C

all it an urban inn, a serviced apartment, a home-stay with a little extra privacy — whatever it is, Prenzlauer Berg’s five-room Linnen isn’t a typical hotel. That much is clear as soon as you arrive. Check-in takes place in a quirky little café on the ground floor, where you’ll often find one of the owners chatting with local coffee-drinkers and welcoming in new guests. There’s a strong temptation to just drop your bags and hang out a while, but continue upstairs and you’ll find five homey, off-beat rooms that are positively packed with character.

Linnen’s owners have a knack for collecting unusual design pieces. The rooms are furnished with an ever-changing assemblage of recent finds, with a special emphasis on vintage 20th-century furniture. Naturally, each room is different. The tiny entry-level room looks a bit like a treehouse in the woods, with recycled wood panelling, birdhouses attached to the walls and a view out into a stand of trees. Another has more of an industrial aspect, as well as a work desk beneath a bay window and a deep soaking tub in the bathroom. In every case, lots of attention has clearly been paid to the details. The custom-made cotton bedding, for example, is nice enough that they had to start selling it to guests; too many decided they couldn’t live without it back home.

The location, though central, has a somewhat residential feel as well. In the Nineties, Prenzlauer Berg was a haven for artists, and though it’s long been gentrified, there’s still an independent streak running through it, with cafés and bars catering to the higher echelons of the creative class. That independent streak, it should be noted, extends to the typical Linnen guest as well. The staff won’t tidy up the room unless asked — something a more demanding guest would likely see as a fundamental hospitality sin, but perhaps a welcome change for anyone who’d rather sleep in without any knocks on the door. Of course if you do need anything, at most hours there’s someone down in the café who’s happy to help, and the rest of the time the owners are just a phone call away.

Please note: Linnen does not have a 24-hour reception area. To ensure that someone will be on hand to check you in, please contact the hotel ahead of time to let them know when you will be arriving.