Where you stay in Berlin matters more than in smaller cities because the place is so spatially spread. For most men, the right move is to choose by trip logic rather than vague centrality. Schöneberg works well if gay bars and a more classic queer base matter most. Kreuzberg or Neukölln make more sense if clubs, mixed nightlife, and a younger social field are part of the plan. Mitte gives you the cleanest cultural base and easiest symbolic center, but not necessarily the strongest night logic.

Berlin is not a city where one neighborhood solves everything. It is stronger when your hotel placement matches the version of Berlin you actually want.