The 8 Best Hotels in Munich

Owned by the same family for four generations, this 1841 grand dame has a long and storied history as one of Munich’s most luxurious hotels, but it’s definitely not stuck in the past. Most recently, renowned Belgian designer Axel Vervoordt—who also designed Atelier, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, and its more casual sister Garden—designed 29 new rooms including the spacious rooftop penthouse with rustic wooden side tables, abstract paintings, and bathrooms featuring gray Valverde stone and walk-in rain showers. Other highlights we love: an outpost of the tiki bar Trader Vic’s, the sunny rooftop pool, and a shrine to Michael Jackson (who often stayed here) left outside the hotel by fans.

Roomers Munich may be a mile outside the city center, but design aficionados will want to make the journey. The 281 rooms and suites are a study in light and dark, dressed in black woods and leather, black-and-white photography on all-white walls, and brass and copper accents. The bathrooms, with their black-marble walls and counters, white sinks, and backlit mirrors, are even more 'grammable. Downstairs, the dimly lit Izakaya Asian Kitchen & Bar is a popular spot among locals, who flock here for excellent Japanese-meets-South American cuisine (seabream ceviche; quinoa pudding) and great cocktails. Don't miss the Roomers Spa by Shan Rahmikhan, which pairs the usual hammam-style sauna and steam bath with a less-expected infinity jacuzzi and cinema screen.

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It may seem odd that Flushing Meadows shares its name with a neighborhood in Queens, New York, but this hipster haven isn’t exactly a conventional hotel. Eleven of the 16 rooms were individually designed by a motley crew of creative types including Austrian actress and singer Birgit Minichmayer, pro-surfer Quirin Rohleder, industrial furniture designer Norbert Wangen, and Helmut Geier a.k.a. DJ Hell—so expect an eclectic mix of décor, from hanging hammocks and surf boards (that's Rohleder) to record players to a skeleton band of skeletons toting guitars and drums set up in a crevasse above the bed (probably DJ Hell). Follow in-the-know locals up to the laid-back rooftop terrace, where you can eat a healthy breakfast with cold pressed juice in the morning or sip cocktails in the evening.

Conveniently located on the edge of Old Town, the Mandarin Oriental München comes with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from this global hotel giant—soothing guest rooms with luxurious fabrics and heated-floor bathrooms, a 24-hour business center, and town car service. While the traditional design may not be everyone’s taste, the amenities more than make up for it. Guests can take a dip in the rooftop pool with panoramic views of the city, sip expertly made cocktails at the China Moon Roof Terrace, and indulge in famed chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s Peruvian-influenced Japanese cuisine. An added perk? A fleet of bikes are on loan for zipping around the neighborhood.

One of Munich’s most historic grand dames, this elegant, old-world hotel benefits from an excellent central location in historic Altstadt, putting you right near the Opera House and the city's best luxury designer shops. The luxurious spa is another major draw, with its pool, solarium, sauna, and organic herbal treatments. Follow up dinner at the Michelin-starred restaurant, which dishes up modern versions of Bavarian classics—think fried sausages with kimchi and Wiener schnitzel served with lingonberries, roasted potatoes, and creamy cucumber salad—with cocktails at the sophisticated Jahreszeiten Bar, which stocks twenty different kinds of champagne.

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Located near Munich's botanical garden, this five-star hotel in a former university library is known for its sophisticated style and excellent food. (It's not unknown to spot local magazine editors lunching at Sophia's, a favorite local haunt.) Designed by British hotelier Olga Polizzi, rooms and suites are sleek and contemporary, with pops of color courtesy of bespoke art, green velvet chairs, and geometric-patterned pillows. If you can, splurge on the spacious Monforte Royal Suite, which has a private terrace with views of the botanical garden and is adorned by antiques and paintings by Franz von Lenbach, an esteemed painter who established the must-visit Lenbachhaus museum. Fun fact: the subterranean spa boasts the city’s longest indoor pool.

Guests rave about Louis Hotel’s fantastic location just a couple of blocks from Marienplatz, but its interiors are just as swoon-worthy. Inspired by Paris and Tokyo, this chic member of Design Hotels incorporates bespoke design elements, like custom-made furniture in oak and walnut, natural stone, sage-colored velvet cushions, beds dressed in Egyptian cotton sheets, and bathrooms with white Parisian-style subway tiles. The surrounding neighborhood is chock-a-block with exciting new restaurants and bars, but it's worth enjoying at least one meal at the on-site restaurant Emiko, which offers Japanese cuisine and an inviting rooftop terrace.

Mostly destroyed during WWII, this family-run number was completely rebuilt in the 1950s and today enjoys a reputation as one of Munich’s finest hotels. A modernist exterior belies its opulent interiors, which are filled with chandeliers, murals, and Doric columns. Foodies and celebrities flock to the Michelin-starred restaurant for award-winning chef Martin Fauster's modern German cuisine and wine pairings, which feature vintages from the hotel owners' own vineyard in Würzburg. (Fallen in love with one of the selections? Bottles can be purchased in the hotel's on-site wine shop.)