susanbanna

We are a family of 6. The children are 11,16,20,22and Mom and Dad. We are traveling to Germany in less than two weeks and we do not have any hotels reserved at this point.
We fly into Munich and out of Frankfurt.
The first night we will be in Munich. I have a recommendation of the Bayerischer Hof.
Is there another hotel that anyone can recommend or tell me about Bayerischer. ? The other hotel is Eibsee in Garmisch. We plan to head there after Munich.
After Garmisch we have no plans except possibly the Romantic RoadWe have 6 travel days. Any advice?? We need some direction. I like to take things as they come and not be too locked in but at the same time I feel that we need a few reservations.
Thank you from the Mom of the group!!

ceb1222

I can't give too much advice in regards to itinerary, but I do have a suggestion for your time in Munich. Mike's Bike Tours is a great way to see the city, and all of you will enjoy. It's not a strenuous ride at all, and the guides manage to be funny and informative at the same time (many of them are native English-speakers who have run away to Munich!). You don't really need reservations, just stop in at their shop earlier in the day or the day before to secure a spot. It's inexpensive, and if you enjoy yourselves, they run other tours to locations outside the city - I think they even have one to the famous castle of King Ludwig (the one after which Disney's castle is modeled).

One side note: the tour I was on did stop in the outdoor Biergarten and rode through the city nudist park. Since you can't cover the 11 year-old's eyes while on bikes, you may want to inquire about that. Although they'd have to be crazy nudists to be running around outside in November!!!

JN

What are you looking for in a hotel? Lots of amenities e.g., Pool)? Or location? The Bayerischer Hof is quite expensive and has all amenities, but the cost is huge. Not sure if one room would do it for 6 people, either. If cost is a concern, and you don't want all the american hotel amenities, you might try the Uhland--family run hotel not far from Octoberfest grounds (www.hotel-uhland.de). There you could get two rooms for less than one at the Bayerischer Hof.

If you want the amenities but not the high cost, and don't mind location, you might go to priceline and bid for a Munich North 3star hotel and you'd likely get the Rennaisance for about $50/night--and it has a pool and sauna. The drawback? It's way north in Schwabing.

If you want some amenities, near downtown location but less expensive, the Sheraton 4points Munich Central has rooms for 121 Euro each--cheaper than one double at the Bayerischer Hof. It has a sauna and whirlpool & fitness center.

Good luck

Betsy

Susan, if you bid on PriceLine at the 4* level for Munich, you'll get the Munich Marriott because it's the only one listed at that level in Munich. If you bid at the 3* level, you'll get the Renaissance Munich because it's the only 3* listed in Munich. So there won't be any mystery about the hotel you're bidding for. Go to www.biddingfortravel.com, which is a great tutorial site for PL bidding. You should be aware that after you place a bid, a screen will appear that says the rate at hotels is typically WAY more than you need to bid, so blast on past that screen, and enter your bid. You'll know how much to bid by reading about successful Munich hotel bids on BFT. If you decide to do this and need more help, just post here, but you need to do your homework at BFT before you bid on PL. And no...I'm not associated with either site in any way.

Betsy

For those six unplanned days, here's a very helpful site (Ben posts here on Fodors) http://www.bensbauernhof.com/

Germany has lots of "zimmer frei," rooms for rent in private homes, sort of like the B&B concept, so you don't have to spend lots of Euro on hotels for the six of you. Ben's site has many choices of places to stay or the tourist office in any of the little towns will help you. We've met some really nice people by staying in their "zimmer frei." The homes are usually comfortable and very clean.

rhkkmk

prior to head for garmish, may i suggest that you drive south east toward salzburg....stay around berchesgaden where you can hike and vist lots of things, including salzburg....you could then head west along the austrian/german border visiting the castles of mad ludwid near fussen and then to garmish and then head north on the romantic str and stop at rothenburg o.b. tauber....we stay at the klingentor gasthof there (will be there later this month in fact)...its real german, comfortable and affordable...they have a good restaurant too...its at the klingator gate to the town--just out side it...there is freee parking too which is a plus in this town...you are 2 hours to frankfurt from there, give or take...

hsv

Just one remark:

JN mentioned that the Renaissance has a pool. Well- it has a sauna and whirlpool. If you want a swimming pool you would have to opt for the Marriott (which is almost across the street).

Apart from that- the advice you got is spot on. Location of Bayerischer Hof is about the best you can get. It has a good reputation but comes at a price.

susanbanna

Thank you all for the very helpful suggestions. I have to admit I was starting to feel a bit nrevous!!
One more question that I have is should we get a car at the airpart or wait until we head out of Munich??
I really appreciate all your help.
Susan

JN

I'd wait. Driving and parking in Munich is difficult and the transport system is great. Also, picking up a car in town on your way out will save you money--extra taxes/fees for airport pickup.

rhkkmk

i'd wait as mentioned above...the trams are great for getting around and if you get a pass it makes it very easy...i think there is a family pass too...

auntgrapes

rhkkmk-what date(s) are you are in Rothenburg ob Tauber ? We are traveling similar path and we are a few days behind you in Dresden. We'll be in Rothenburg 11/30 for one night.

hsv

I suppose that parking at the Bayerischer Hof is expensive. Thus, you might want to wait with the rental car.
On the other hand, public transport from the airport into town is ridiculously expensive: The fare for the train is about € 8.- per person.
You can do the math for a family of six you might almost get a day's worth of a rental out of that.
Expect to pay somewhere between € 50.- to € 75.- for a taxi. The airport is some 40 km out of town and it's a long drive.
I guess I would base my decision on the more economical solution.

hsv

Forgot to mention: There might be a family ticket available on public transport which would make it cheaper. Don't know positively, though. You might want to inquire at your hotel.

swalter518

I second the Mike's Bikes tours. We did the tour and it was a highlight of our visit. It's not very taxing and a great way to see the city highlights.

essxjay

The OP didn't mention when she'd be in Munich, but I second the recommendation of bidding on P-Line for a 4* or 3* in Munich. Frankly, I've stayed at both the 4* Munich Marriott and 3* Renaissance Marriott, and find the Renaissance property preferrable. It's a little bit nicer property, IMHO.

They also have good web specials. For example, between now and at least Xmas, they're running an Xmas special for 77 Euros/night, including breakfast buffet. The other special deal I found is the Friday-Saturday-Sunday Fussball Fun Package for 53,50 Euros/night, which includes breakfast buffet, welcome cocktail and a U-bahn day ticket. (Use promo code PKG.) This is a great deal for the three weekend days.

I love this hotel. And, unlike a previous poster who suggested that this property is "way north in Schwabing" is actually a very short U-bahn ride to Marienplatz, about 12-15 minutes. The U-bahn stop is a 5-minute walk away, tops, from either the Marriott or Renaissance Marriott.

Have a great time in Munich. It's a very friendly, walkable city.

WillTravel

Betsy, it's a little risky to say that there's no mystery about what hotel you will get by bidding in Munich. New hotels can and do come up all the time. You can't rely on the BFT list. There's a fair chance of getting a hotel on the list, but no guarantee.

Betsy

Thanks for the clarification, Will. You're right, there's no guarantee. The hotel list on BFT is updated pretty quickly though when there's a change, so there's a high probability of getting the Marriott in Munich. I'd check BFT before bidding though.