Review JW Marriott Hotel Berlin, 23rd March 2025
Paul‘s Hotel Review for the:
JW Marriott
Hotel Berlin
Details:
Duration of stay: 2 nights / weekend City & family visit
Check-in / Check-out:
Check-in Process: 
Check-out Process:
Concierge Service:
Staff @ Front Desk:
Bonvoy recognition:
At Check-in: 
In General:
Posting of points & nights:
Room / Bathroom:
Bed, quality of sleep:
Bathroom, Shower:
Room Atmosphere:
WiFi / Internet:
Housekeeping general:
Cleanliness:
Food & Beverage:
JW Steakhouse:
Not visited this time. Have a look at our last review of this property.
The Market (Breakfast):
Quality of Food:
Atmosphere:
Staff:
Bar26:
Drinks & Snacks:
Atmosphere:
Staff:
Other F&B outlets
The Bakery: N/A
Lobby Lounge: N/A
Cigar Lounge: N/A
Executive Lounge:
Drinks & Snacks:
Atmosphere:
Staff:
Paul‘s Mix:
Pool, Spa: N/A
Hotel Location:
Mojito Rating 
:
:
General Customer Care:
Staff attitude, interaction and responsiveness:
Social media interaction:
----
= bad, a lot of work needs to be
done
=not good, you will be busy with
corrections
= good & normal, nothing
special
= high level, but the icing on
the cake is missing
= topnotch, leave me here!
= Half a Point/sheep
----
Once again, after a year, we’re back at this property to check in and follow up on the changes.
The hotel has now officially been a JW Marriott for over two years, and it’s been under the Marriott brand for five years in total.
We’ve closely followed and reviewed its transition—from Maritim to Central District to now the JW Marriott Hotel Berlin.
Despite all this time, the rooms still haven’t been renovated, and it appears there are no plans for updates this year either. Guests are still being placed in the old Maritim-era rooms,
complete with their outdated, dusty look and feel. Not even small touches like updated artwork or minor upgrades have been made.
As a guest, you start to feel like you’re being taken advantage of.
On the other hand, all the public spaces have been fully renovated and brought up to JW Marriott standards. But unfortunately, I stay in hotel rooms—not in lobbies or breakfast venues.
On a very positive note, the property has taken a big step forward in terms of customer service. The current GM (the third in five years) has finally brought stability and a sense of calm to
the team. The hotel feels like it has found its soul again.
Service was very good and that makes it even worse that they wait with the room renovation.
That said, staff turnover remains extremely high. Just by counting the welcome posts on LinkedIn, it seems around 185 new employees have started here in the last 11 months. In other words,
the hotel appears to replace a large portion of its staff each year.
General Info:
The JW Marriott Hotel Berlin is located in Berlin Mitte, in the Embassy District.
Unfortunately, there’s little to no urban life, bars, or restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the property.
It takes about 10–15 minutes on foot to reach Potsdamer Platz, and roughly 20 minutes to walk to the Brandenburg Gate. The nearest convenient public transport option is the S-Bahn station at
Potsdamer Platz, which is about a 15-minute walk from the hotel.
Because of this, we consider the location to be just average for Berlin. If you're traveling by car, getting around is easy, and the hotel offers a large underground parking garage.
However, if you're visiting for a weekend getaway and plan to rely on public transport, there are more conveniently located options in the city. Otherwise, you'll likely need to depend on
taxis or Uber.
The hotel is rated as a 5-star property, with rooms and suites spread across six expansive floors, while the tower wing rises up to ten floors.
In total, the property has 467 rooms and 38 suites, along with a remarkable 18 meeting and banquet rooms—the largest of which can accommodate up to 2,300 guests.
Check-in:
Check-in was really good. The agent was super friendly and interacted with us the entire time. He asked how our journey had been and provided all the information about the hotel, including
the changes since our last stay.
He handed us a voucher where we could choose a welcome gift as Titanium Members, and on that voucher, a room number was written. To my surprise, I noticed that the room number started with a
6, which meant we would be on the newly renovated floor. When I asked the agent about it, he became very quiet and apologized, explaining that someone must have made a mistake or changed the
room again. He then informed us we would be given a suite on the 5th floor (non-renovated floor).
Check-out:
Check-out was simply amazing. Mr. Hartmann did a phenomenal job.
He interacted with us, asked about our stay, and inquired about our feedback. He took his time and had a pleasant conversation with us.
His demeanor showed true dedication to the property and genuine care for the guests. One of the best check-outs we’ve had in a very, very long time.
Front Office:
Staff at the front office was okay—friendly and helpful. We didn’t have much interaction with them during our stay. The entire team seemed relatively new.
Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite Recognition:
Very, very good Titanium recognition.
During check-in, the agent thanked us for our loyalty. He gave us all the information about the Executive Lounge, including its opening hours and service times.
We received our welcome points and, in addition, could choose a welcome amenity. Options included a sweet or salty snack from the minibar, a drink per person at the bar, or a dessert in the
JW Steakhouse.
Thanks to our Titanium status with Marriott Bonvoy, we were upgraded from a Classic King room to one of their premium suites on the non-renovated floors.
Additionally, a beautiful welcome amenity awaited us in the suite: berries, chocolates, sweets, and a card from the customer relations team.
As mentioned earlier, overall, this was a great loyalty recognition.
All details about the lounge are provided below in the F&B section under Executive Lounge.
Eligible Nights and Points:
All points, eligible nights, as well as the stay revenue were posted to our Marriott Bonvoy account within 24 hours of checkout—no delays, no follow-ups needed. Always nice when everything
updates quickly and smoothly.
Concierge / Bell Boys:
The concierge and bell boys were highly present in the lobby and reception area. They were very friendly and helpful.
Room / Suite:
As mentioned above, we were unlucky this time and received an old Maritim suite. The rooms are outdated, dusty, and tired, with not a single decorative item updated since the hotel was taken
over five years ago.
These rooms and suites are far below JW Marriott standards.
The suite consists of a living room, a bedroom, and a bathroom. All three open from a central hallway.
Both the living room and bedroom have large windows, letting in plenty of natural light and offering a pleasant view toward Potsdamer Platz.
The living room includes a small dining table with three chairs, a small sitting area with an old blue couch and armchair, and a desk with an office chair.
The bedroom has a king-size bed, a built-in closet, a desk with a chair, and a large flat-screen TV.
The mattress was excellent—the perfect level of firmness for me. The bedding (pillows and duvet) has finally been upgraded to JW Marriott standard: fluffy, light, and soft. Very comfortable.
Bathroom:
The bathroom is generously sized, featuring a double vanity, a large bathtub, and a separate shower.
Although the bathroom is still old, it feels okay overall. The shower could benefit from a rainfall showerhead instead of the outdated manual one, but all in all, everything was acceptable.
Housekeeping:
Housekeeping did a great job. The room was properly cleaned, and the bed was made impeccably.
Unfortunately, the inconsistency continues—there was no turndown service during our stay, which is a must and a standard for a 5-star hotel, especially in suites.
F&B Outlets / Lounge:
JW Steakhouse:
We did not visit the steakhouse during this stay. Two reviews can be found in our older posts.
BAR26:
BAR26 is the hotel’s official bar, located on the ground floor.
It’s a typical hotel bar. Staff on both nights were super friendly. The drinks were good, and the team took excellent care of the guests, engaging in conversation—exactly what you want in a
bar.
Lobby Lounge Bar:
This bar is located in the central part of the lobby and is, for us, the most beautiful outlet at this property.
You can grab a drink or coffee here throughout the day.
Cigar Lounge:
This is absolutely a lost space. In today’s world, why is there even a need for a cigar lounge in what should be a smoke-free hotel?! But...
It is an absolutely stunning lounge with a fireplace, wingback chairs, cigars, whiskey, and cognac—all in a super cozy atmosphere.
Unfortunately, it’s always empty. A beautiful but useless space and a waste of investment.
The Market:
The Market is the main restaurant on the first floor, primarily used for breakfast. It is one of the most recently renovated public areas and, finally, gives that bright, modern JW Marriott
feel.
The restaurant is filled with natural light, modern wood features, and a welcoming atmosphere. The colors used are warm and inviting.
The buffet area has also been updated.
The cold breakfast buffet is extensive and beautifully presented, offering everything you can imagine. The products are fresh, tasty, and arranged with care.
The hot breakfast section is also good, with various warm dishes available. Eggs are prepared to your liking and served directly at the table by the waiting staff.
Staff at breakfast were simply amazing and made us feel very welcome. We were thrilled to be greeted by Mr. Böhmer, the restaurant manager of The Market for breakfast. It was a pleasure to
see a familiar face still around.
His service is always outstanding, dedicated, and personal.
The Executive Lounge is now fully integrated into The Market and shares the same stunning new JW design.
Executive Lounge:
The lounge is located on the first floor, right next to The Market restaurant. It shares the same breakfast and evening buffet during happy hours.
It is open from 6:30 AM to midnight and offers soft drinks, coffee, tea, and snacks throughout the day.
At 5:30 PM, cocktail hour begins. The hotel serves red and white wines and two different beers.
The buffet features cold snacks, salads, desserts, and a few hot dishes.
The staff in the lounge was super friendly and helpful.
Mrs. Schneider provided exceptional service in the evenings, and Mrs. La Roche was simply amazing at breakfast. Their dedication to guests was second to none.
This team has truly come a long way and is absolutely on top of their game.
Pool / Spa:
The wellness area features a swimming pool, sauna, and steam bath, offering guests opportunities for relaxation and rejuvenation.
Fitness Center:
Equipped with modern facilities for personal workouts.
Social Media:
Social media presence is decent for a European hotel. They are active on Instagram and Facebook, with frequent posts and interactions.
Thankfully, since the new General Manager took over, their content has returned to a more appropriate JW Marriott style.
Summary:
This time, the summary is a bit more complex.
Overall, the hotel has made significant improvements in service and customer dedication.
All public areas have been renovated and are now up to JW Marriott standards. It has become a very nice property. However....
80% of the rooms are still as they were when the hotel opened as a Maritim in 2005—old and completely worn out. They fall far short of JW Marriott expectations.
Only one floor has been updated to reflect the JW Marriott style.
After being part of the Marriott portfolio for five years and officially a JW Marriott for two, guests are starting to feel short-changed when placed in old Maritim rooms.
It will become increasingly difficult for the hotel to sell these rooms and live up to the JW Marriott brand.
If you go in with zero expectations, this hotel can offer great value, as the old rooms often come with attractive rates.
Just don’t expect JW Marriott standards across the board.
This was Paul's 186th Hotel review. All our hotel and flight reviews, can be found on our website. There you will also be able to see more pictures.
Notes:
- We rate and review hotels based on our personal experiences during our stays.
- Paul the Sheep does not receive any benefits from hotels, airlines, etc.
- We always pay for services to be able to review freely and honestly.
- If you’re interested in more details, feel free to send us a private message. I’ll be happy to share additional information and photos.