The capital of Bavaria, Munich, is Germany's third largest city and is known worldwide for its famous celebration of Bavarian culture - the annual Oktoberfest.
Situated along the banks of the River Isar, Munich is full of interesting historical sites, cultural attractions and beautiful architecture that attract visitors from all over the world seeking fun and adventure in the German city. Munich is home to many students and, along with an immigrant population, has been enriched with a deeper culture over the centuries. Delicious food and drinks are served from all over the world in small street cafés, along the river banks and in upscale restaurants. As night falls, Munich's bars and clubs heat up: they are well known for their liveliness and attract those looking for a fun night of dancing.
Munich's most important districts
Altstadt - 2. Maxvorstadt - 3. Ludwigsvorstadt - 4. Isarvorstadt - 5. Haidhausen - 6. Schwabing
The city is also well connected by public transport with an extensive tram network, as well as the famous U-Bahn and S-Bahn, underground and high-speed train network. Hotels can be reasonably priced with some great accommodation options available for all budgets, so to help you plan where to stay in Munich, we've rounded up the best districts in the city.
Altstadt (Old Town)
The centre of Munich, Altstadt, is a beautiful old town that attracts visitors with its historical architecture and pleasant streets.
Altstadt is more expensive than other districts further from the city centre and hotels can be more expensive, but if you can afford to stretch your budget it is one of the best places to stay in Munich. You can spend your time in the Altstadt exploring the old streets, admiring the interesting architecture and doing some shopping.
The central Marienplatz in the Altstadt attracts visitors with its Gothic architecture along with the Frauenkirche cathedral, which is a Munich landmark, and St Peter's church. The area is also home to the Chinesischer Turm: the second largest beer garden in the city. The accommodation, although at the upper end of many people's budgets, is excellent and right in the middle of many of the big tourist sites. Being central also means excellent connections to Munich's public transport system.
Best Places to Stay in Altstadt
luxury
Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski - With its elegant, traditional and historic interior, this hotel boasts a restaurant serving local Bavarian dishes, as well as a sophisticated cocktail bar. If you want a good view of Munich, head up to the spa or the rooftop pool. This luxury hotel's understated and elegant rooms are comfortable and decorated in warm earth tones; some feature seating areas and fine artwork. You will find Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski next to the Hofgarten park and the nearest S-Bahn is nearby.
Bayerischer Hof - The lobby of the Bayerischer Hof is what will impress you first; it is very impressive with its glass dome and straight-backed luxury.', 'This 5-star hotel boasts a range of dining options, including an incredible 3-Michelin-starred restaurant and cosy bar, an in-house cinema and a gym with an adjoining spa. The rooms have been decorated with various themes in mind - from colonial to cosmopolitan - and have fantastic views of the city.
midrange
Hotel Torbräu - This historic hotel is located on the corner of Marienplatz, very close to the Residence Theatre and the Isartor. The rooms of this 4-star hotel are comfortable and decorated in warm tones and classic furnishings for an overall feeling of contemporary elegance. The hotel is family-run and the restaurant serves local products. There is also a quiet bar on site. The nearby S-Bahn station is only a few steps away from the Hotel Torbräu's doorstep.
Platzl Hotel - Staying at this hotel means enjoying homemade beers and Bavarian dishes in the pub and beer garden for a real taste of Munich. This place also has a traditional, rustic restaurant with a vaulted ceiling. After enjoying your meal, you can return to your room, complete with wooden floors, wooden furniture, large windows and oversized beds. The hotel has a gym and sauna and an exotic-themed wellness centre, where you can rent a bicycle to get around Munich at your own pace.
budget
Hotel Schlicker - Part of the city's heritage - housed in a building dating back to 1534 - this hotel has been run by the same family for over 100 years! Located within walking distance of the iconic Glockenspiel at Marienplatz, the rooms are traditionally decorated and comfortably furnished. A rich and healthy breakfast buffet is served each morning in the breakfast room.
Maxvorstadt
Known as 'the brain of Munich', Maxvorstadt is close to the university and is the ideal starting point for visiting Munich and exploring its many art galleries and museums. Its location close to the city's universities means that there are many cheap accommodation options and a wide range of cuisine available. The cultural Maxvorstadt is a lively meeting place for the city's creative types and academics, and its streets are often filled with young people.
Munich's museum quarter, Königsplatz, is located in the district, with neoclassical architecture and a plethora of history to explore in the many museums. The large three-arched Siegestor Gate is an interesting place to discover in this area. And at night, lively bars and cafés open up around Schellingstraße and the surrounding streets and you can have a lot of fun eating and hanging out with the locals. Public transport is easy to reach in the area, but many of Munich's most important destinations are also within easy walking distance!
Best places to stay in Maxvorstadt
midrange
Hotel Europa - A quiet option in a central location, the Hotel Europa is a bit of an oasis in the city. For added convenience, there is a tram stop just outside the door of this 4-star hotel.
Eden Hotel Wolff - Eden Hotel Wolff is a good choice if a convenient location is important to you; it is right across the street from the central train station and is housed in a large historical building. The rooms are decorated with natural fabrics, light wood furniture, wood-panelled walls and exposed brickwork for an elegant yet understated stay, and feature elegant bathrooms. For a taste of the city, there is a traditional Bavarian restaurant on site, as well as a cosy bar. Guests can also relax in the rooftop sauna.
budget
Hotel Alfa Zentrum - With modern, simple rooms and a mix of modern and traditional décor, the Hotel Alfa Zentrum is a good place to stay for the budget-minded. This 3-star hotel is just a five-minute walk from Munich Central Station. A breakfast buffet is served each morning and the on-site bar is open 24 hours a day and offers a selection of drinks. Both Marienplatz and the Oktoberfest grounds are within walking distance.
Ludwigsvorstadt
If you are visiting Munich for the Oktoberfest, Ludwigsvorstadt is the area to stay in. One of the city's main destinations, Ludwigsvorstadt is located south of Munich Central Station and is easy to reach if you arrive in the city by train. Most visitors to Munich will head to the famous Theresienwiese for the Oktoberfest, which is a big celebration of Bavarian culture; for three weeks in October, people travel here to drink beer, eat delicious food and have a lot of fun.
Most of the accommodation in the area is located around the Hauptbahnhof, which has been labelled as the little Istanbul for its many cafes and Middle Eastern shops that give the area a strong multicultural feel. The area is the mainstay of Munich's immigrant population and although there is a quieter side, it remains safe. Ludwigsvorstadt is well connected to Munich's public transport system with many U-Bahns, S-Bahns and trams throughout the area, making it easy to travel around the city.
Best Places to Stay in Ludwigsvorstadt
midrange
Maritim Hotel München - This 4-star hotel has modern, well-equipped rooms decorated with dark wood panelling and elegant floor-to-ceiling windows; some also have separate lounge areas. The hotel has a large indoor pool located on the rooftop with panoramic views of the city, a fitness centre to keep up with your workout, and a hotel bar and restaurant. The Oktoberfest park is a 10-minute walk away and Munich Central Station is within walking distance of the hotel.
budget
Europäischer Hof - Located in a historic building, the Europäischer Hof is a simple option where guests can enjoy a quiet stay in modern rooms with large, comfortable beds, spacious bathrooms and a modern, relaxed decor.
Isarvorstadt
Isarvorstadt is a more residential area than the neighbouring Ludwigsvorstadt, but the relaxed atmosphere of the place means interesting streets, great restaurants and a fun nightlife. Discover the beautiful scenery of Gärtnerplatz, a square with cosy cafés and restaurants, and then catch a show at the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, Munich's theatre district. The area is also home to Munich's gay scene with most of the city's gay bars and clubs located along Müllerstrasse.
There is less accommodation here, but some cheaper hotels can be found here than in the more touristy neighbourhoods; however, the fancier hotels inevitably cost more euros. Being central also means that Isarvorstadt has excellent public transport connections and many of Munich's tourist hotspots are within a 30-minute walk.
Where to stay in Isarvorstadt
Hotel Admiral - This traditional yet cosy boutique hotel is all about its Old World feel, with antique furniture and classic decorations, including neoclassical paintings and Baroque-inspired design details. There is a charming sunny garden, perfect for enjoying breakfast in the summer months. As for location, it is only a five-minute walk to the Deutsches Museum and the Hofbrauhaus brewery.
Hotel Herzog München - This hotel boasts a fantastic location in Munich to experience the Oktoberfest fun; the festival park is only 500 metres away. The hotel is located on Goetheplatz, very close to an underground station. At the Hotel Herzog München, there is a beautiful oasis-like garden for guests, surrounded by trees and water features. The rooms are compact yet contemporary, with rain showers and the option of a room with a balcony.
Haidhausen
If you're in Munich for a party, then you should stay in Haidhausen, the district around Munich East train station is famous in the city for its clubs. The Kultfabrik is the place to go for nightlife and is full of bars and clubs offering a lively night out. The neighbouring Optimolwerke also has its own nightlife scene, with more restaurants and bars to spend the evening eating and drinking.
In addition to the noisy nightlife, there are plenty of cafés along the river Isar, as well as picturesque side streets where one can discover old houses that have barely been touched for centuries. The area is a residential district where many of the city's young people live and commute to work - this means that it is a great place to live like a local in Munich, and excellent accommodation can be found here at a good price. Besides the fun of staying in Haidhausen, it is easy to explore the rest of Munich from here, as it is easy to get to the city centre by S-Bahn and U-Bahn.
Best places to stay in Haidhausen
midrange
Novotel München City - Recently refurbished, this Munich Novotel boasts spacious, neutral-toned bedrooms, featuring eye-catching artwork and soundproofed for a more peaceful night's sleep. In this 4-star offering, guests will find a swimming pool and a chic wellness centre, as well as a fitness centre, a bar and a modern restaurant with a lively atmosphere. Bicycles can be rented from the hotel and there is an S-Bahn station within walking distance.
budget
Motel One München - This large, modern, purpose-built hotel is spotlessly clean and has comfortable rooms. Motel One München has a lounge bar, where a breakfast buffet is served every morning, but drinks and snacks are available all day.
Nymphenburg
If you want to spend some time lying down and relaxing during your stay in Munich, then you should stay in Nymphenburg. Further away from the city centre, but still well connected to the public transport network by tram, Nymphenburg is a quieter area of the German city. However, it is here that you will find the famous Nymphenburg Palace, which is one of the city's main attractions but still remains quiet due to its distance from the centre; you can also spend time in nature at the city's botanical garden nearby.
Although Nymphenburg is an oasis of tranquillity in an otherwise bustling metropolis, it is here that you will find the city's largest brewery with a capacity of over 8,000 people! The Königlicher Hirschgarten is very popular during Oktoberfest, but it is open all year round and is a great place to sip a cold beer amidst the wildlife near the deer park, and to enjoy delicious food served in one of the many restaurants, because in this less central area there are fewer hotels to choose from, but what is on offer is often family-friendly, clean and modern.
Where to stay in Nymphenburg
midrange
Leonardo Hotel Munich City Olympiapark - With 196 rooms, this spacious hotel has an open concept lobby with artwork by an Austrian artist. The bar and restaurant are located in the lobby. The nicely sized, bright and carpeted rooms of the Leonardo Hotel Munich City Olympiapark enjoy a beautiful view of the city and are equipped with soft beds and armchairs. As for location, this 4-star hotel is only a five-minute walk away from the Olympiapark.
Schwabing
The Lively Schwabing is the place to stay in Munich if you like to hang out in trendy cafés and drink craft beer. Leopoldstraße is the district's main street, famous for its attractive architecture, cafés and local shopping, and together with the Hohenzollernstraße teeming with life, forms the two main streets where all the action in the district takes place. There are also great shopping opportunities at the Elisabethmarkt in West-Schwabing.
The area is known for being the home of great thinkers such as the famous writer Thomas Mann and the revolutionary communist leader Vladimir Lenin. Today, the district has a bourgeois, diverse and out-of-the-ordinary atmosphere and offers a mix of Bavarian and metropolitan life. Schwabing has good U-Bahn connections with stations throughout the district and tram connections.
Best Places to Stay in Schwabing
midrange
Rilano Hotel München - Surrounded by office buildings and close to a shopping centre with supermarkets and restaurants, this hotel is a quiet, contemporary option. The rooms in this 4-star offering are all characterised by clean lines, simple style and a calm colour palette. There is a restaurant with grill and seafood, and guests can enjoy an evening drink at the bar, or coffee and snacks from the cafeteria. The hotel has comfortable lounges in which to relax and a conference centre.
Fleming's Hotel München-Schwabing - This small hotel features comfortable, understated rooms with dark wood details and modern, functional furnishings. There is an on-site restaurant and a beer garden, perfect in the summer months. Guests can also make use of the compact fitness centre and sauna.
