Where Should You Stay for Oktoberfest? The Answer Is More Complicated Than You Might Think
Oktoberfest is perhaps the best-known German cultural event outside of the country. What originated as a wedding party in 1810 has become one of the largest and most raucous beer-drinking festivals in the world. While the event has since spawned many copycats worldwide, the true Oktoberfest is in Munich, and the entire city (plus hordes and hordes of tourists) comes out to join the party.
Because of its popularity, however, many of the logistics have become harder and harder to solve for those looking to participate. One of the most commonly asked questions about the event is always: where should I stay for Oktoberfest, and what are the best Munich hotels for the event?
As one of Bavaria’s top cultural tour companies, our team at All Things Garmisch is here to say the answer is far more complicated than you think. Oktoberfest accommodation requires months of advance planning if you don’t want to pay an arm, a leg, and maybe an ear for good measure. So let’s take a look at our recommendations for where to stay for Oktoberfest—as well as other key details you’ll need to book your Oktoberfest accommodation.
Where Are the Best Places to Stay for Oktoberfest?
Our top recommendations for where to stay for Oktoberfest are dotted around Bavaria. These towns are all just a short train ride away and make the perfect home base for Oktoberfest:
- Aying – Southeast of Munich lies Aying. The Ayinger Hotel is our top recommendation as it provides a great stay and is very traditional.
- Dachau – Just over 20 minutes away by train, Dachau is a very convenient and ideal spot for Oktoberfest accommodation. DAH-INN is a reasonable option here.
- Erding – Around an hour away by train, Erding has several hotels that visitors can consider for Oktoberfest. The Hotel Victory Therme is located at a Bavarian sauna, providing ample opportunity to relax.
- Freising – Freising is a historical university city on the River Isar. Bayerischer Hof in downtown is a nice hotel option for Oktoberfest visitors.
- Murnau – The birthplace of German Expressionism, Murnau am Staffelsee is a culturally rich spot to stay in for Oktoberfest. The Griesbräu Hotel also features a brewery, and the Hotel Post is a short walk to the train station, Murnau Ort.
- Weilheim – Another convenient option, Weilheim is a short train ride away and Hotel Vollmann is a great casual option for Oktoberfest accommodation.
But Shouldn’t I Just Stay in Munich?
As you probably noticed, none of the locations we listed are in Munich proper. This is because, for the majority of tourists looking to experience this event, staying in Munich just isn’t worth the hassle.
Oktoberfest is a raucous occasion, and staying just about anywhere in the city will be far from peaceful. In particular, any hotel near the Theresienwiese—where the event is actually held within Munich—will be noisy and overcrowded with drunken tourists in their crappy plastic lederhosen.
And this is all to say nothing about the price! Hotels in Munich crank up prices to extreme levels during Oktoberfest, rising by as much as 200 euros or more depending on when and where you’re looking—all for an experience that we just can’t recommend.
What Hotels Could I Book in Munich?
Of course, while we generally don’t encourage visitors to stay in Munich for Oktoberfest, there are some for whom this is a non-negotiable part of the experience. If you’re there to party late into the night every night, require a central location, and want ready access to many nearby restaurants, it might make sense for you. If you absolutely must stay in Munich for Oktoberfest, there are some areas and hotels we can recommend.
In the heart of Munich’s old town is Viktualienmarkt, a hub for foodies around the world. Hotels like Hotel am Markt, The Platzl, The Charles Hotel, and Beyond by Geisel are incredible places to stay. And while some of these are more on the luxury side, if you’re paying through the nose to stay in Munich during Oktoberfest already, you might as well get the most you can from the experience.
Outside of this area, we have a few general tips as well. While there are lists of hotels near the fairgrounds of the Oktoberfest, this area is traditionally not the best place to stay, so if you’re staying in Munich stay downtown as a rule of thumb. Do not, however, stay near the central train station! This area will be full of drunks and is generally unsightly during Oktoberfest.
If you’re staying in downtown Munich or anywhere listed above, use the central train station as a reference starting point and follow the U-Bahn lines (U4/U5) to find a spot near a stop. The U4 and U5 are free to ride during the Oktoberfest, so you’ll have plenty of options with easy access to the fairgrounds.
When Should I Book My Oktoberfest Hotel?
If you haven’t booked your hotel yet for Oktoberfest, you might want to consider planning for next year’s event. Booking as early as you can is essential for Oktoberfest accommodation, as hotels in Munich fill up very quickly. If you must stay in Munich, booking a year in advance or more is recommended, while 6 months in advance is wise for any of the locales we’ve listed outside of Munich proper.
In other words, the earlier the better. As a reference, you can use www.oktoberfest.de to get suggestions for further recommendations on booking tents, reservations, hotels, etc.
That said, we have also seen some tourists get lucky by waiting to book until the last minute. There is a small chance that hotels that aren’t fully booked will drop prices in the time leading up to Oktoberfest—but in general we don’t recommend taking this risk.
Are There Options Besides Hotels?
For the most part, we don’t recommend alternative accommodation methods like Airbnbs, hostels, and the like for Oktoberfest.
The main reason for this is simple: This is the world’s largest beer festival, and most mornings your head will be heavy from the previous night. Do you want to drag yourself out of bed to cook breakfast and tidy your own space?
We find that a room freshly cleaned by staff while you’re out and a prepared breakfast each day is very helpful in getting you up and going each morning. If you’re not careful, you might just smack your alarm off, roll over in your Airbnb, and go back to sleep—missing out on unique daytime events.
At a hotel, the staff is professional and prepared for the influx of guests during this time of year. You’ll have everything you need without needing to lift a finger
Other Quick Oktoberfest Tips
Figuring out where to stay for Oktoberfest—and actually booking the accommodation—can be a huge logistical headache. And that’s just your hotel!
With such a massive, crowded festival, we have a few other tips as you plan your trip to Germany’s most famous cultural event.
First, we definitely recommend checking out www.oktoberfest.de and reading up as much as you can. It’s Germany’s official Oktoberfest site and as a result it’s the best source for general info.
Second, bring plenty of Euros! Tents at the Oktoberfest do not recommend credit or debit cards and prefer euro. At the grounds, there are limited places to exchange dollars for euros, so use an ATM to make withdrawals before going to the festival. Make sure you let your bank know in advance.
Third, be wary of hotels that offer a room and tent reservation. While it sounds convenient, these are oftentimes not the best deal and you can wind up sitting in a tent with no one ‘fun.’
Finally, be safe! On average, around 600–800 Oktoberfest participants suffer from alcohol poisoning each year. While there is a Red Cross tent on-site, the last thing you want is to spend your day or night receiving medical attention because you weren’t keeping track of your beers.
Skip the Hassle with Our Oktoberfest Tour Package
Booking a hotel is just one of the many logistical hurdles you’ll have to solve while planning a trip to Oktoberfest with your friends or family. Our Oktoberfest travel package is designed to bring you the best possible experience at this unique cultural event, with hotel reservations, spots at some of the best tables in the festival, and plenty of excursions to other Bavarian attractions like Neuschwanstein and more.
Skip the travel planning headaches and get right to the hangover headaches! Book our travel package or reach out to put together a custom Bavarian tour package.