Advertisement

Top 10: the best hotels in Munich for Oktoberfest 2018

With its indie, out-of-place feel, the Flushing Meadows Hotel & Bar is no ordinary hotel.
With its indie, out-of-place feel, the Flushing Meadows Hotel & Bar is no ordinary hotel.

Munich’s Wiesn, otherwise known as the Oktoberfest (starts in late September), is trumpeted as the biggest beer festival in the world: there is the spectacular consumption from the seven million visitors, including hundreds of thousands of chickens and sausages, and, of course, the beer – seven million litres of it.

First, however, you need a good hotel. The golden rule for Oktoberfest is to book early – very early, or you’ll miss out. The Altstadt is convenient, packed with tourists, but generally the most expensive location. If, however, you opt for somewhere like Glockenbach, you get a hip quarter with bars and restaurants, while Munich’s fantastic transport system means that the city centre and the festival are always only a matter of minutes away.

Hotel Blauer Bock, Munich
Hotel Blauer Bock, Munich

Hotel Blauer Bock

Munich, Germany

7Telegraph expert rating

The Blauer Bock has an attractive, simple style that is in a way gently Bavarian but at the same time a kind of modest modern. There is nothing ostentatious or elaborate but lighter colours and woods provide a welcoming ambience. Under chef Hans Georg Bachmeier (also a local Bavarian television chef) the restaurant has gained high praise for its classical French (and occassional Bavarian) cuisine. There are few better locations: in the Altstadt, yards from Viktalienmarkt (the famous outdoor food market), a few steps from the Stadtmuseum and the impressively imposing new synagogue. Marienplatz S-Bahn and U-Bahn connections are a five-minute stroll. Read expert review From £75per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The best hotels in Munich

The Flushing Meadows Hotel & Bar, Munich, Germany
The Flushing Meadows Hotel & Bar, Munich, Germany

The Flushing Meadows Hotel & Bar

Munich, Germany

7Telegraph expert rating

With its indie, out-of-place feel, this is no ordinary Munich hotel – The Flushing Meadows’ more natural home might appear to be Berlin. Though owned by the people behind trendy bars and nightspots in the city, it doesn’t suffer from attempting to be a bit too cool for comfort. Each room has its own individual design, such as DJ Hell’s with a life-size skeleton band in a crevice under the ceiling, plus record player and selection of records. Surfer Quirin Rohleder installed a hammock and surfboard on the walls of his room. The wider Glockenbach quarter is a pretty hip place, with numerous interesting bars, cafés and restaurants. Read expert review From £151per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The best hotels in Germany

Anna Hotel

Munich, Germany

8Telegraph expert rating

From the moment guests enter Munich’s Anna Hotel, it’s clear that this is a self-consciously ‘design’ destination. The style can appear slightly brash, though it certainly never goes over the top. Strategically placed coloured lights contribute to a relaxed ambience, typified by the frequently encountered illuminated neon-like ‘a’ for Anna logo. All rooms in the hotel carry a similar pared-down design. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide good natural lighting, and views are shopping street scenes and/or the historic Karlsplatz, an entrance to the Altstadt. It’s located a few hundred metres from the main station. Read expert review From £144per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

Top 10: stylish Berlin hotels

Sofitel Munich Bayerpost, Munich, Germany
Sofitel Munich Bayerpost, Munich, Germany

Sofitel Munich Bayerpost

Munich, Germany

8Telegraph expert rating

A protected building, as its name suggests, the high-Renaissance-style Munich Bayerpost was once the city’s Royal Post Office. Constructed between 1896 and 1900, it continues to be an impressively imposing structure. The 400-plus-room hotel offers a lot, including historic and modern architecture, a very good restaurant and well-designed modern rooms. The spa facilities in the dedicated SoSPA suite are a real highlight, especially the swimming pool. The Oktoberfest’s Theresienwiese station is one U-Bahn stop away – to avoid the proverbial sardine-like trains and platforms, it’s a much more pleasant 10-minute walk. Read expert review From £195per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

Top 10: the best design hotels in Berlin

cocoon stachus
cocoon stachus

Cocoon Stachus

Munich, Germany

7Telegraph expert rating

Cocoon Stachus is all about fun design, with throwbacks to the 1960s and 1970s, lots of curves and reasonable prices – in short, an affordable hotel with heart. Very much a designer hotel, it nevertheless doesn’t take itself too seriously. The exterior of the slightly dour post-war building is brightened by large green Cocoon brand signage and the advice to ‘check-in, chill-out’. It’s located on Adolf-Kopling-Strasse, which, while not the most eye-catching of Munich’s streets, is two minutes from the main station and Karlsplatz Stachus. The Theresienwiese, home of the Oktoberfest, is a 10-minute stroll away. Read expert review From £101per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The best budget hotels in Berlin

H’Otello / B’01 München, Munich
H’Otello / B’01 München, Munich

H’Otello / B’01 München

Munich, Germany

8Telegraph expert rating

Yasemin Loher Interiors have used high-quality materials, with light colours and oak at this design-led hotel, which sits near a crossing point of streets just outside the Altstadt and a few minutes from the trendy Glockenbach quarter. Design elements include framing décor in the bar and lobby area with eye-catching brass frames; walls with tasteful carpet-like material covers; and Seventies-style sofas, stools and lamps – though highly modern, all H’Otellos joyously look back to the 1960s and 1970s without getting anywhere near kitschy. During the Oktoberfest expect a traditional Lebkuchen (gingerbread) heart on your bed instead of the usual chocolate as a welcome. Read expert review From £90per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

Top 10: the best Berlin hotels near Alexanderplatz

Platzl Hotel Munich
Platzl Hotel Munich

Platzl Hotel

Munich, Germany

9Telegraph expert rating

The Platzl Hotel is one of a kind in the Munich hotel landscape. It joyfully plays on its long history and Bavarian identity but in recent years has also developed into a high-class, modern hotel. It has a fantastic restaurant and traditional Wirtshaus (restaurant-pub). The lobby area, replete with dark woods and Loden textiles, is relaxed and its accompanying bar (open until 1am) is a place to linger before and after dinner. Situated in the Altstadt, a couple of minutes from Marienplatz (with numerous S-Bahns and U-Bahns), Platzl is yards from the famous Hofbräuhaus. The Alter Hof, the city’s first royal palace, is a minute away. Read expert review From £130per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

Top 10: the best boutique hotels in Berlin

Euro Youth Hotel Munich
Euro Youth Hotel Munich

Euro Youth Hotel Munich

Munich, Germany

7Telegraph expert rating

Euro Youth Hotel’s owners have built its reputation as a very good, uncomplicated hostel. It’s well kept, clean and there’s a sense of pride in the atmosphere. Though it can get lively, it is not a ‘party hostel’, and owners favour small groups and loyal visitors for Oktoberfest stays. Most rooms sleep three to five, four to five (with an en-suite) or 10 to 12 (shared hallway bathroom). They are – as expected – simply furnished with bunks and single beds, tables, chairs, hand basins and safes. Private rooms are also available. Its location across from the main train station has the obvious advantage of convenience. It is situated along a typical, fairly busy city-centre side street. Visitors can take trams, U-Bahns and S-Bahns to just about anywhere in the city from here. Read expert review From £13per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The best hotels in Berlin

hotel stadt rosenheim, munich, germany
hotel stadt rosenheim, munich, germany

Hotel Stadt Rosenheim

Munich, Germany

8Telegraph expert rating

It’s been something of an independent-minded hotel since opening in 1890, survived the war and retained its family ownership. A protected building whose neo-Renaissance façade is striking; inside, the staircase has its original bannisters. Wallpaper dates to the 1960s, but don’t let this fool you; this is a stylish, design-led but decidedly independent hotel. Rooms mix high-end designer names with local Munich favourites, and might feature an Eames chair, Ochio lamps or a Maarten Van Severen table. Guests with an eye for detail will recognise the subtle creative efforts and overall quality. It’s within walking distance of the countless bars, restaurants, clubs, independent shops and late-19th-century (Gründerzeit) architecture that makes this area so exciting. Read expert review From £87per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The best hotels in Cologne

Motel One München - Deutsches Museum
Motel One München - Deutsches Museum

Motel One München - Deutsches Museum

Munich, Germany

7Telegraph expert rating

Staying here is a relatively cheap way of ensuring a night or two in a decent, well-looked after hotel. The design revolves around curvaceous seating, leather chairs, open-plan spaces and turquoises and light browns, resulting in a relatively relaxed ambience. There is something of a hotel chain feel – but regular visitors appreciate its familiarity and consistency. Rooms are smart, but not elaborate. Each has a television, a couple of USB charging ports, small table and chair, and a box-spring bed. The best views are facing the Deutsches Museum and the Isar River, with the cityscape in the near distance. As the hotel’s name suggests, the Deutsches Museum (the most visited museum in Germany) is six or seven minutes away, as are the incomparable Müller’sches Jugendstil swimming baths. Read expert review From £71per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com

The best hotels in Frankfurt