Berlin is one of UNESCO Creative Cities of design and it has a distinctive and strong creative subculture. But it takes a while for the cool aspects to become apparent because Berlin is not a city with instant sex appeal like Paris or Rome.

In Berlin, the Mitte district (German for middle or center), a historic district formerly part of East Berlin. Now, it is somewhat edgier than Brooklyn but also similar with its refurbished buildings, one-of-a-kind designer fashion shops, cafes, bakeries, restaurants, bars, art galleries, studios and an overall creative vibe that attracts the city’s designers, architects, photographers and artists. Mitte is also the historical heart of Berlin with most of the main sights and many media companies within its borders.

Lux 11’s name gives derives from Rosa Luxemburg, the German champion of socialist causes, after whom the street is also named. The hotel name also refers to luxury and light (lux is light in Latin).

Lux 11 is a chic 72-room apartment hotel opened in 2005 in a renovated building that started as residences in the late 19th century. It was later converted to an office building from which the KGB was apparently in direct contact with Moscow during the Cold War. We don’t know if this is true but we like the story.