Hotels
The best hotels in Munich: nine places to stay, by neighbourhood
Just before eleven, a crowd gathers beneath the town hall on Marienplatz to watch the figures of the Glockenspiel turn and dance. Two streets away, stallholders at the Viktualienmarkt are slicing radishes and stacking pretzels, and someone has already ordered the first beer of the day. Munich rewards walking, and the right hotel keeps everything close.
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Munich is Germany's third city, home to around 1.5 million people and capital of Bavaria. The old town is compact, with Marienplatz, the Frauenkirche and the Viktualienmarkt all within a few minutes' walk. The Isar river runs just to the east. North of the centre lies the Englischer Garten, a park larger than New York's Central Park, where surfers ride a standing wave in the Eisbach channel.
Flights from London take under two hours, and the S-Bahn runs from the airport to the centre. The city has plenty of fine hotels, but rates swing wildly with trade fairs and Oktoberfest, so timing matters as much as location. We have chosen nine hotels across the old town, the elegant streets around Maximilianstrasse and the area by the main station. Links go to Hotels.com, and we always choose the hotel before the link.
In short: where to stay in Munich
On a first visit, stay in the Altstadt between Marienplatz and Odeonsplatz, where nearly everything is on foot. Lehel and Maximilianstrasse suit travellers who want elegance and the Isar close by. Arriving by train or watching the budget, the hotels by the main station are practical and only ten minutes' walk from Marienplatz.
Our first choice: Bayerischer Hof. Check availability and prices
Best for romance: Mandarin Oriental, Munich
Best for families: The Charles Hotel
Best for a first visit: Hotel Bayerischer Hof
Best for value: 25hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian
Best for design: Louis Hotel
How to choose a hotel in Munich
Check the Oktoberfest dates: the festival runs from late September into early October, and rates can double. Book six months ahead if you plan to go.
Watch midweek trade fairs: Munich hosts major fairs throughout the year, and ordinary hotels can turn expensive overnight. Check the calendar first.
Do not fear the station: the streets around the Hauptbahnhof are a little grey, but the hotels are good and the old town is close.
Use the U-Bahn and trams: public transport is fast and punctual, so you need not stay in the very centre to reach everything.
Ask about rooftop spas: several grand hotels have spas on the roof with views of the Alps on clear days, a real bonus in winter.
The terrace
The terrace at Bayerischer Hof.
The Altstadt around Marienplatz
The old town is the Munich most people picture: church towers, beer halls, the Viktualienmarkt and the shopping streets between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz. Much of it is pedestrianised and distances are short.
Bayerischer Hof: the grand hotel on Promenadeplatz
Hotel Bayerischer Hof stands on Promenadeplatz, a few minutes from Marienplatz, and has long been the city's great society hotel. Rooms range from traditional to contemporary, and on the roof there is a spa with a terrace looking out over the church towers.
It is a safe choice for a first visit, putting you in the middle of town with restaurants, bars and even a cinema under one roof. It is ideal for couples and families who want a proper grand hotel. The lobby is busy, especially during fairs and events, so if you want somewhere small and quiet, look at Cortiina or Hotel Opera.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Bayerischer Hof
The terrace
The terrace at Mandarin Oriental.
Mandarin Oriental: a rooftop pool above the old town
Mandarin Oriental sits on a quiet street close to the Hofbräuhaus and Maximilianstrasse, in an elegant nineteenth-century building. On the roof there is a small pool and a terrace looking over the old town and, on clear days, all the way to the Alps.
It earns our romantic pick, with calm rooms, personal service and a location with both the beer halls and the smartest boutiques around the corner. It is right for couples and lovers of discreet luxury. The rooftop pool is small and open only in the warmer months, so do not choose the hotel for that alone.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Mandarin Oriental
The terrace
The terrace at Louis Hotel.
Louis Hotel: overlooking the Viktualienmarkt
Louis Hotel sits right on the Viktualienmarkt, the city's great food market, and many rooms have balconies or windows over the stalls and chestnut trees. The interior is clean-lined and warm, with oak, stone and muted colours.
It is our design pick and a hotel for anyone who likes to start the day with coffee and fresh bread from the market below. It is a strong pick for couples and food lovers. The market and surrounding streets are busy by day, and some rooms are small, so book a balcony room to get the best of it.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Louis Hotel
The restaurant
The restaurant at Cortiina.
Cortiina: timber and calm behind Marienplatz
Cortiina is on a side street just behind Marienplatz, with rooms in pale wood, natural stone and soft fabrics. The ground-floor bar is a popular after-work spot for people who work nearby.
It is small and personal, a good fit for couples and anyone who wants to be right in the centre without the crowds of a big hotel. Rooms are calm and well planned but not large. There is no spa or pool, so it works best if you plan to be out in the city all day.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Cortiina
The terrace
The terrace at Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski.
Maximilianstrasse and Lehel: elegance by the Isar
Maximilianstrasse is the city's grandest street, with the opera at one end and the Isar at the other. East of it lies Lehel, a calm residential quarter of old apartment buildings, small cafés and an easy walk to the Englischer Garten.
Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski: classic on Maximilianstrasse
Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski stands halfway along Maximilianstrasse, with a vast lobby beneath a glass roof and rooms in classic style. The opera and the Residenz, the former palace of the Bavarian kings, are minutes away.
It appeals to opera-goers, serious shoppers and anyone who likes a traditional grand hotel with precise service. The spa sits at the top of the building. The style is more formal than modern, and street-facing rooms can hear the trams.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski
The courtyard
The courtyard at Hotel Opera.
Hotel Opera: a small mansion in Lehel
Hotel Opera is on a quiet street in Lehel, in an old townhouse with a small courtyard where breakfast is served in summer. Rooms are furnished with antiques and heavy curtains, and no two are alike.
It is for travellers who love small, personal places and do not need a spa or restaurant. It is well suited to couples and anyone planning walks along the Isar and through the Englischer Garten. Marienplatz is fifteen minutes on foot or a few minutes by tram.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Opera
The building
The Charles from the outside.
By the main station: practical and surprisingly good
The area around the Hauptbahnhof is less pretty than the old town, but it holds several of the city's best-value hotels. Karlsplatz and the shopping streets are five minutes away, and airport trains leave from right here.
The Charles: big rooms by the Old Botanical Garden
The Charles Hotel overlooks the Old Botanical Garden, a few minutes from the station, with large rooms, pale colours and park views from many windows. It has a spa and one of the largest hotel pools in the centre.
This is our family pick, because the rooms are spacious, the pool rescues rainy days and the station is close by. It also suits business travellers and couples who want luxury away from the tourist streets. The old town is ten minutes' walk away.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at The Charles
The pool
The pool at Sofitel Bayerpost.
Sofitel Bayerpost: inside the old post office
Sofitel Munich Bayerpost occupies a large historic building beside the main station that once served as a post office. The facade is old, while inside it is modern, with a soaring atrium, spa and pool.
It suits travellers arriving by train or catching an early flight who want a comfortable hotel with a spa. Rooms are modern and quiet, but outside is a busy station district, lively around the clock. Marienplatz is five minutes away by S-Bahn.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Sofitel Bayerpost
The lobby
The lobby at 25hours The Royal Bavarian.
25hours The Royal Bavarian: regal and playful
25hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian sits directly opposite the main station, with a theme drawn from Bavaria's royal history, hunting lodges and the Alps. Rooms are colourful and full of detail, and the restaurant and bar are popular with locals too.
It gets our vote as the value pick, offering plenty of style and a very practical location for less than the old town. It is a good fit for friends and couples who like a hotel with a sense of humour. If you want classic calm and large rooms, choose The Charles instead.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at 25hours The Royal Bavarian
When to book
Oktoberfest: from late September to the first weekend of October the city is full and rates peak. Book very early or pick another week.
Christmas markets: from late November there are markets on Marienplatz and in several districts, and weekends fill quickly.
Summer and fairs: June to August brings beer gardens and life along the Isar, while major fairs can push up midweek rates at any time of year.
Our first choice in Munich
Bayerischer Hof
We recommend Hotel Bayerischer Hof because it puts you on Promenadeplatz, a few minutes from Marienplatz, in the city's grand society hotel. Restaurants, bars and a cinema share the same roof, and the rooftop spa looks out over the church towers. It suits couples and families who want a grand hotel in the centre.
Hotels in Munich: frequently asked questions
Where is the best area to stay in Munich?
The Altstadt around Marienplatz for a first visit. Lehel and Maximilianstrasse are calm and elegant, and the area by the main station is practical and often cheaper. Schwabing suits anyone who wants to stay near the Englischer Garten, with cafés, student life and a few minutes by U-Bahn into the centre.
Is it safe to stay near Munich Hauptbahnhof?
Yes, though it is a busy station district with plenty of traffic. The hotels there are good, and the old town is ten minutes' walk away. Choose a hotel on the side of the station facing the old town, so you avoid the busiest streets in the evening.
How expensive are Munich hotels during Oktoberfest?
Rates can be two or three times higher than usual, and many hotels require minimum stays. Book around six months ahead. Stay outside the centre on an S-Bahn line and you often pay less and still reach the Theresienwiese quickly.
How do you get from Munich airport to the city centre?
S-Bahn lines S1 and S8 run from the airport to the centre in about 40 minutes. Taxis are quicker but expensive. Buy your ticket from the machines at the airport. The Lufthansa Express Bus to the main station is an alternative with plenty of luggage. Choose a day ticket if you are travelling on the same day.
How many days do you need in Munich?
Two or three days cover the old town, the museums and the Englischer Garten. Add a day for a trip to the Alps or Neuschwanstein Castle. In winter the Christmas markets on Marienplatz are a good reason to add an extra day.