Schloss Nymphenburg

On the outskirts of the center of Munich is Schloss Nymphenburg, easily reachable by Public Transportation on a Tram.  This residence was primarily used as a Summer retreat for the Bavarian royal family since 1679. While it is free to walk around the grounds, and they are quite gorgeous and expansive, there is a fee to enter the palace and all of it's buildings of 11.50 Euros/person.  Or if you only want to see the inside of the palace itself, it will run you 6 Euros/person.

This is definitely a place we'd highly recommend visiting in Munich during anyone's stay as it offers a kind of serenity to those visiting.

Golden Tulip Hotel Olymp

We only got one night to stay at the Golden Tulip Hotel Olymp.  We chose this hotel because of its proximity to the Munich Airport (about 10 minutes away).  It ended up being an excellent choice.

It has a Greek theme going on it, which we weren't expecting.  The room numbering is a bit confusing as all rooms, no matter what floor it is on, start with a 1.  The room itself and the hotel are both quite clean and comfortable.  There is also a decent amount of parking in the rear of the hotel.

We also enjoyed the free Wi-Fi that was available in the room, unlike many hotels we saw in Germany.  There is also a restaurant located directly in the hotel, which can be convenient, but it isn't a place we dined at for dinner.  We did eat there though for the complimentary included breakfast and they offer a TON of food, which was nice.

The one negative we found was when checking in, the front desk clerk wasn't very friendly.  It seemed like we were a burden to him and he'd rather be elsewhere.  He was itching for us to just leave instead of giving us friendly answers to our questions such as "Where is our room located?", "Where should we park the car?", "Any suggestions for dinner within walking distance?".  However, that was the only negative we found and we believe this is a good place to stay for a night before heading to the Munich Airport and flying home.

Hotel Lisl

One of the most popular attractions in all of Germany (and Europe) is Schloss Neuschwanstein, which is the castle that Walt Disney used to model Sleeping Beauty's and Disneyland's castle after.  The town this is located in is Hohenschwangau, which has only a very limited selection of hotels available directly in town within walking distance of its famous landmark, as well as the other castle it contains, Schloss Hohenschwangau.

We decided to go with Hotel Lisl for this trip for 2 nights, and we were very happy with this choice (for the most part).  We reserved a corner room, which gives a view of both of the town's majestic castles.  The room was very spacious and clean.  The housekeeping staff did a good job in the morning of taking care of the room.  Unfortunately, the only negative of the room is that there was no free Wi-Fi, which shouldn't be the case in the year 2012.

There is also a restaurant in the hotel, although we didn't get the chance to try it during our stay.  The staff is very friendly and helpful.  When checking in, they even give you vouchers to get discounts on castle tours and to get into the Museum of the Bavarian Kings for free.

The only negative we found was when we returned late one night.  We didn't return until 2:30 AM and the front doors were locked.  There was no way into the hotel even with our room key.  There was a sign up saying that someone would be back shortly, but that wasn't the case.  Eventually 2 other guests came down to the lobby and saw us and tried to let us in, but they couldn't figure out how to open the door either (so they were trapped inside the hotel).  They eventually tracked down the one staff member on duty, who was busy vacuuming hallways and then we finally got inside.  I'd say this is something inexcusable for a hotel.  There should always be someone at the front desk to help out, especially if the front doors are going to be locked.  A guest should never have no way back in to the hotel.  And for the one staff member present to be vacuuming at that time of night instead of waiting at the front desk makes absolutely no sense.  So, when visiting make sure you're back in your room at a decent hour or it may become an extra long night for you.

Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a fantastic little town in southern Bavaria, near the Austrian border.  During winter, it is definitely a ski-resort type of town, but we visited at tail-end of Summer.  During this "off season", you can definitely get great rates on rooms at the Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl, which is a gorgeous hotel property.

The staff at the front desk were quite pleasant.  Although we only had a one-night stay here, we wished we could've stayed longer.  The hotel has ample free parking and is located just outside the main strip of town (about a 3-4 minute drive or a 20 minute walk), which also has plenty of parking, albeit not free during most hours.

Our room itself was very spacious, especially for a European room, and was clean and comfortable.  We also had a gorgeous view of the Zugspitze from our balcony, which I'd recommend requesting when making a reservation.

There was also free Wi-Fi in the rooms, which is always nice as we have found this isn't always the case in Germany.  This hotel definitely gets our recommendation for anyone visiting Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Hotel Wittelsbach - Berchtesgaden

The Hotel Wittelsbach in Berchtesgaden is a charming hotel located just outside the main shopping area of town (only about a 5 minute walk).  The rooms are very basic, but they are clean and comfortable.  We only had a one-night stay here, and we were very satisfied with our choice.

They offer a very nice breakfast included in your price each morning on the 3rd floor.  In addition there is some parking behind the hotel, but it is VERY limited and can be difficult to manage with large vehicles.

One negative we found is that the walls are very thin and you can hear practically everything going on in the hallway or outside, including people just walking down the hall way and opening/closing doors.  This didn't stop us from getting a good night's rest, but it may for some who are very light sleepers.

It should be noted that there is no free Wi-Fi in this hotel, which in the year 2012 I believe is pretty inexcusable.  However, for a quick one-night stay in Berchtesgaden, this is an excellent choice for most visitors.

Four Points by Sheraton München Central

In a city like Munich, there are a ton of hotel options for visitors.  We decided to go with the Four Points by Sheraton München Central for a 5 nights stay and we were quite happy with our choice.  We found both the front desk staff, as well as the bartending staff, to be quite friendly and informative with any questions we had.

While there is a significant charge for accessing WiFi in your room, there is free access for all guests in the lobby/bar area.  While the speed isn't ideal, it's good enough for doing most online activities.  There is also one socket in this area under the main bench if you need to power up.

The room we had was pretty spacious for a European hotel.  It was very clean and comfortable and the housekeeping staff did an excellent job each day.  There is also a safe included in the room, which is a nice benefit for those travelling with valuables.

We skipped the breakfast while here since they were asking 12 Euros/Person each morning for it, while you can find better choices much cheaper only a block or two away.

The location of the hotel is ideal as it is right near the S-Bahn stop for Hackerbrücke (about a 5 minute walk).  This made it easy to get around Munich via train while we were here.  Also, if you are coming for Oktoberfest, the field that it is held in is also just a 5 minute walk from the hotel, making this a perfect location for those celebrating in the festivities.  Also, if you're ever in need of a cab, there is a taxi stand waiting right outside of the hotel.

We would definitely recommend this hotel to all travelers spending time in Munich.

Andechs Monastery

Brewing the world’s second best beer, Kloster Andechs, southeast of Munich is a great afternoon. There is somewhat of a hike to the top, but on the way, you’ll pass a full service restaurant, as well as a quick-service area that serves various types of pork in one area, and another counter that has more quick service snack items, like pretzels, potato salad, cold sausages and more.

There’s also desserts and beers available.

There is plenty of indoor seating, as well as outdoor seating under an awning with amazing views if you sit near the fence.

Once you’re finished eating, you can tour the church, explore the grounds, and more. There’s also a gift shop and a beer shop on the premises.

We stopped in on a Sunday and it was very, very busy. However, we were told by a local that typically the monastery and café is quiet and the grounds are the perfect place for reflection.