The Best Hotels in Munich

Dubbed the city of 'laptops and lederhosen' for its rich heritage and cutting edge modernity, Munich offers the best of both worlds. The city has some of the most impressive architecture in Europe and arguably the best cultural scene in Germany with a superb array of galleries, theaters, and museums. With top-notch shopping, restaurants, and a lively nightlife, Munich lacks none of the essentials either. Add to the mix its annual Oktoberfest beer festival, and you've got a village-like city that's always pulsing.

Things to see

Otherwise known as ‘The Cathedral of Our Blessed Lady’, Frauenkirche is an architectural masterpiece. Built in the Gothic style, the church’s distinctive twin towers dominate the city’s skyline. From atop them, visitors can look over magnificent views of Munich and the Bavarian Alps beyond. For yet more splendor, look to Marienplatz. The city center’s square since 1158, Marienplatz’s centerpiece is the New City Hall and its Glockenspiel. Every day, the ornate clock’s animated characters perform jousts and dances. You can’t go to Munich without visiting a beer hall. The historic Hofbräuhaus brewery is one of the best, with its warm atmosphere, lively entertainment, and hearty food. As a hangover cure, visit Munich’s lush 910 acre English Garden. With creeks, lakes, lawns, and flowers, the park also has several beer gardens – should the hair of the dog be your cure. South west of the city center you’ll find Theresienwiese, the site of the famed Oktoberfest.

Hotels in Munich

There’s an excellent choice of hotels in Munich to suit all budgets. For those after deluxe and decadence, the city caters particularly well. Classic 5-star luxury comes adorned with rococo flair and chandeliers, whilst more contemporary alternatives offer state-of-the-art interior design and slick facilities. The mid-range hotels come in similar guises of old and new, all offering the usual creature comforts you might expect, such as flat screen televisions and WiFi. There are also plenty of unique B&Bs and comfy guesthouses offering a thriftier stay.

Where to stay

Many visitors opt for a hotel in Munich’s attractive city center. Altstadt, or old town in German, is the historic heart of the cosmopolitan city. Here you’ll find many of the city’s main attractions, along with some fantastic shopping. Situated to the north of the city, trendy Schwabing is the place to be for many of Munich’s residents. Drawing in the arty, high cultured crowd, the tree-lined boulevards are a haven of galleries, breezy sidewalk cafés, specialty restaurants, and luxury boutiques. Isarvorstadt is a particularly lively area of the city, with plenty of pubs, bars, and clubs and an anything-goes attitude.

How to get to

Franz Josef Strauss International Airport is the main gateway into the region for most city breakers. Located 18 miles from the city, the S-Bahn train network whisks passengers straight from the airport into Central Station in the city’s center. Trains are cheap, leave frequently, and take around 40 minutes. Similarly priced buses go between the airport and the city center, though can take a little longer. From Central Station connections to the rest of the city can be easily made, again via the underground train network. The station also sees trains arrive and depart from other German cities, as well as major destinations throughout Europe.

When are the best times to travel to Munich?

Visit Munich in late September and early October to take part in Oktoberfest, the city’s enormous annual beer and Bavarian culture festival. After the festival ends, and autumn truly sets in, Munich hotel rates drop. In December, Munich transforms into a winter wonderland of Christmas markets and cosy taverns, while the hot summer months are ideal for al fresco dining and sunny strolls through lush public parks and the historic Old Town. Munich’s wealth of galleries and museums can be enjoyed any time of year – and spring boasts discount hotels.

What are the top must-see attractions in Munich?

For truly regal architecture, amble through the immaculate Nymphenburg Palace grounds – pristine statue-studded lawns surrounding the royal Palace, a 17th-century Baroque masterpiece of red tiled roofs and gold embossed facades. If you’re after more royal regalia, visit the Munich Residenz, in the city centre. This vast structure – with a history dating back to the 14th century – offers an ensemble of courtyards and sheer white stone facades. The New Town Hall, on the other hand, is an imposing 19th-century building championing a spiky, highly detailed Gothic design.

What are the best types of food and restaurants in Munich?

Munich celebrates Bavarian cuisine – think hearty soups, roasted meats, wholesome vegetables and plenty of rich sausage, all washed down with a refreshing glass of wheat beer. For truly traditional Bavarian restaurants, check out the Old Town, and the bohemian Schwabing area. As a cosmopolitan city, Munich also offers plenty of international cuisine – from Ethiopian restaurants to Chinese takeaways. There are a great many Italian restaurants speckled across the city, too. For fine dining, either visit the luxury hotels in Munich, or eat in the Maxvorstadt area.

What are the top things to do in Munich?

Science buffs and fun seeking families should visit the Deutsches Museum, a centre of science and technology, housed in an enormous waterfront 18th-century building. See hands-on aerospace, chemistry and geology exhibits. For some fresh air, take a stroll around the lush English Garden, a sprawling pavilion-studded public park, dotted with shimmering lakes, leafy trees and even an open air theatre. In the nearby village of Hohenschwangau, see the Neuschwanstein Castle, a fairytale-like Romanesque Revival palace of white spires and towering turrets.

What are some fun facts about Munich?

The name Munich, or Munchen, comes from the old High German word Munichen, which roughly translates to “by the place of the monks” – the city was originally founded by Benedictine monks, going back as far as 1158. Munich’s known for hosting the annual Oktoberfest – despite the name, the festival actually begins in September, and ends the first Sunday of October. And it certainly is popular, attracting over 6 million visitors across its total run.

What kinds of public transport are there in Munich?

Travel in Munich is a breeze as the city offers an abundance of public transport, consisting of the S Bahn overground trains and the U Bahn central underground trains. There are also streetcars, and an extensive bus network. You can get just about anywhere you need to go on Munich’s public transport – purchase day tickets or a weekly IsaCard pass to save on fares. In summer, cycling is a popular mode of transport, with plenty of cycle paths spread across the city.