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Where to stay in Munich

The best areas to stay in Munich

The Old Town by Marienplatz, the main station near the Oktoberfest grounds, Maxvorstadt and Schwabing, Haidhausen, the airport, and Garmisch for the Alps. Here is where to stay in Munich, with honest advice on what a night costs, where to sleep for Oktoberfest and the Christmas market, and which areas are easy for a first visit.

By the Best Travel Destinations editorial team Hotels checked 28 October 2026

Compare the 6 areas
The Frauenkirche towers above the red roofs of Munich's Old Town, with Marienplatz below
Short answer

For a first visit, the best area to stay in Munich is the Old Town around Marienplatz, or the area by the main train station, where the airport trains stop. For Oktoberfest, the hotels by the main station are 10 to 15 minutes’ walk from the festival grounds. For the Christmas market, stay in the Old Town: the main market is on Marienplatz.

The best areas to stay in Munich, compared

AreaBest forNearest sightsGetting around
Old Town (Altstadt) A first visit on foot Marienplatz, the Hofbräuhaus, the Isartor gate Marienplatz station has the U3, U6 and every S-Bahn line
Main station (Hauptbahnhof) Day trips by train, Oktoberfest, a late or early flight The Theresienwiese (Oktoberfest grounds), Stachus The S1 and S8 airport trains stop here; about 40 minutes to the airport
Maxvorstadt & Schwabing Art museums, the English Garden, a quieter stay Königsplatz, the Alte Pinakothek, the English Garden Flemings is near the Münchner Freiheit subway stop; the airport bus stops in Schwabing
Haidhausen & Au The Deutsches Museum, good-value rooms The Deutsches Museum, the Prinzregententheater Holiday Inn is above the Rosenheimer Platz S-Bahn station; Motel One is near the Ostbahnhof
Munich Airport (Hallbergmoos) A late arrival or an early flight None nearby: the city is about 40 minutes by S-Bahn My Minga is linked to a rail station; the others are a short drive to the terminals
Garmisch-Partenkirchen The Zugspitze and a few days in the mountains The Zugspitze railway, the Kurpark Trains run from Munich every hour; the Zugspitze railway starts by the station

Every hotel in Munich on Trip.com

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Area 1 of 6

The Old Town (Altstadt): steps from Marienplatz

The Old Town is the best area for a first visit, because most sights are a short walk away. Marienplatz station has the U3 and U6 subway lines and all S-Bahn lines from S1 to S8.

Platzl Hotel is steps from the Hofbräuhaus. Hotel Torbräu sits right next to the Isartor gate. Hotel Concorde is in Lehel, about 6 minutes on foot from Marienplatz.

A hotel near Marienplatz in Munich

Trip.com shows each hotel’s live price, which changes every day, so we print none here.

Platzl Hotel is about 0.1 miles from Marienplatz. The Mercure Hotel Muenchen Altstadt is a good-value 3-star hotel, about 500 feet from the Marienplatz subway and S-Bahn station.

Keep in mind
From 20 November to 24 December 2026, the Christmas market fills Marienplatz.
A cobbled lane between old stone buildings in the center of Munich

Our picks in Old Town (Altstadt)

Area 2 of 6

The main station (Hauptbahnhof): trains, the airport and Oktoberfest

Stay by the main station if you plan day trips by train or have an early flight. The S1 and S8 trains to the airport stop here, with a train about every 10 minutes. The ride takes about 40 minutes.

See how the airport trains run for tickets and the other ways into the city.

Wombat’s City Hostel has dorms and private double rooms, next to the station. Sofitel Munich Bayerpost has a spa and an indoor pool.

A Munich hotel near the train station

Sofitel Munich Bayerpost is about 550 feet from Munich Central Station. Numa Munich Ludwigsvorstadt is about 750 feet away. Hotel Cocoon is a compact design hotel, a few minutes’ walk from the station.

Keep in mind
Oktoberfest 2027 runs from 18 September to 3 October, so book early for those dates.
The bronze Bavaria statue with a lion, above the Theresienwiese in Munich

Our picks in Main station (Hauptbahnhof)

Area 3 of 6

Maxvorstadt and Schwabing: museums and the English Garden

Maxvorstadt suits museum lovers. Ruby Lilly is about 0.5 miles from Königsplatz and 0.8 miles from the Alte Pinakothek. Hotel Europa is a good-value Art Deco hotel with a garden on the same street.

Schwabing is close to the English Garden. Flemings Hotel is a short walk from the park. Bob W has apartments with kitchens, near Luitpold Park.

The airport bus runs from Schwabing (Nordfriedhof) to the airport in about 25 minutes.

Keep in mind
Bob W names no subway stop, so check the walk before you book.
The round Monopteros temple among autumn trees in the English Garden in Munich

Our picks in Maxvorstadt & Schwabing

Area 4 of 6

Haidhausen and the Au: near the Deutsches Museum

Haidhausen and the Au are good for the Deutsches Museum. The Holiday Inn Munich City Centre sits right above the Rosenheimer Platz S-Bahn station. It is about 1,350 feet from the museum.

Hotel München Palace has a spa, about 1,250 feet from the Prinzregententheater. Motel One is a good-value design hotel near the Ostbahnhof. Marias Platzl is a small hotel with a restaurant on Mariahilfplatz.

The S8 airport train runs through the Ostbahnhof.

Keep in mind
Pick a hotel by the Rosenheimer Platz or Ostbahnhof stations for the fastest trains.
A stone statue in front of the Maximilianeum, the Bavarian parliament building in Munich

Our picks in Haidhausen & Au

Area 5 of 6

Munich Airport hotels

Stay by the airport only for a late arrival or an early flight. All four of our picks are in Hallbergmoos, a town near the airport.

From the airport, the S1 and S8 trains reach the main station in about 40 minutes.

Hotels close to Munich Airport in Hallbergmoos

Premier Inn München Airport Süd is about a 10-minute drive from the airport. B&B Hotel München-Airport is a good-value hotel with free parking. Prize by Radisson serves breakfast from 5:30 a.m. My Minga Airport has serviced apartments, linked to a rail station near the airport.

Keep in mind
Only one hotel names a rail link, so check how you reach the terminal before you book.
A moving walkway in a bright terminal hall at Munich Airport

Our picks in Munich Airport (Hallbergmoos)

Area 6 of 6

Garmisch-Partenkirchen: a base for the Alps

Stay in Garmisch-Partenkirchen if the Alps are the main reason for your trip. It is its own town, not part of Munich. Trains run there from Munich every hour.

The cog railway to the Zugspitze starts by Garmisch station. HENRI Country House is a short walk from both. Obermühle is a family-run resort from 1634 with a garden facing the Zugspitze. Hotel Rheinischer Hof has an indoor pool.

Only going for one day? Our day trips from Munich cover the Zugspitze and the castles.

Hotel Zugspitze in Garmisch

Hotel Zugspitze is in the center of Garmisch, on Klammstraße. It has a spa and an indoor pool, about 750 feet from the Kurpark.

Keep in mind
The Zugspitze is fully closed 9 to 13, 16 to 20 and 23 to 26 November 2026.
Rocky Alpine peaks above Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the morning light

Our picks in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

More hotels in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Trip.com →

Trip.com’s list of every hotel in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, with live prices.

Oktoberfest accommodation in Munich

For Oktoberfest, stay by the main station: it is the closest of our areas to the festival grounds. Oktoberfest 2027 runs from 18 September to 3 October on the Theresienwiese.

Book your room as soon as you know your dates. Most beer tents open table bookings for 2027 by spring, in April or May at the latest.

Our guide to Oktoberfest tickets and tables explains what you can book ahead.

Hotels near Oktoberfest in Munich

Wombat’s City Hostel is about a 10-minute walk from the Oktoberfest grounds. Hotel Cocoon and Numa Munich Ludwigsvorstadt are both within a 15-minute walk of the Theresienwiese.

Where to stay for the Christmas market

For the Christmas market, stay in the Old Town. The main market is on Marienplatz and the Rindermarkt, from 20 November to 24 December 2026.

The Tollwood winter festival is on the Theresienwiese, from 24 November to 23 December 2026. A hotel by the main station is close to it.

See our guide to the Christmas markets in Munich for times and tours.

Munich hotel prices: what a 4-star night costs

In the 2026 Munich Travel Cost Study, Google’s top-listed 4-star hotels in Munich had a median price of €121 per room per night for 2 adults, across 22 nights from November 2026 to September 2027, Oktoberfest and trade-fair nights included.

Top-listed hotels may cost more than the average 4-star hotel, and prices jump during big events.

We list no prices for single hotels, because they change every day. Trip.com shows the live ones.

Your first day from the hotel

From an Old Town hotel, most Munich walk tours start a few minutes away on Marienplatz.

All S-Bahn lines, S1 to S8, stop at Marienplatz, so the main station hotels are close too.

Tips before you book

A few checks save trouble once you arrive.

  • For an early flight, pick a hotel by the main station or the Ostbahnhof, where the airport trains stop.
  • Book early for Oktoberfest (18 September to 3 October 2027) and for the Christmas market weeks.
  • Check the hotel’s own cancellation terms on Trip.com before you pay.
  • For the Zugspitze in November 2026, check the closure dates before you book in Garmisch.

Questions people ask about where to stay in Munich

Where should I stay in Munich for the first time?
Stay in the Old Town around Marienplatz, or by the main train station. Most sights are a walk from the Old Town. The airport trains stop at the main station.

Where should I stay in Munich during Oktoberfest?
Stay by the main station (Hauptbahnhof). Wombat’s City Hostel is about a 10-minute walk from the festival grounds. Hotel Cocoon and Numa are within a 15-minute walk.

Where should I stay in Munich for the Christmas market?
Stay in the Old Town. The main Christmas market is on Marienplatz, from 20 November to 24 December 2026.

Where should I stay near Neuschwanstein?
Most visitors stay in Munich and go as a day trip. If you go on your own, the castle advises arriving in Hohenschwangau 1.5 to 2 hours before your entry time. See our Neuschwanstein tours from Munich.

Where should I stay in Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
Stay in the center, near the train station. HENRI Country House is a short walk from the station and the Zugspitze railway. Hotel Zugspitze is about 750 feet from the Kurpark.

Where should I stay in Berchtesgaden?
We list no hotels there. Berchtesgaden is about 3 hours from Munich by train, with one change. The Eagle’s Nest is closed after the October 2026 fire.

Hotels checked on Trip.com on 28 October 2026: each link opened in the browser and showed the hotel, rated 8.0 or higher there. The scores and review counts shown are from that day. We list no hotel prices because they change daily; Trip.com shows the live ones.

Sources (18), facts checked on 28 October 2026

Written by the Best Travel Destinations editorial team.