Eco Friendly holidays

I've looked at some areas locally that people might like to visit but as always there are those of us who love to travel abroad and so if you want to travel but not forget the environment, there are ways of doing this too. We went to Berlin last year and I thought it was one of the best holidays ever and we booked the Circus Hotel because it had the environment in mind from the work GO!

Circus Hotel, Rosenthaler Platz, Berlin

Our room

This hotel is somewhere I would recommend to anyone in a heartbeat. No, there is no gym, swimming pool, or spa but You dont need it. Trust me. If you want anything like this the staff will organise it for you so its not out of the question. But the friendly and welcoming atmosphere from the time you walk into the hotel until the time you leave is fantastic.

The ensuite..naturlich!

We got an economy room last year and it was perfect. Clean tidy bright and comfortable with an an suite with large shower. We were looking out onto the main road which you can see in the picture above so there was some noise but it didn't bother us, although perhaps if you wanted somewhere quieter in the hotel you could mention it when booking. They also dont have air conditioning as they dont think it is required in Germany and we were there in June with lovely weather and we had no problem.

The evening meals, which we partook in, on one evening, are cooked with local organic food  to the highest standard so you can be sure that  it can be traced back to source. They have WiFi in the hotel lobby and will happily lend you a net book to use so you dont have to lug yours along with you and you dont have to go out to find an internet cafe. There is also a mini library in the lobby and bar area so you can easily pick one up and read for the evening if you fancy reading over a drink.

You wont find shower cleansers in the bathroom but you can ask for them at reception and they are given out freely and this will encourage you to use them sparingly. I mean, how many times do you want to go down the reception to ask for more? Definitely works. They will gladly organise train and bus tickets for you and you can hire these out too for however long you want so you can use them over and over and save a packet. Its like having an underground ticket for as long as you want. We thought this was a great help even though we walked most of the time. 

Within the hotel

Once in Berlin there is so much to see and so many sights are free.

• Obviously there is the Berlin Wall and that is a must do
• Checkpoint Charlie
• Topography of Terror
• Walking the Tiergarten
• The Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate
• Bebelplatz-Book burning....

         ........ and so much more.

  All of the above were free and well worth doing. Many of the museums have student and teacher fares if you have the right cards to prove your status and on a Thursday evening many of them are free apparently.

Click picture to read some
reviews on this book

Now before you rush off to book flights and see these places for free check out the latest travel books to see if there have been any changes. We used the Rough Guide to Europe on a budget and found it invaluable. 

There are organised tours on Bicycles, foot and buses and everything is within walking distance if you are mobile.

Honestly, if you want a great holiday with plenty to do then take my advice and check out this hotel. There is even a hostel belonging to the same people (the Circus hostel) opposite the hotel so if you want a cheap dorm instead, it can be done. You will be gob smacked I'm sure. We're thinking of going back this year so we might see you there.

Check out the Circus website for full details by clicking Here

Posing in Berlin 2010