Where to stay at the Oktoberfest

There’s an old chestnut that does the rounds among Oktoberfest-lovers every year as reliably as raging hangovers: “Where’s the best place to sleep after the Wiesn?” goes the question. “With someone else who lives nearby!” goes the answer.

And there’s a lot of truth in that: not only are the tightly-packed, beer-filled Oktoberfest tents the perfect place for adventurous singles to get to know one another in a matter of minutes, but hotel prices and accommodation generally in Munich can make the “flying by the seat of your lederhosen” option seem like a bright idea.

If you need advice on where to stay at the Oktoberfest beyond “someone else’s flat”, though, then you’ve come to the right place. Here’s our guide:

Hotels

Munich is not short of hotel beds – and is adding capacity year after year. But it’s just not enough to bring prices down, especially around Oktoberfest time. What you’ll find is that, although there will always be a hotel bed somewhere in the city for those that really need it, that bed will come at a price: don’t expect anything near the Wiesn for less than €100 a night. Due to their flexibility, hotels are a great back-up option (i.e. if you’re at a campsite and it rains solidly for five days), but Munich is not a cheap city and your money is better spent in the beer tents! If you’ve got money to burn, though, and want a good hotel a close enough to the Wiesn to walk but far enough away to get a quiet night, we’d recommend the finely-named Hotel Admiral.

Hostels

There are quite a few hostels in Munich, and the standard is generally high: Germans are famously hygienic, and even during the Oktoberfest, things never really get too bad. Nevertheless, they tend to get booked up very early – especially the big ones near to the city centre. Our advice is to avoid set-ups which are exclusively aimed at tourists like AO and to try out quieter, smaller, or less central hostels like The 4 You Hostel Munich. If you don’t mind dorm accommodation, you can get your head down for as little as €20 a night!

Campsites

Unbeatably cheap, great atmosphere: campsite have a lot to offer. Unfortunately, they also have a lack of facilities and are place you at the mercy of the weather… Or do they? Around Oktoberfest time, Munich campsites get very creative, offering not just tent pitches, but a range of other options such as caravans and even repurposed containers. Typically,  a four-person tent costs around 15€ per person per night, while a caravan clocks in at 30€. Beware of the generously named “Wiesn-Lofts” on offer at campsites, though – this doesn’t have anything to do with trendy urban living. In Oktoberfest parlance, “Lofts” are just slightly posher containers. Which is fine, but at up to 130€ per container per night, you might just as well opt for a fully-kitted out caravan if you have the choice. Our recommendation, by the way, is in the Riem district.