New City tax for Berlin tourists

Since January, 1st, the new City-Tax is applied for private stays in Berlin. Berlin- visitors must pay a 5- percent fee on-top of the daily rate in Hotels, Hostels, Pensions, etc. Additional services are excluded from the calculation. The drinks at the Hotel bar, the Hotel restaurant and spa, for instance, are not submitted to the new tax. Visitors, who stay longer than 21 days at a time in Berlin, are exempt from the tax after this period (for the first 21 days they must pay the tax). The city tax applies only for private Berlin- nights. Business-Visitors are exempt but must prove that the visit to Berlin was not of a private nature. The Senate for Finance explains how to do that. The Berlin Senate expects annual revenues of 25 million euros with the new tax.