When visiting an unfamiliar city, most of us want to experience its everyday essence not slavishly follow the tourist trails. But if you don't have ready-made connections, it's often easier said than done. Plus One Berlin, a new concept in the city sojourn from Clare Freeman, (former PR manager for the Design Hotels group) gives you the opportunity to stay in a swanky hotel-apartment and be the 'plus one' of a clued-up, like-minded local of your choice so you get the insider line on all the best places to go.

Designed by architects Paolo Bagna and JP Coss, the ecological hotel-apartment is situated in a 1970s residential block in the up-and-coming Berlin neighbourhood of Kreuzkölln and is made from a mixture of new and salvaged materials.

Once you've booked your stay, you then get to hand-pick one of twenty eight passionate locals with varying professions and areas of interest who will act as your concierge in either a 30 min advice session, or for a 3 – 5 hour guide providing you with an authentic and bespoke insight into the city.

Plus One Berlin is currently only operating with the one apartment but Freeman has plans to expand within Berlin and other European cities.