HOTEL EXQUISITE VS EUROSTARS GRAND CENTRAL VS ANNA HOTELS IN MUNICH
 

Hi!
I need a Munich expert!!
We have quoted these 3 hotels for our 4 night stay in Munich at the end of November 2010.
My question is which of these hotels do you think will be better to visit the city, this is our first time in Munich.

Usually, we stay at 3 or 4**, we like either classic, trendy with some charm. I have read that at night the historic center gets pretty quiet at night, therefore what are your thoughts about staying in another neighborhood? something more lively and upscale? do you have any other hotel suggestions or if any of the above will be fine.
We are planning to visit museums, 1 side trips, do some shopping or window shopping, xmas market, nice dinner etc.

We also checked Torbrau and Platz but the rates are higher for those dates.

Any input will be much appreciated, we have to book soon, leaving on the 19th

I strongly recommend Anna hotel. In 2007 we stayed in their fantastic renovated rooms (180 euro per night) and returned to stay at their grand circular suites for 220 euro per night. The higher the floor the better, preferably the 5 or 4 th floor, avoid the the second and third floor rooms which I believe are not renovated or only partially renovated with small 13 inch TVs instead of the 42 inch flat TVs. The high floors have views over the neighboring rooftops.The location is excellent facing the lively Stachus/Karlsplatz right across the street from the old town city gate, so you can stroll the old town. Nice cafe/restaurant below on the ground floor. It is also 2 blocks west of the train station on the best side of the station area. Easy acces to the trains and 7 am bus tour for the dream castles Neuschwanstein,Linderhof, etc. The only complaint anyone can make about this hotel is the tiny lobby, it looks more like a concierge desk rather than a grand lobby. Some complained about no view on the lower floors and noise from the buzzing restaurant bar on the ground floor, but we didn't hear anything on the higher floors. High quality furnishing and materials, great value for the location.

Typo: it is 2 blocks east of the station ( not west)

I looked at the other 2 hotels and based on location, I would not like the Eurostars Grand for being too far to walk to oldtown plus the immediate area is rather boring and somewhat undesirable except for the Augustiner beer hall. Ther are plenty of other beer halls and beer garden in the old town around all the main attractions. I enjoyed being able to walk to Marienplatz instead of taking the metro. The Exquisite is close to the Sendlinger Tor but a bit too far from the train station. The worst area is south of the station and the Exqusite is southeast of the station. So I would still pick Anna hotel over the other two.

Thank you DAX, so for you it will be Anna #1 and would you put Exquisite at #2?
I check the trip advisor and for some reason the Exquisite comes in #5 and the Anna at #7.

I will contact the Anna and make sure that the offer that we have is for a renovated and higher floor room.

how about the Torbrau and Platz?

DAX

Are you there?

Hotel Anna has offered a double design room on the 4th level, we will joined by our 16 year old niece.
They tell me they can place a bed there, do you think it will be too crowded?

On the other hand Exquisit and Eurostars have quoted a suite for almost the same price, what would you do?

Thanks

IF you don't mind the 70's style interior of the Exquisit, then you should go for more space and privacy in their one bedroom suite. It is not a bad area and equidistant to Marienplatz as the Anna, but a bit of a walk to the station if you plan to take the 7 am-7pm castle tour bus. Not a big deal if you're going out of Munich only once.

The Anna hotel is more of a contemporary & comfortable "home away from home" with a low key concierge desk at the entry to check you in and out. We enjoyed having our breakfast in the very popular restaurant on the ground floor, it has more of a local community and youthful organic feel to it, less isolated/boring than the typical hotel breakfast hall. It helped set the right tone for our stay as we don't like the older 70's style. The restaurant and bar get really busy in the evening full of young professionals when we stopped for drinks and snacks before we went out to dinner. There is a good serious wine bar across the street from the restaurant.

The double room we had on the fifth floor was generously spacious with ceiling to floor glass window yet very private and quiet, it should fit an extra bed comfortably. Nevertheless you would be sacrificing couple's privacy with your niece there. I remember it was bright with a big flat screen, light wood floor, design bathroom. The double room won't cause a wow like the suite we had on the sixth floor. The hotel is shaped like a narrow long triangle, our double room was on the long south side against a boring modern wall (but perfectly fine for us) while the other (slightly better view) long side faces what used to be the largest dept store in Munich called Hertie. If you arrive by air, just take the S bahn from the airport to get off at Karlsplatz, take the escalator and cross the street to Anna hotel. If you stay at the Exquisit, you have to transfer to the U bahn to Sendlinger Tor where you need to climb stairs.

Taxi from the airport is very expensive and is subject to rush hour traffic.

Restaurant food is comparatively reasonable in Germany, in case you need some suggestions, I still have my list from that trip:

****LENBACH:
(6 Ottostrasse, a few blocks north of Karlsplatz). Designed by Sir Terence Conran, this very large restaurant reminded us of our lounge clubbing days. The entry is marked by the large fire torch and the interior is themed around the seven deadly sins. You walk on a cool blue lit catwalk to your table. This turned out to be one of our favorite restaurants. We especially enjoyed their fresh fish and pasta dishes. Very good quality dishes with moderate prices so I would highly recommend this place.

***BLAUER BOCK
Less expensive gourmet food in a stylish, modern ambiance inside an old hotel directly west of the Viktualienmarkt. The lunchtime specials featured fresh seasonal ingredients which means truffles in the winter and asparagus in the spring. Absolutely one of the best-value gourmet food in downtown Munich. Interesting and inventive dishes. Service was very good, our young waiter did his best though not quite impeccable.

****SCHUHBECK’S Südtiroler Stuben
Elevated Bavarian-Austrian gourmet cuisine with a great wine list & sommelier. We reserved on the same day so we got their second dining room which was fine & OK with us since we're there for the food. The food was really memorable except for the fact that they still have the challenge of turning the classic german overcooked meat into a gourmet dish. The men's restroom has very interesting pictures. The notes that we carried says:
Modern Bavarian & Austrian cuisine at its best. An elegant restaurant offering modern cuisine with Bavarian roots.

**DALLMAYR: near Marienplatz
A classic elegant Munich delicatessen and restaurant serving gourmet European dishes. Its the Fauchon of Munich. Great place to take your aunt and grandma for easter brunch.

**HOFER less expensive traditional Bavarian beer garden food inside Munich's oldest townhouse next to Dallmayr 1 min from Marienplatz. For lunch, we prefer dining in the small overcrowded courtyard than in the restaurant's triple floors around it. Food list: Jungschweinbraten (roast from the young pork), Steirischem Backhendlsalat (salad of baked chicken from the Austrian region Steiermark), Tafelspitz (boiled beef filet). Dessert: Kaiserschmarrn ( sugared pancake with raisins), Topfenstrudel (curd strudel), Marillenknödl (apricot dumplings)„Wirtschaftswunderspeisen“the so called retro food like Falsches Lachsbrot (fake salmon on bread) or Russische Eier (eggs Russian style

**RATSKELLER:
A classic favorite basement restaurant in Marienplatz serving typical traditional german fare for the masses.

*BRENNERGRILL: A large restaurant/pub in the Maximilianshoefen. The interior is a noisy large hall with stone columns, rustic wooden tables & banks. More known for their steaks and grill dishes than their Italian dishes and pasta. Not a high culinary place but the bar provides complimentary antipasti.

**KAEFER SCHAENKE
The main and original location is on 73 Prinzregentenstrasse. Some people declare it to be an expensive tourist restaurant while others may consider it to be a Munich high end institution. They charge for everything down to the slices of bread you picked up. The Kaefer delicatessen and food market below the restaurant however is a real treat and is well known for their high quality goods. They also have a cheaper bistro branch in Munich with better food than they serve in their ubiquitous airport food stalls.

BISTRO TERRINE on Amalienstrasse 89 in Schwabing owned by the numero uno gourmet restaurant Tantris. The food starts with authentic French cuisine but it travels to Italy and Asia to be more inventive. The interior is a classic Art Nouveau bistro. Very good value lunch specials.

DUKATZ
Just north of the Marienplatz. Good, fresh mediterranean cooking earning a Bib Gourmand sign (good & inexpensive)from the Guide Michelin.

KATZLMACHER (Kaulbacherstrasse 48)
Italian in Schwabing. The restaurant interior looks like a rustic mountain lodge high in the Italian Alps but it's actually inside a postwar building. The cooking comes from Marches, Friuli,& Emilia-Romagna: vegetarian calzone, grilled swordfish with red-wine vinaigrette, duck breast carpaccio, eel in champagne sauce, and fritto misto del pesce (seasonal mix of fried fish).

G MUNICH
(2 blocks from Sud Bahnhof)
52 Geyerstrasse.
A hip Munich eatery with a big aquarium and white leather. Chef Holger Stromberg is supossedly to be one of the country's hottest culinary names for his modern German cuisine with unusual ingredients.


OSTERIA ITALIANA
(62 Schellingstrasse). We never made it there but here's the notes that we carried with us:
A classic, this up-market Italian eatery has long been a favourite haunt of politicians and glitterati. The food is simple but exquisite. For a special treat try the bollito misto—mixed meats carved at the table.

PALAISKELLER
So not recommended by our hotel concierge even though I was very tempted to go there due to the notes we brought with us which says: Friendly smiling waitresses in the bustling cellar of the elegant Palais Montgelas serving well-prepared cuisine of Bavarian & German dishes including their Tafelspitz.

Thank you DAX for your extensive culinary insight. Can't wait to try some of them.

As far as hotels, I agree with you, I think space will be better especially if my niece is joining us. My husband likes hotels like the ANNA, with more design and a little bit more upscale and after reading your reviews is leaning more towards to it. Honestly I want to stay there, but 2 women in one room, even with not much luggage could be a little bit uncomfortable, can you guess? using the hair dryer, make-up and so on.. The room is 28sq meters

As of right now the Exquisit is a strong runner-up, when you say 70's feel is it just that feels boring or is it in bad condition or worn out? explain

So, I'll keep you posted.

PS. Have you ever stayed at Schwabing area, is it nice?? seems like a lively area and nice shopping. I thought the EUROSTARS was close to that area, am I wrong? what is it that you don't like as much of the EUROSTARS location or hotel?

Schwabing is OK, not my favorite because it's too far north from everything, it feels like a satellite town, so I would never stay in Schwabing again. Forget the Marriott & Renaissance there, so not German in atmosphere. We did stay in a sprawling suite there one time , but hatebeverything about it. Anna's double room 28 sq meter is approximately 300 sq ft, not that big, probably the light wood floor and the ceiling to floor window made it feel bigger. I've never stayed atvthe Exquisit but I read people commenting on the 70's interior furnishing inside. I also read that the Exquisite has a suite where the bedroom is elevated. The Sendlinger Tor is close to the Assam brother's small but beautiful church.

DAX and the EUROSTARS GRAND CENTRAL? you did not comment on this one.
Do you know the area? I think is Marxvorstadt, what is there?

Is pretty new, trendy and minimalist, have you been there or seen the website?
They offer us a triple or a suite for a decent price.

Between Exquisit or this one?

I have walked past through the eurostars area at least a couple of times to return my rental cars in the last two trips to Munich. Certainly not an area that I would pick to stay if i want to be in the middle of things, it felt like the less fortunate side of the station and there's not much there, except for the Augustiner beer hall. It's quite removed from the old town center and quite walk from the train station.
That said it is better than the area south of the station where there is a lot of commerce mixed with sex shops. The rooms do look nice on the website, so maybe you have to give up some convenience for it.

If I were to pick the best area to stay it would be this 4 star apartment hotel:
http://www.booking.com/hotel/de/maxi...b8d026d9cfe816

The other one with a perfect location for me is the Platzl hotel. I don't know the inside at all. I lust like the location because the Platzl is in the midlle of things close to all the good old town action. You can walk to all the good fun places.

On second thought, if you reallly like the hotel suite with a nice separated bedroom, perhaps you should just sacrifice a bit on location, you can still trek down to the station. Sometimes a comfortable accomodation will make the whole trip a lot nicer. Taxi is quite reasonable for 3 people compared to trekking down the underground train for 3 people. I would just hop on the taxi to old town since you save money on the room price.