Berlin is offering free hotel accommodation to residents affected by a major power outage that has left around 28,000 households without electricity and heating in the southwest of the city.
The emergency measure follows an arson attack on critical power infrastructure that initially cut electricity to about 45,000 homes and more than 2,200 businesses across neighbourhoods including Nikolassee, Zehlendorf, Wannsee, and Lichterfelde.
The free hotel stays were announced on Tuesday and are aimed at people whose homes are too cold to live in and who cannot or do not want to remain in emergency shelters or with friends. Selected hotels across the city are participating, with costs fully reimbursed by local authorities, provided guests submit proof of registration, personal hardship documentation, and valid identification.
Hotels step in as winter blackout continues
The offer was confirmed by Berlin’s Governing Mayor via social media, as thousands remain without power days after the outage began early Saturday morning. “The costs will be fully reimbursed,” said Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin.
According to the Senate Department for Economics, the participating properties are partner hotels of VisitBerlin, the city’s official tourism agency. A published list allows affected residents to book rooms directly, marking a shift from earlier arrangements that required guests to pay reduced rates themselves.
Why Berlin hotel rooms are available — and how long the crisis may last
Berlin’s hotel sector has capacity to absorb the sudden demand, partly because January is traditionally one of the quietest months for tourism in the German capital. Occupancy rates typically range between 50 and 65 percent during the first half of the month, according to the Berlin Hotel and Restaurant Association.
“January is usually a quiet month,” said Gerrit Buchhorn, Managing Director of Dehoga Berlin-Brandenburg. He added that more than 150 hotels had already offered rooms at special rates in recent days, although figures on how many residents have used the accommodation are not yet available.
The blackout was caused by an arson attack by suspected left-wing extremists on a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal supplying the Lichterfelde power plant. The damage affected more than a dozen key power lines, triggering one of the most significant infrastructure failures Berlin has seen in years. While electricity has been restored to many areas, thousands of households remain without power as repair work continues.
