the merits of having a shower now(4:30 am) or later when they woke up despite me giving them a dirty look).The facilities are simply clean and nice and much better than you'd expect. I heard the other Circus(about 400m away) is also very good but with a kitchen where you can buy cheap meals. Oh yeah, that's the only thing I wish this hostel had - a kitchen. But they have a deal with a restaurant downstairs so you could go there if you wanted to.What else..... hmm.... oh and I can certainly recommend Terry Brewer's(Not a pubcrawl...... really.) tour. That guy is in better shape then most of us and took us on a loooooong walking tour of Berlin that went from 9:15 til about 6 pm. It is simply the best introduction to a city, especially in Berlin which I found to be a disoreintation mix of the very old and the very new. He knows his stuff. Really, trust me. Go. Berlin is fascinating and I hope you guys like it as much as I did.
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(Review ID: 3299)
Comfy and warm, April 21, 2003
Reviewer:
Hayama
Pros:
n/a
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n/a
Imported Review
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
It's very easy to get to the hostel by U-Bahn, just exactly next to the exit of the station. The staff are very friendly and helpful, they will help you to check the train time and stuff. The rooms are quiet big, and the beds are really comfortable. There is plenty of travel guides you can borrow from the reception, they provided internet access with just 0.8 Euro/Min. Just one thing to say is that there is quiet a distance from supermarkets and shops. I would be stay there again if I am going back to Berlin.
