All
Here we go then 
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I am sure that everybody by now knows, that I went to Berlin to check out some basics. So here is my final suggestions based on that trip, but first let me do a short sum up.
The Polls
I have used the polls as a kind of group briefing. Most people have wanted a light program or no program at all. Concerning accommodation, people have stated that it would be ok to stay in the same area of town, and not necessarily at the same hotel.
I hope my suggestions later on will reflect both these lines of wishes.
Hotel Criteria
As this project grew, I found that we did no only need some beds to sleep in, but a basic criteria was that the hotel also has some areas that we could use for discussions, short meeting, showing and discussing prints, and other social stuff. Hotel am Scheunenviertel did not have these facilities, so I dropped the idea of recommending this hotel as the preferred hotel, and Mitte as the preferred area to stay in.
Charlotteburg as Base Camp Area
When booking the preview trip to Berlin, I did not really care where the travel agency had me stay. I was so late in deciding this trip, that I had to take what I could get. So, I ended up in a small hotel, Hotel Air, in the Kurfurstendamm area, which is the center of the old West Berlin.
I fould this area to be excellent both in terms of transportation to other parts of Berlin, and in terms of facilities in the area. Transportation both by bus and by U-bahn is very, very good. And it takes no time at all. With U-bahn (Underground) to Mitte is takes less than 10 minute. With bus a bit longer.
Choosing Hotel
When choosing hotel, I suggest you find any hotel the Charlottenburg area that fits your special needs and wishes, and your purse. You could do that by searching the Internet, or by talking to you travel agency.
If, you don’t want to bother with that, you could link in to my hotel suggestions. Below is the hotels, links to these hotels, and the most obvious pros and cons. All these hotels are within 1 km radius, and all are centrally places in the Kurfürstendamm area.
Hotel Air
Older hotel very centrally situated in the area. About 200 meter from one of the main entrances to Berlin Zoo. Very efficient in terms of waking distance to bus and U-bahn. This is a 2 star hotel. Good breakfast, that is included in the price. Areas at the hotel, that meets our demands for social activites. Small patio. Charming hotel. Internet access in all rooms, but you have to pay for that separately.
Cons: No air-condition, and if it is hot in Berlin the rooms can get very hot (just open the window, as I did). The bar is very small, and an extention of the reception desk. Limited number of choices (no real bar in fact).
I have written to the hotel to get permission to use their facilities for our more social business, but they have not answered me yet, but I foresee no problems. I will follow up on this issue. No group price is possible at this hotel.
On a scale from 1 to 10, I rate this hotel 6. The hotel is in Ansbacherstrasse. Quiet strasse. For this hotel, you book online.
City Hotel Ansbach
The hotel next door in the same street. They offered rooms as low as Euro 39 a night, so I had a chat with them. This hotel is, what they call a standard hotel with no stars. The reason for this is that they have rooms both with private bathrooms, and rooms without separate bathroom (shared bathrooms on the same floor).
I had a look at two double rooms with private bathrooms, and they were perfectly ok. Same standard as Hotel Air. I also checked some of the “shared” bathroom, and they were fine as well. I think, this hotel share the patio with Hotel Air.
The hotel is not as charming as Hotel Air. I did not visit any of the single rooms, but expect them to be very small and with no air condition. Internet Access from the hotel? I really don’t know, but I would think so.
Cons: I did now see any bar, but they have a breakfast room, that we have permission to use after 12.00 p.m . I have negotiated 10 single rooms all with private bathrooms at Euro 55 a night (that is down from Euro 69). If you should want to live in this hotel you need to send an email to the hotel using the “code word”: “Norwegian Bear”, to be recognised as a member of the G Summit Group.
On a scale from 1 to 10, I rate this hotel 5. The hotel is in Ansbacherstrasse. Quiet strasse.
See mail from this hotel, as comment to this post.
If you want to book at this hotel you send an email to this address: Hotel Ansbach [info@hotel-ansbach.de] , and use the code “Norwegian Bear” . The hotel staff will instruct you how to proceed.
Motel One
My first day in Berlin, I wanted to locate where I could get some films. Nearest place was in Europa Center about 100 meters away from my hotel. However, they did not have professional films like e.g. Provia. A kind lady sent me walking 15 minutes down Kurfürstendamm to a professional store. And what a professional store .They even had a couple of really old Contax’ for me to look at. I got Provia there, and lots of other stuff to investigate. Provia 100 in Germany is about Euro 7 a piece, and Provia 400 about Euro 8 a piece.
On my way back looking for The Newton Stiftung (Newton Museum), I strolled down Kantstrasse towards the Zoo. In Kantstrasse I stumbled over this large, 250 room, brand new hotel/motel, and went in to have a chat there as well.
I talked to the receptionist and asked for permission to see a room and take some shots. He wasn’t quite sure, but the hotel manager, Daniel Müller, was there, so I had a chat with him. Very friendly man. No problem with seeing the rooms, and he was glad if I would take some shots of the fine lobby, because he needed some . True story.
This hotel/motel is brand new, high standard rooms, all airconditioned, a great open and light lobby and space for us to work in. In a later mail, I asked Daniel Müller, if we could use the lobby for short meetings, and he answered that he would even arrange the chairs for us.
The hotel has s nice, but small bar in the lobby, and the whole feel of the place was very good. And all people very friendly. Internet access from the lobby area is free, but from the rooms you need to pay.
But there is some cons: Kantstrasse is a main street, so expect some traffic at all hours. One corner of the hotel/motel is MUCH too close to the U-bahn track. So if you want to book here, make sure that you get a room away from the street, and that particular corner. On the other hand, all rooms, are airconditioned, so you don’t need to sleep with an open window if it gets hot in Berlin.
Prices for a single room go as low as Euro 59.00 a nicht. Double room Euro 74.00, but you need to check the Internet for the actual price in the Summit period (btw, this goes for all hotels). Breakfast is not included, but come as low as Euro 5.00.
I tried to negotiate a group price for 10 single rooms, but had no luck with that 
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On the scale, I rate this hotel/motel 7.
(If you want to book at this hotel/motel, make sure you book at the right one. There are 3 Motel One’s in Berlin. You should book at the one at K-damm, The link above takes you directly there). For this hotel, you book online.
See mail from this hotel, as comment to this post.
What you should know!
While in Berlin I had a small, Dahish travel agency, owned by a Berliner, and with Berlin as his speciality, working on accommodations in Berlin for us. When I came back there was an email. I had asked the owner of the agency, please, to come up with good suggestions for hotels, and good group prices. He came up with very few hotels, but we needed to book collectively almost at once. I asked him why.
The agency owner had been in contact with 45 hotels in Berlin, but only a few could give us 10 to 15 single rooms. It seem, that we collide with a couple of large conferences in Berlin, so many hotel are already book in that period.
I suggest, therefore, that you make reservations at the hotel of your choice as soon as possible (you can always cancel your reservation at a later date, if necessary).
I am sure that, that you will find accommodation even if you wait with your reservation till a later date, but you might find yourself staying at a hotel at the outskirts of Berlin.
Base Camp Bar
If you have been out shooting all day, and are really tired, want a drink and a chat with some fellow G Shooters, you go to Gecco Bar in Rankestasse 3 at K-damm. This is a small, nice and modern bar in the center of it all, but away from the main streets. Latte Machiato Euro 2.80, Evian Euro 2.10 and small bier Euro 2.30.
In Berlin, at some places, don’t be surpriced if water and coffee are as expensive as bier (read: inexpensive). Berlin is really not an expensive city.
To Sum Up
Base Camp Area is suggested to be the Kurfürstendamm area in the Charlottenburg district.
Charlotteburg is a very good area to stay in. It’s the center of the old West-Berlin, and has every fascility you can dream of. Public transportation to other parts of the city is absolutely now problem by bus, by U-bahn or by train.
Search the Internet and book any hotel in that area, or choose one of the suggested hotels mentioned above. Anyway you choose to do, you will be fine . Please note my pros and cons of each hotel.
Good luck with it. When you have booked your hotel, please let the rest of us know where you are staying, by posting a comment to this blog page.
If you have questions, that you think I can help you with, please let me have them .
Best wishes
Knut
Pls. anticipate some minor revistions to this post in the next couple of days. I will bring in a fourth low price hotel in the area very soon. Please use the links and check the hotels suggested.
Pls. remember that if you find different information and prices, when you search the hotels, from what I have stated in this post, the hotels are always right . If you are an early bird booker, you might get different (and maybe better prices).
Next, I will turn my gaze to the draft program. I have some ideas that might be useful.
