Aloha, I will be going to Munich in late October 2007. I am from Hawaii and need to know what kind of weather to expect(Clothes to pack). I am staying for 13 days in Munich & Bonn. Also Is the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munchen a nice hotel? Is it in a good location to walk around and see the sights in Munich? Lokking for some night life in Munich as well any suggestions for Late October? Concerts? Also would love some suggestions on great dining in Munich.
Mahalo,

Hi escrowmanager,

I see you got your long LAX layover all squared away. Have a great time.

You will have more luck if you post this question on the Europe board. There are also great trip reports on there (JCorrea's comes to mind) where you can get ideas. Just type "Munich" in the search box.

Aloha, Thanks LVK. I am new to this site I will post in Europe thread and search Munich for some input! This traveling thing is really sounding like alot of fun!
Mahalo!

Just a Warning --- It is highly addictive!!!

The Vier Jahreszeiten is one of the best hotels in Munich. The style is conservative, the classic Grand Hotel. Location is the best of Munich, right in the mid of things. Everything in walking distance.

If you opt for a modern alternative, look for Dorint Sofitel Bayerpost. It has a classic facade, but it is a contemporary designer's dream.

Nightlife: Please specify your tastes. Regarding restaurants, I will give you just a few tips:

- For traditional rustic Bavarian cuisine, the basic spot is of course the Hofbraeuhaus (including oohmpa-music).
http://www.hofbraeuhaus.de/

- If you opt for traditional Bavarian cuisine in a more refined setting, go to Augustiner Brewery.
http://www.augustiner-restaurant.com/

- If you want something stylish, cutting edge, go to the Lenbach. Similar to the Bayerpost: Historical facade, but inside absolutely hip.
http://www.lenbach.de/

- If you want michelin-star-awarded gourmet cuisine, the very best is Tantris (of course expensive).
www.tantris.de

Second best (and a little more traditional) is Schuhbeck. www.schuhbeck.de Also very good is Königshof, a hotel restaurant www.geisel-privathotels.de

For every other question, consult www.muenchen.de
or specify you tastes on this forum and I will give you some tips.

Of course, I can also give you tips for Bonn - Bonn has some very good museums, you can board cruises for the Rhine Valley, it is very close to Cologne with everything you can imagine (from culture to nightlife) and you may do a trip the the wine-growing region of the Ahr with one of the best German restaurants, Steinheuer.

Please specify your interests including price level, so that I can give you proper advice.

Aloha Traveller1959, Thank you. I like the Lenbach, this looks about my taste and price range. I will try some of the traditional foods while I am there too, but being and Island Girl I like my fish (raw is great). I am not much on the beer but do enjoy a good cocktail. I like the Spa and would love to look at some of the nice art and architecture. Will do alot of walking around since it sounds like my hotel will be in a great area for this. I am 40 (ish) and enjoy the night life too. Money is not so much an issue, but as I am not familiar with the money exchange do you recommend I put everything on my credit card or should I exchange USD for EURO before I go?

Guten Abend, escrowmanager,

I am glad that you like Lenbach. Most Americans prefer heavy, greasy, meaty cuisine when there are in Germany. Lenbach is the cuisine which the natives like. They prepare fish well.

Let me tell you something about fish, especially raw fish in Germany.

Raw fish is usually eaten as appetizer (like in Japan). You find different variations under different names in the menu:

- "Carpacchio vom Lachs / Thunfisch" is raw fish of Salmon / Tuna cut in very thin slices, often served with olive oil.

- "Tartar" is minced raw fish. Tartar can be made from beef or fish. The menu will specify.

- "Graved Lachs" is raw Salmon which is cured with salt and dill.

- "geräuchert" means smoked. Many kinds of fish (salmon - "Lachs, Salm", trout - "Forelle", eel - "Aal" etc.) are smoked. Some stay still raw, some get cooked during the process. E.g. "Räucherlachs" is raw salmon which is lightly smoked while "Stremellachs" is salmon which is smoked in warm smoke so that is is cooked.

- "Matjes" is a specialty of raw herring which is salted and fermented. If the menu says "Matjes", you will usually get the fillets of raw herring, often with onions and apples, while "Sahnehering" means you will get the same stuff in cold cream sauce.

- Oysters ("Austern") are usually eaten raw (to be exact, living). The best are "Sylter Royal" from the island of Sylt in the North Sea.

For main dishes, fish is usually cooked. Trout ("Forelle") is usually a good bet because it comes from regional rivers and is very fresh. Otherwise, you will find a wide range of fish and shellfisch from the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.

In every case, you should visit the Viktualienmarkt. This is an open-air market in the center of Munich with a huge array of stands, many with gourmet food.

You will need Euros in cash. You can pay hotels and restaurants with credit card (VISA and MasterCard, nothing else), but small shops and museums will take cash only. Some taxis also will take cash only, but many taxis take credit cards too. You can change into Euros at the airport, at the hotel, at a bank (many of them in downton Munich, but with limited hours) or, most conveniently, day and night at ATMs, which are to be found everywhere.

Tomorrow, I can give you more tips if you like.

Aloha Traveller1959, Great info to have I will need to print this one out so I can know how to order fish. We eat alot of raw tuna (Ahi) here. There are many ways they prepair it here, sliced thin (Sashimi style), or in larger cubes with onions and kukui nuts etc (Poke). They also make a great "Spicky Ahi" it is more like the "Tatar" you mentioned. I cant wait to go to the open market!! I dont like the greasy, gravy filled dishes to much, but will be adventurious and try some of the local "Sausage" style meals you hear so much about. I like a light meal and cocktails so any tips you have on this type of dining is great. Will also like to see some museums, any suggestions of cant miss stops? Mahalo,
Jeanne

bookmarking- thanks