yeah the negative reviews are real, especially about the service side. i looked at those apartments when they opened and the model unit looked great but the hallway already smelled like someone's cooking from three floors away, that thin wall thing is legit

one thing nobody mentions is that berlinovo locks you into a specific contract length with penalties for breaking it early, like two months rent as a fee. if your plans might change or you're unsure about staying in berlin, that's a risk. i'd ask to see the exact termination clause before signing anything

arrow_drop_up 21 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

i know a couple of people who moved into those lichtenberg ones when they opened. the apartments themselves are fine for what they are, new and clean with your own kitchen which is a big plus. the main complaints i've heard are about the management being slow to fix things and the isolation not being great for noise, like you can hear your neighbors pretty clearly. the rhinstraße area is alright, very practical with the tram and the ringbahn right there, but it's not exactly exciting. lots of big intersections and not much character, you'll be going to friedrichshain or somewhere else for anything social. if you can handle a bit of a commute and just want a solid, new place to sleep and study, it's probably fine, but the negative reviews about the service side are pretty accurate from what i've heard

arrow_drop_up 8 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly the rhinstraße area is way more practical than people give it credit for. you got the ringbahn at landsberger allee and the tram goes right to ubahn at frankfurter allee, so getting to central spots is like 15-20 min. but yeah the neighborhood itself is a bit dead, mostly plattenbau and car dealerships, not much street life

the real thing nobody mentions is the internet situation. berlinovo uses a shared provider in those new buildings and it can get spotty during peak hours, especially if you're into online gaming or need stable connection for video calls. my friend had to get their own router and it still wasn't great

also check how much extra you're paying for the "furnished" part. the furniture is basic ikea stuff and you could buy your own for what they charge over the year. if you're planning to stay more than a year, unfurnished might actually save you money even with the hassle of buying stuff

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

i'd say skip the big names and look at studiowest in prenzlauer berg, they do amazing japanese style but the waitlist is like 6 months. if u want something quicker, the artists at bitterlich tattoo in mitte are super underrated, especially for fine line. and honestly, walk past the instagram hype, go to a shop in person and ask to see their portfolio book, that's where the real stuff is.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

The Berlin tattoo scene is pretty spread out, so it depends on what style you're after. For fine line and minimalist work, I'd look at A Fine Line in Kreuzberg, they're booked out weeks in advance for a reason. If you want bold traditional, check out Die Wilde Ecke in Neukölln, they've been around forever and the artists there are solid. Honestly, your best bet is to scroll through Instagram and find someone whose healed work you like, not just the fresh photos, because that's where the real skill shows.

arrow_drop_up 3 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

One thing nobody's mentioned yet is the tattoo convention at Arena Berlin, usually in early summer. It's a good way to see a bunch of styles in one afternoon and talk to artists face to face without committing to a shop. I found my guy there three years ago, he works out of a tiny studio near Boxhagener Platz and does amazing neo-traditional, but he rarely posts on Instagram so you'd never discover him otherwise. Bring cash if you go, a lot of the booths only take that on the day.

arrow_drop_up 2 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply