Berlin - recommendations for hotels and must sees

[Notsoskinnyminny]

I've booked a surprise trip for DHs birthday but haven't got a clue which area to stay in or what do although he's into WW2 aircraft so we'll have to visit a military museum and I've just discovered the shops are closed on Sundays so less time to get my shopping fix so

where would you stay? (don't want to pay more than £150/night)

What have we got to see and what can we miss?

Best shops/what to buy

where to eat (will try most things)

TIA

We were also in Berlin last weekend! It was too hot for us (31 yesterday) but we managed to do almost everything we had planned in spite of this. I found it pleasantly uncrowned (in comparison to London on a sunny weekend). Loved being able to eat outside so much.

Hi
The industrial museum has a wide variety of aircraft, trains and cars. Really interesting and some truely sad stories

We went to Berlin in February and stayed in Mitte . It's in walking distance for the Brandenberg Gate and Reichstag. There's a tube station around the corner.

It's very cold in February but it was sunny when we were there. We just wrapped up warmly. The museums have cloak rooms so you don't have carry your coat around.

I'm a big kid so my highlight was seeing the giant pandas at the zoo. I also liked the Topography of Terror. We bought a day ticket to Museum Island and got our moneys worth. It's also worth paying 7 Euros each to go to the top of the cathedral. The views are spectacular.