Best cheap hotels in Munich

It doesn’t get more affordable in the Altstadt. This bright addition to Munich’s hotel scene delivers on all the Motel One chain’s dependable service, cleanliness and box-spring bed comfort, with the added bonus of a super central location, as well as great historic views from some of the more upscale bedrooms. The chain’s regular white, beige and turquoise décor gains a touch of added opulence in the common areas, with elaborate light fixtures, rich upholstery and a cosy log burner in the dining room and lobby.

Time Out tip: Lucky you! The sleek Jaded Monkey cocktail bar is just around the corner.

The award-winning Laimer Hof is less about front-line style than it is about familial Bavarian hospitality. Dedicated hosts Alexandra and Sebastian Rösch, along with their twin boys, create a distinctly homely environment by greeting guests on arrival, offering numerous tips on what to see and do in the area and serving drinks each evening in the lobby or outside when warm. The light and peaceful bedrooms are furnished in simple, old-fashioned style with en-suite shower rooms. Particularly suited for visitors to the Nymphenburg Palace, Laimer Hof is also very family-friendly, with the option to combine some rooms into a family suite.

Time Out tip: Don’t miss the nearby Königlicher Hirschgarten, the largest beer-garden in Bavaria (if not the world).

With its stylish minimalism and excellent location between the main train station and the Königsplatz, the downtown branch of the Vi Vadi chain caters well to both business and pleasure travellers. Rooms, ranging from singles to a lofty and airy suite, keep things beautifully crisp and fresh, with clean lines, generous windows and a simple palette of white, brown and beige. The en-suite shower rooms include pampering White Company toiletries. Breakfast and surprisingly good coffee are served in the on-site Vi Vadi restaurant, where you can also enjoy good Sicilian dishes come the evening.

Time Out tip: The Vi Vadi is located just around the corner from the Alter Botanischer Garten, a charming Munich park featuring planted beds, fountains, playground and café.

The upbeat Cocoon chain has three hotels in town, each channelling relaxed retro-chic for superb prices. We like the Stachus location for its proximity to the Altstadt and quirky forest décor, but the Hauptbahnhof branch will bring you even closer to the main train station, while the Sendlinger Tor location is a stone’s throw from the Theresienweise (take note, Oktoberfest travellers). Alongside its woodland concept, the Stachus venue is brightly lit and playful, with plenty of rounded edges, 70s-style greens and oranges, and trademark ‘ball chairs’ to kick back in. True to the Cocoon name, the rooms are compact and cosy, with integrated wash-basins and Raindance showers. Breakfast is available for a small additional fee and there are plenty of bars, shops and eateries nearby.

Quaint is probably the best word to describe the English Garden Guesthouse, although that doesn't quite do it justice. This lovingly converted old watermill – it dates back over 300 years – provides olde wolde charm alongside mod cons. Watch a flat screen TV in your room amongst rococo revival furniture and utilise the free wifi beside the babbling brook. Things to do nearby include the classy Seehaus restaurant in the English Garden, Bavarian beer at Osterwaldgarten and the eighteenth-century Chinese Tower.

Time Out tip: Hop on your bike (or one rented from the front desk) in order to easily explore the English Garden.

The fresh-feeling, contemporary hotel is located conveniently close to the Ostbahnhof, the main station in the east of the city. Like other ‘East Ends’, Werksviertel is a rapidly transforming neighbourhood filled with arts venues, cultural institutions and – perhaps most importantly for the hungry traveller – loads of great eateries and bars. The hotel itself is affordable but several levels up from the truly budget. Rooms are comfy and decorated with a nod to warming colours and pseudo-vintage accessories. They pride themselves on being eco-conscious and if you feel your room could do without cleaning every single day, you’ll get a free beer as a reward.

Time out tip: They don’t serve brekkie, but there’s plenty of excellent cafes and bakeries to visit nearby. Make it your mission to try them all.

With two decades of hostel hospitality to its name, the Euro Youth Hostel sure knows what it’s doing when it comes to budget traveler needs. Around the corner from Munich Central Station, it is ideally suited for backpackers on a tight budget. The bedrooms are bright, light and spick-and-span, boasting some of the most comfortable beds on the European hostel circuit. Downstairs, the décor hits the right mix of tradition (think vintage brewery posters) and modern amenities (lots of computers, live screenings of FC Bayern games, good WiFi). Each guest has a private locker, with additional luggage storage available.

With rainbow flags fluttering across its façade, the Hotel Deutsche Eiche is both an excellent value Munich hotel and one of the most historic LGBT establishments in town. Walking distance from Viktualienmarkt and Marienplatz, it’s got a great central location, as well as a hearty on-site restaurant serving up good Bavarian fare from seven in the morning until after midnight. The simple rooms are clean and comfortable, but it’s the great friendly service, proud history and extensive hamam and sauna that secures Eiche its place on the list.

Time Out tip: Don’t miss the leafy roof terrace with its great views over the Altstadt spires.

Prices really are properly affordable at the superbly priced Creatif Hotel Elephant, tucked away on a quiet street near Munich central station. With its bold red facade, this bright and affordable bolthole is particularly popular with tourists on a budget, while also appealing to no-frills business travellers making a flyover visit. Rooms are kept compact and simple, retaining the exterior’s penchant for colour in vibrant curtains and art prints. Fresh tulips in the breakfast room add further cheer.

Time Out tip: Up for some more bright colour? Take the short walk up to the Lenbachhaus, where you’ll find key Expressionist works from Kandinsky, Klee and Gabriele Münter.

The Hotel Mons am Goetheplatz channels something of the clean lines and monochrome one might expect from an upmarket design hotel, only with a somewhat shabbier finish and much softer price tag. Located above a fairly unassuming pharmacy, with ascent via an old-school elevator, the approach is hardly glamorous, but if you’re looking for simple affordability, you’ll find doubles for a great price, with decent service, comfort and breakfast. Note that many of the cheapest rooms share a bathroom and that sound-proofing isn’t the hotel’s forte; if you’re a light sleeper, ask for a room at the back.

Time Out tip: Some travellers find the hotel under-insulated in deep winter, so pack extra layers!