Covid-19: News and information in English about the situation in Munich and Germany

by Know Before You Go

The Corona pandemic changed the world and travel in particular. It’s not as easy as it was before 2020 to just hop on a plane and sunbathe on sun-kissed beaches or visit the sights of cities. New terminologies and daily routines have entered our lives due to Covid-19. We are dealing with lockdowns, entry restrictions, mandatory tests, quarantine regulations, and the discussion of compulsory vaccinations for travel.
To complicate things further, each country and in Germany sometimes even each municipality has different rules regarding restrictions.

For travelers ( regardless of whether they are traveling for tourism or business) who do not speak German, this creates significant barriers in a jungle of regulations, information, and often daily news updates.

To bring a bit of light into the darkness, I show you where to find the best (and most trustworthy) information and news about Covid-19 related activities in Munich, Bavaria, and Germany.

Munich before Covid-19

Understanding the Situation in Germany

Perhaps you have already noticed it on the sidelines. In Germany, there are no uniform regulations on lockdowns, school closures, and other restrictions on the Corona pandemic.

But why is that?
Simply put, a lot has to do with the federal structure of the Federal Republic. Many competencies have been transferred to the individual states since the founding of the Federal Republic. The federal government is often only able to make recommendations, not regulations. This regularly leads to the fact that there are sometimes significant differences in the fight against the covid virus between the individual federal states. While schools are closed in one federal state, they remain open in another. One state imposes a lockdown, while another relaxes its regulations and reopens stores. Especially during the relaxation phase of the summer of 2020, it was noticed quite quickly that Germany is a patchwork of regulations.

As a traveler who has not usually studied and internalized the structure and historical genesis of this patchwork, this can lead to a great deal of confusion.

Where you can still get good information, even if you do not speak German I show you now.

Information on Covid-19 in Germany

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is the most important German institution concerning the covid pandemic. The institute is the German counterpart to John Hopkins University in the USA.

All information from the RKI is highly official and reliable. Therefore, as a traveler, but also as a person living in Germany who does not speak German (e.g. expatriates), you should check the RKI website frequently, as it also provides the latest information in English.

What can you find on the RKI website?
– Daily reports about the current infection situation
– An interactive dashboard with figures and data history
– Information about the German Covid warning app for mobile phones
– Information about the vaccination strategy
– Studies

Visit the RKI website

The Integration Commissioner’s website provides a variety of information on the Corona pandemic in up to 20 different languages. Of course, also in English.

What can you find on the website?
– Information about the Corona warning app
– Information about vaccination
– FAQ about Covid in Germany
– Information about work and study during Corona
– Basic information for travelers

Visit the website

The website of the Federal Foreign Office provides information in English on entry requirements and travel restrictions.

What can be found on the website?
– Information about entry restrictions
– quarantine regulations
– Travel information regarding entry and transit

Visit the website

Information on Covid-19 in Munich and Bavaria

Travel-related news on Covid-19 for Munich and Bavaria

German news ressources on Covid-19 in English

K800_dall-e_lufthansa_expressbus

Explained: The Lufthansa Express Bus to Munich Airport

by Flight relatedGeneralKnow Before You Go

What is the Lufthansa Express Bus?

Lufthansa Express Bus is a bus shuttle service that connects Munich International Airport – Franz Josef Strauss with the city of Munich (Main Station).
This bus is one of four ways to get from the airport to the city. In this article I would like to show you how to use the Lufthansa Express Bus, how much it costs and if it is a good alternative to the other services.

1. Is the bus for Lufthansa customers only?

Although it may seem so, the bus is available to all travelers, no matter whether they arrived at Munich Airport on a Lufthansa or Star Alliance flight. It is run just by Lufthansa in cooperation with a local bus operator.

The bus is a convenient way to get from the airport to the city

2. How much does the bus cost?

The prices are quite fair and you can purchase a “return ticket”, so you can not only go to Munich but also get back to the airport. The return ticket is “open”, which means you can use the shuttle bus back to the airport when you want, while return tickets of the public transport always have a time limit (e.g. 3 or 4 days).

Here are the prices (including all taxes and fees) as of Jan. 2021:

These are the prices for an online purchase through the official Lufthansa Express Bus website. Of course you can buy tickets from the driver, but the tickets will cost additional 0.50 € (one-way) or 1.00 € (return). So the online purchase is not significantly cheaper than buying your ticket from the driver.

3. Where does the bus stop?

The bus has six stops in total. Two of them are located in the city of Munich. The other four are the different stops at the airport terminals.

3. How long does the bus take to Munich Main Station?

The bus uses the same route as the cars, so you’ll reach Munich downtown in about 40 minutes, depending on traffic.

5. Additional Information

You can find more Information about the Lufthansa Express Bus and purchase tickets online on the official website: https://www.airportbus-muenchen.de/en

5 travel predictions for Munich and Bavaria 2021

by Flight dealsFlight relatedhotel dealsKnow Before You Go

What will happen to tourism in the year 2021 in Munich and Bavaria?

The year 2020 was dominated by the Covid 19 pandemic. The global tourism industry came to an almost complete halt. Starting in the second half of the year, the situation in Europe recovered again, but tourism remained at a much lower level than before Covid. But how will things continue in 2021? How will Munich, Bavaria and Germany continue in terms of tourism? I dare to take a look into the magic crystal sphere and give a few predictions for tourism in 2021 and 2022:

1. Focus on local guests and guests from neighbouring countries

Although travel restrictions will be lifted as the corona pandemic fades away and international travel will increase again, the next years tourists from far away countries like the USA, Australia, India, China or Russia will only play a secondary role. Especially Germans and Europeans (especially from nearby countries such as Austria, France, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Scandinavia and England) will be the main target group of tourists. The hotel and restaurant industry will probably respond to this. In particular hotels, which have a special target group, e.g. Chinese or Russian guests will have to change their approach if required.

2. More expensive air travel

After international air traffic, and especially air travel, came to a complete standstill, the airlines reacted with drastic measures.

The majority of aircraft fleets were mothballed, sold or even scrapped. If the number of passengers now increases, this initially means a shortage of the available seats. Especially on popular travel routes, such as New York – Munich, Los Angeles – Munich or Bangkok – Munich, this will lead to a much higher demand for seats than available. After all, long-haul flights in particular are likely to be more expensive than short and medium-haul flights. This will have an impact on the number of long-haul travellers (see point 1).

3. expanding loyalty programs

The trend towards the creation of loyalty programs will continue. Something that was previously only operated by very large hotel chains now appears to have also arrived at the medium-sized hotel chains. Everywhere you can see the creation of new loyalty programs and the competition for frequent travelers.

But this development will probably also separate the wheat from the chaff. Because not every loyalty program is worth to be used. The Hotel chains will have to focus on providing members with a real advantage compared to “ regular travelers“, but at the same time not losing any money through free upgrades, and cash benefits.

At the same time, there may be so-called „fare wars“, which means that the hotels outbid each other with (free) additional services or more attractive rates. Travelers will also take a closer look at loyalty programs. Only those programs that really offer a benefit, much lower rates or where the collection of points, miles or nights does not degenerate into a mammoth task, are accepted. Programs that will not offer any value will probably be punished by the customers. Especially the trigger word „according to availability“ will surely play a big role here, because it makes a big difference for travelers whether a late checkout is guaranteed or just possible and in reality hardly ever available.

4. Increase in "couponing"

Flash-sales, discount coupons, black-something-sales will gain in significance. In order to avoid or at least to soften the possible oversupply of hotel accommodation (especially outside of usual vacation and travel periods), there will be special sales with coupons and similar things. Possibly this will also be combined with loyalty programs (see point 3).This will often result in very good prices for travelers. But here, too, the customers will have a close eye and hotels with „fake deals“ will have a hard time.

5. Flexible cancellation regulations

Especially in Germany, the topic of „travel cancellation“ was a huge issue. In 2019, Germans were in third place among the countries whose citizens travelled the most (1st place: USA, 2nd place: China, 4th place: UK). In 2020, the value of the trips booked probably totaled several hundred billion US dollars.

And then came Covid-19. Hotels closed, borders closed, flights were cancelled, and all travelers asked themselves „How do I get my money back?

When the travel market reopened slightly, hotels in particular responded with flexible cancellation options, sometimes until a few hours before arrival. Travellers are getting used to this and I believe the flexible cancellation policy will play a big role in the post-covid travel era.

Flight News: Brussels gets Preclearance Facility for flights to the USA

by Flight related

Brussels Airport gets US Preclearance Facility (USCBP)

After many years of negotiations between the Belgian government and the USA, the Belgian capital Brussels, or better Brussels Airport gets a Preclearance Facility for flights to the USA.

Media reports that Belgium and the USA agreed on the details on 28.09.2020. This would make Brussels Airport the third possibility in Europe to perform preclearance for flights to the USA.

What is a preclearance?

The Preclearance program of the USA enables travelers to complete the formalities of the US immigration authorities already at the airport of departure.

This saves you a lot of time, because you will be treated as a domestic traveller when you arrive in the USA. You don’t have to wait in the queue at the airport in New York, Washington, Miami or Los Angeles for hours and wait for your turn. This makes the trip to the USA more relaxed, because at European airports, only those passengers who have booked a flight to the USA go to preclearance. There are usually only a handful of these flights every day. However, flights and passengers from all over the world arrive at American airports – and all of them have to go through US Immigration and border control.

What's the benefit for Munich?

Brussels will be the third airport in Europe to be equipped with a US Preclearance Facility. Until now, this service was only available at Dublin and Shannon airports (both in Ireland). For the airports of Munich (MUC) and Memmingen (FMM), but also for other airports such as Salzburg, Innsbruck, Milan or Zurich, this means an increase in attractivity, as it is only a short flight of about one and a half hours to Brussels. To Dublin or Shannon, on the other hand, it takes one hour more.

When's the Preclearance Facility ready?

It is not yet known when the Preclearance Facility in Brussels will open. However, it could possibly be expected as early as 2021.

Deal: NH Hotels Munich up to 25% off, free breakfast and more until March 2021

by with No Comment Dealshotel deals

NH Hotels in Munich from 57 USD/night including breakfast and more. Book until Oct. 5th, stays until June 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic also hit Munich and Bavaria. After the lockdown in spring, the hotel industry is recovering only slowly and the cancellation of the Oktoberfest 2020 does the rest to make it difficult for the tourism sector this year. But this also leads to a positive situation for travelers. The hotel prices are at rock bottom and those who want to book a stay now, are often rewarded with cheap rates and sometimes even with additional extras like free breakfast or guaranteed late checkout.

The NH Hotel group currently has a very nice offer for hotel stays. There is up to 25% discount, free breakfast, free late checkout and free cancellation up to 48 hours before check-in.

NH Hotels in Munich

The NH Hotel Group, to which several brands such as NH, nhow, TIVOLI, but also renowned brands like AVANI or Anantara belong, operates six hotels in Munich. These are

– The NH Collection Munich Bavaria (Central Station)
– The NH Munich Airport (near Munich International Airport)
– The NH Munich South
– The NH Munich Fair (near Munich Fairgrounds)
– The NH Munich East Conference Center
– The NH Munich Unterhaching (in a suburb of Munich)

While the NH Collection Hotel at the main train station is probably the most modern, central and luxurious of Munich’s NH hotels, the other NH hotels in Munich also offer 4-star comfort (except the NH München City South, which is only 3-star).

Enjoy a stay in Munich

What is included in the rate?

When you book you get the following services included:

  • Air Conditioned room
  • free Wi-fi in the entire hotel
  • free breakfast
  • free late check-out
  • free stay for kids
  • free cancellation 48hrs before arrival (arrival is considered at 6pm)
  • all taxes, fees and VAT included

The following things can be booked for an extra charge:

  • Parking

How to book?

Book directly via the official NH Hotel Group website: www.nh-hotels.com/hotels/munich

My Opinion

In my opinion, the NH Hotels deal is quite good for Munich hotels. You can book for example the NH Collection Munich hotel, which is directly next to Munich’s Main Station starting from 90 EUR / ~106 USD / ~82 GBP / ~147 AUD per double room. Breakfast is included as well as a late check out.

Pro’s of this offer:

  • Included breakfast
  • Late check out
  • Free cancelation until 48 hours before arrival
  • 5 NH Rewards Points per stay (to be used within 3 months after check out). 1 NH Rewards Point = 1 EUR

Con’s of this offer:

  • Only the NH Collection Munich hotel (which is the mosty luxury NH Hotel in Munich) is in the city centre
  • You have to sign up (for free) for the NH Rewards program to get these rates
  • Parking for cars is not included (extra charge)
  • If you don’t collect NH Reward Points, the 5 points you get are nearly useless, as you can use them only if you have at least 10 points. 

Munich Hotels: The Steigenberger Munich (4*/5*)

by Hotels

Overview

The Steigenberger Hotel Munich is a luxurious hotel belonging to Deutsche Hospitality, a worldwide operating hotel chain with a total of five hotel brands.

The Steigenberger Hotel Munich is relatively new and was opened at the beginning of 2018 in the northern part of the city district of Schwabing. The hotel does not officially have a star rating, but is on a 4-star, if not 5-star level.

The hotel wants to reflect a „Modern Bavarian Lifestyle“, so that it plays with tradition, but is never kitschy or stereotypical.

The hotel has a total of 292 rooms and suites. The rooms have a size of 25-32 sqm (269-344 sqft). The suites offer 45-60 sqm (484-646 sqft) of space.
The hotel also offers a lobby, a bar/lounge, two restaurants and a wellness area/spa. In addition there are 14 conference/event rooms and a cigar lounge, which is quite seldom in hotels.
But probably the biggest highlight of the hotel is the „Beer Crystal“, a kind of walk-in, transparent fridge, but with a selection of over 50 types of beer from Bavaria and all over the world.

[AcuGIS mapid="7"]

General Information

Address

Berliner Str. 85, 80805 Munich, Germany

Telephone: +49 (0) 89 159 06 10

See the map for Points of Interest around the hotel.

Nearby public transport facilities:

  • Tramway (350 m / 383 yds, approx. 5 minutes by foot)
  • Subway station (600 m / 656 yds, approx. 7 minutes by foot)
  • Lufthansa Airport ExpressBus station (700 m / 765 yds, approx. 9 minutes by foot)

 Nearby Airports:

  • Munich International (MUC) – 32 km / 20 mi (ca. 25-30 minutes by car, 1 hour by public transport, ca. 35 minutes by Lufthansa Express Bus)
  • Memmingen Airport aka Munich West (FMM) – 118 km / 73 mi (ca. 1,5 hours by car, 3 hours by public transport)

Rooms

The Steigenberger Munich Hotel has a total of 292 rooms in five categories:

  • Superior Double
  • Superior Plus Double
  • Deluxe Room
  • Junior Suite
  • Executive Suite

All rooms are very modern and elegantly furnished. Of course, all rooms are air-conditioned and have a minibar/fridge, safe, hairdryer, coffee making facilities and a flat-screen smart TV. The bathrooms offer a rainshower or tub. Wifi is available free of charge throughout the hotel. Bathroom amenities (bulk dispensers, 2-in-1 Shampoo/Conditioner, Shower Gel) are also provided free of charge.

Hotel lobby & Reception

The hotel reception is located to the right of the entrance hall/lobby and also has a modern design. The lounge with seating and the elevators to the rooms, as well as the accesses to the spa, restaurant and event rooms are located in the entrance hall.

Lobby/Lounge in the Steigenberger Munich Hotel

Restaurant/food facilities

Directly behind the elevators in the entrance hall is the hotel restaurant „Lumen“ as well as the „Valentinum“ Bar & Terrace.
The „Lumen“ is only used as breakfast room and is open between 6:30 and 10:30 am. On weekends and holidays additionally 30 minutes until 11:00 am.

The „Valentinum“ is quite interesting because it follows the concept of „Bowls, Beers and Burgers“. However, there are also Bavarian elements in the menu, so everyone will probably find a favourite dish. Those who only want to drink something can also sit down at the bar. If the weather is fine, it is also possible to sit outside on the terrace.

The Steigenberger Munich Hotel Terrace

Wellness & Spa facilities

The Steigenberger Munich offers a 300 sqm. (3.230 sqft.) wellness area with sauna (Finnish dry sauna, Bio-Sauna, Steam-bath) and relax rooms. there is also a well equipped gym.

Business & Meeting facilities

Steiegenberger München has a total of 1,200 sqm (12,917 sqft.) of event space. These are divided into 14 different event rooms. All rooms have natural light and are air-conditioned. An appropriate catering service is available.

Parking & public transport

Parking:

Parking for cars is available directly in front of the hotel on the street. These are regular street parking lots (free of charge) without special surveillance. Those who want to park their car in a dry place with camera surveillance can use the hotel’s underground car park for a fee of 25.00 EUR (~30 USD, per day and vehicle.

Public transportation:

The Steigenberger Munich hotel is very well connected to the public transport system.

Only about 350 meters away there is a tram stop where you can take the tram to the centre of  Schwabing district. There you have a direct connection to the subway which brings you to the city center, the Olympic Park or the Allianz Arena (soccer stadium).
If you wish to take the subway directly, you will find it only 600 meters away from the hotel (station „Nordfriedhof“). The Lufthansa ExpressBus stop is also very close to the subway station, which makes it a breeze to get from and to Munich International Airport.

Approximate time from the hotel (by public transport including walking time):

  • to the city centre (Marienplatz, Town Hall): 30 – 35 minutes
  • to Munich Main Station: 25-35 minutes
  • to Hofbräuhaus beer hall: 35 minutes
  • to Oktoberfest (Main entrance): 35-40 minutes
  • to the English Garden: 15 minutes
  • to the Royal Residence: 30-35 minutes
  • to the Pinakotheken art galleries: 30 minutes
  • to Nymphenburg Castle & Gardens: 50 minutes
You can park your (rental) car in the garagefor a fee

Good to know

The district around the hotel:

The hotel is located in the northern part of the famous Schwabing district. Here it is very peacefully embedded in a large housing area. A little further south there are more renowned addresses, such as the 5-star Andaz Munich Hotel or the gourmet award-winning restaurant „Tantris“. All in all, you will find yourself in a typical residential area of Munich. A few shopping facilities are available, but sights and tourist hotspots require public transport or a car.

Food options:

There are no facilities worth mentioning in the immediate vicinity of the hotel, except for the very well-known gourmet restaurant „Tantris“ and an Indian restaurant.
In order to enjoy the whole range of eateries, bars, restaurants, etc., you have to either head south to the centre of Schwabing district (around Münchner Freiheit square), or drive straight into the city centre.

Supermarkets:

There is a small supermarket (Edeka Express) and a pharmacy a few steps from the hotel. You will also find a bank/ATM there. A little further away, you can find a discount supermarket (LIDL).

Going out:

Schwabing is also known as a party city district. Between Münchner Freiheit and Giselastraße there are countless bars, clubs, restaurants and pubs.

Ratings & Opinions

Hotel ratings:

The Steigenberger Munich Hotel has very good ratings throughout the Internet (as of 07/2020):

  • Booking.com: 8.6 (of 10) „Excellent“
  • tripadvisor: 4.5 (of 5) „Excellent“
  • Holidaycheck: 5.4 (of 6)
  • Expedia: 4.4 (of 5) „Wonderful“
  • trivago: 8.6 (of 10) „Excellent“
  • Agoda: 8.3 (of 10) „Excellent“

Opinions:

When reading through hundreds of reviews on sites like the named above, you can filter out the following things people liked or disliked in this hotel.

What travellers liked:

  • the good connection to public transport and especially Munich International Airport
  • the friendly staff
  • the very good and huge breakfast (buffet-style)
  • the complimentary water and coffee making facilities
  • the modern design
  • the available pillow menu
  • the bathroom shower

What travellers did not like:

  • the hotel being a bit far away from the city centre
  • the AC in some rooms undersized and loosing the fight against the heat during hot summer days
  • there were also a few complaints about the friendliness of the reception staff
  • too business oriented hotel

Book the Steigenberger Munich hotel:

You can book the Steigenberger Munich hotel here*:

* What the asterisk means: If you’re booking the hotel or make a specific action through the search-tool, I will receive a commission via the liked provider. There will be no additional costs for you. You are not required to use the search-tool, but if you do, you support my work – which I appreciate.

6 tips to find a perfect hotel in Munich

by Know Before You Go

If you are looking for accommodation in a city, you will certainly check many internet resources. Many online travel agents (OTAs) offer a variety of offers and deals. But especially when it comes to choosing a convenient hotel, the question of whether you have chosen the perfect hotel is often asked.

Here I have picked out 6 tips for you on what to consider when booking your accommodation in Munich.

1. Is a centrally located hotel really central?

I often read, especially on websites that offer travel deals, headings like „Stay in a central hotel Munich during Oktoberfest for just XX USD“. But how central is actually central?
Many cities in the world are so enormously large that the central city centre extends over several kilometres. Therefore, the term „central“ becomes relativ. Munich is not a metropolis like New York, Tokyo, Paris or London, that’s clear. But also in Munich, the term „city centre“ has a relatively large extension.
In Munich, everything that is located within the ring shaped city expressway „Mittlerer Ring“ is called city centre. But from this expressway to the city centre (Marienplatz) it can take up to 30 minutes by car or public transport. On foot, it normally takes almost exactly one hour. Many hotels that are quite far away from Munich’s Old Town still say they’re „centrally located“ as they refer to a subway or tramway station nearby which will shorten the time to reach the city centre.

The best way to find a really centrally located hotel is to specify your search.

Most OTAs offer to do a perimeter search around a specific location. But for this, you have to know where the locations are. So if you want to find a really central hotel in Munich, I recommend using the following search parameters

Expedia:
The website of the worldwide known OTA Expedia offers the filter option „Area“ or „Popular locations“ in the hotel search on the left side. Here you should select one of the following options for very central hotels:


Area Filter
– Munich City Centre
– Munich Central Station (located about 1,000 meters west of the city center)
– Altstadt-Lehel (This district is the most central and consists of the Old Town and Lehel (directly east of the Old Town)
– Maxvorstadt (still very centrally located west and northwest of the old town)

Popular Locations Filter
– Marienplatz
– Hofbrauhaus
– Viktualienmarkt
– English Garden
– Residenz
– Odeonsplatz
– Sendlinger Tor
– Ludwigs-Maximilians-University of Munich

Trivago:
The website of the OTA, or rather OTA search engine, which also operates worldwide, is structured differently. Below the search mask, there is an option „Hotel location“. In the window that opens, you can determine the proximity of the hotel to „popular sights“. You can also specify how far away the hotel should be from this sight. Choose the following „popular sights“ for a really central hotel and add a maximum of 1 mile (1.6 kilometres):

– City Center

You will get the same results (possibly shifted by less than 100 m) for:
– Old Town Hall
– Bavarian State Opera
– Dallmayr
– Cathedral of Our Lady
– Hofbräuhaus
– Court Garden
– Marienplatz
– New Town Hall
– Residence
– Viktualienmarkt

2. Is "near" Munich really "near" Munich?

Hotels located in the suburbs outside the city limits are often described as „near Munich“. And if you look at a map, in most cases this is correct. But also the term „near Munich“ is relative, because even if there is a hotel near Munich, this does not mean that you have a good and comfortable connection to the city or that you are rapidly in the city centre.
If you are looking for a hotel in the suburbs, always check first if there is an S-Bahn station in the immediate vicinity. If you have a (rental) car, this is, of course, less important.
However, before you book, you should check with a route planner how long it will take you to get to the city centre. Especially if you only have a few days or even hours in Munich.

3. Make a bucket list first

In big cities, unfortunately, one gets nearly knocked out by hotel offers. This leads to the effect that one is always on the search for a perhaps even better, cheaper, or more central hotel. One spends hours or days searching for the perfect hotel (which may not even exist, because the desired hotel is too expensive, too far away, or something similar).
Some of you may enjoy this long day-long search. But those who have to or want to quickly find a good hotel are soon annoyed. And that spoils the expectation or can even change your attitude towards Munich, Bavaria or Germany – although it’s not the country or city’s fault that you spend a long time looking for hotels.

So, if you have chosen a city district, a place of interest or something similar, in which area the hotel should be, then take a short look at all hotels in this area (maybe filter out hotels that are too expensive or offer too few amenities). It is only necessary to look at the pictures and read a few opinions to get a first impression. Of course, you should also define things that are absolutely important for you, such as included breakfast or a wellness area, in the filters of the website.

Based on these hotels, you will then generate a bucket list of potential hotels for you to choose from. And exactly these hotels you then look at in detail and finally decide which one you book.

4. Don't stick to the well known hotel chains

If you are not from Europe, when looking for a hotel, you will probably turn to a well-known chain that you liked in your home country or other countries you have already visited.
Examples of these chains are (alphabetically): Accor, IHG, Hilton, Hyatt, or Mariott.

But in Munich, there are also hotels or even hotel chains apart from the big chains and their brands that offer an equal or even better product or price-performance ratio.

5. Find information about the district first

As a traveler, you should always research a little about the district in which the desired hotel is located, especially if the city is unknown. Particularly women who are travelling alone should do a little more research in this field.

Munich is a very, very safe city and even districts that are not considered to be very good are far from being a no-go area as you might know it from other countries or cities.
Nonetheless, you should know a little bit about the social milieu of the district in which you reside.

But be careful if you search the internet for the terms „no go area Munich“. First of all, there is no such thing in Munich and secondly, you can quickly find websites that are solely for political purposes and possibly spread fake news.

For Munich, I will soon create a neighborhood guide, so that you can check the districts and quarters in detail and see what to expect.

But to avoid the corners that don’t feel so nice, I have made a map for you:

[AcuGIS mapid=“6″]

6. Don't rush for rooms

Travel websites try to convince you that you should quickly book the desired hotel or flights at the offered price. Some psychological tricks are used for this. A rather well-known trick is the (artificial) shortage.
You have probably seen travel websites where pop-ups or similar hints appear like „only 1 room left“ or „55 people are watching this“.
This will psychologically put you into stress, as the room you might want to have could be booked by someone else at any moment. So you may tend to accept a higher price just to be first to book.

Don’t be fooled by these tricks. Even if there is only one room available, it is unlikely that anyone will book the room you are looking at right now.

Stay calm and focused and just ignore the appearing pop-ups and hints about a shortage. 

Tested: The Eurostars Grand Central Munich 4*

by Hotels

At the end of 2019, I had the opportunity to test the Eurostars Grand Central Hotel in Munich. At that time there was a very attractive offer for the presidential suite, so of course, I took the opportunity immediately. So here is my in-depth review of Eurostars Grand Central Munich.
Note: I’m testing hotels in Munich myself (I pay for it myself) and I’m not invited by the hotels. The reviews are therefore not a paid advertisement but honest opinions. 

Location

As you probably already read in the article Munich Hotels: The Eurostars Grand Central Munich, the hotel is centrally located in Munich. All in all, it would still be counted to the so-called city center. In Munich, the term „city centre“ is basically used to describe what is located within the so-called Mittlerer Ring (also named B2R in maps), a busy ring road around Munich’s city centre.

The hotel is located in the western part of the „Neuhausen“ district, more precisely in the „Arnulfpark“ quarter. The quarter is rather upscale and renowned companies like Google are based here as well. All in all, the location is still quite good for Munich travelers to rapidly reach the most important sights and hotspots of Munich. Also, if you don’t mind a 25 to 30-minute walk, you can reach the old town or the Oktoberfest grounds on foot.

[AcuGIS mapid=“4″]

What I found interesting was the fact that Eurostars named the hotel „Grand Central“. Grand Central implies for many travellers that the hotel is located at the main station of the city. Probably because many of them have the term „Grand Central Station“ in mind. In fact, the hotel is located about 950 meters (~1,038 yards) from the main train station down Arnulfstr..

Public Transport & Getting there

The hotel is very conveniently connected to public transport. There is a tramway station in the immediate vicinity of the hotel. The tramway will bring you directly to the gates of the old town. Only a 5-minute walk takes you to the S-Bahn (urban rail) station „Hackerbrücke“. From here you can also go to the city centre or explore more distant sights or tourist hotspots (e.g. Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial). The station is also a stop for the two airport lines, which take you directly to and from Munich International Airport (approx. 45 minutes journey time)

Directly in front of the hotel, there is also a taxi stand, in case you do not want to use public transport.

In case you arrive with a (rental) car, there is always the question of a parking space.

At the hotel, there are two options. Either you park in front of the hotel on the street or use the hotel’s underground car park (for a fee of 18.00 EUR / ~20 USD / ~16 GBP / ~29 AUD).

I came by car for the review. The parking situation is, unfortunately, a bit limited. There are parking lots directly in front of or opposite the hotel, but they are also available for residents or business people. Especially in the Arnulfpark quarter, directly behind the hotel, it can get a bit crowded and you have to be lucky to find a parking space. This is especially the case as there is no parking fee to pay.

You should also familiarize yourself with the traffic signs (especially if you are not from Europe), because Arnulfpark has some important special signs which do not exist in this form in other countries and which are not immediately obvious if you are from the USA or Australia, for example.
On the sign above, for example, you can see a lot of important information:

1. Height clearance. This sign means that somewhere in this street there is a passageway with a maximum height of 4.1 meters.

2. in Germany, the sign „Fahrradstraße“ (Bicycle Road) refers to roads in which only bicycles are allowed to ride. The sign directly below, however, removes this restriction for motorcycles and cars. The term „frei“ (free) does not mean that motorcycles and cars are allowed to park here free of charge, but that they also have the right to use this bycicle street. Anyway, bicycles always have the right of way here.

3. last but not least we find one of the most important signs in Germany. The „no stopping“ sign. This sign says that from this point on to the right, you are not allowed to park or stop your vehicle.

Lobby & Lounge

You enter the Eurostars Grand Central through a large sliding door and find yourself in a hall-like lobby. This is where you will find the rather spacious reception, the entrance to the bar and restaurant, the lifts to the rooms, and the entrances to the conference rooms.

To the left of the reception in the lounge you can sit down and plan your excursions, have a snack or a sundowner in the evening.

In summer you can also sit in the inner courtyard and enjoy the peace and quiet there. When I was there, it was already too cold, but as you can see in the following picture, one could still have sat outside.

The Check-in process was normal. There was not much going on (we were the only guests who checked in at that moment) and the young gentleman at the reception was not exuberantly friendly but also not impolite.

We received our room keys (cards) and the young man told us that on the left was the restaurant and on the right the elevator to the rooms.

Rooms

As mentioned at the beginning, there was a good offer for the presidential suite at that time. After having booked this, the highest room category, I would have wished for a more obliging reception, but ok. I was looking forward to the big room with living room, bedroom, and two bathrooms.

On the way to the room that was located at the corner of the building on the first floor, I noticed a slightly musty smell. Where it came from I could not determine, but I guess it was from the carpet, as the hall carpet has already seen better times and was quite stained in front of some rooms.

After I entered the room, I immediately took a look at it. I liked the layout, the enormous living room, and the bedroom. As I like design hotels, the bathroom and/or the guest toilet also fascinated me. These rooms are kept in dark red and black.

But when I took a closer look at the bathroom, I noticed that the shower was covered in limescale. Yes, I know in Munich the water is very hard. I live here myself and I always have to scrub my shower to prevent lime stains. I also don’t say anything if there is a lime stain here and there. But here it looked as if the shower was completely forgotten to clean. Also the bathroom door had a lot of white stains.

I am usually quite tolerant here and do not shy away from wiping up myself when the cleaners have forgotten something. But here, they probably completely forgot to clean the bathroom, as the floor and the bathtub were a little dusty, too.

Thus, I went to the reception and explained the situation. The now a little annoyed-looking receptionist said that he would inform the cleaning team.

After five minutes three men knocked at the door and told that they would like to fix the problem of cleanliness. Interestingly, two of them only took pictures of the stains with their smartphones and told the third guy to clean the bathroom.

He got down to work immediately. He was very friendly and hurried. In the meantime, we sat down in the living room and had a coffee.

After he left, I went to the bathroom again… The real problem, the limed shower and the stains on the door were still there. But now the bathtub and the floor were spotless. Well… thanks for mopping the floor, but this was a complete miss. I was not in the mood to go to the reception again, as I wanted to enjoy the late afternoon and test the hotel further.

The bathroom with shower and bathtub was very spacious and directly accessible from the bedroom. I found that very comfortable. There were also miniature toiletries from the Spanish brand „Hierbas de Ibiza“. Shampoo, shower gel and body lotion were provided. Besides that there was hand soap and a care set. Also the guest toilet in the entrance area was in top condition and nicely designed.

In total, the bathrooms were very nice and also the big rain shower was very pleasant. Maybe a little too dark. An additional light would not have been bad here.

Bedroom
The bedroom was also spacious with indirect lighting and a large flat-screen TV in front of the bed. In addition, there was a quite large wardrobe with a safe (laptop size) as well as a place to get dressed or to read something. On the king-bed there were bathrobes and it was covered with artificial rose petals. All in all the bedroom was really great. I could also sleep very well.

Livingroom
The livingroom was quite huge and featured a seating area with large table and a lounge area with couch, lounger and huge flatscreen TV. All was nicely designed with the dominant colours black, brown, chrome and red. Unfortunately the furniture had really seen better times and some of them were actually really worn out.

The huge table in the living room had a big stain on it. I don’t know how it came there, but it seemed a can opener which was covered with a liquid (alcohol?) was placed here. The liquid corroded the wooden surface. The same happened to the actually nicely designed black marble coffee table. I wanted to see if I could remove these stains with some water, but it looked like these stains are here since a long time. The stains on the coffee table looked a bit like spilled and dried milk, but it was also not removable.

Such things can happen and it is ok to not replace the tables immediately. Especially marble tables are quite pricey. But what really annoyed me was the fact there was a totally worn out lounge chair in the room. And I don’t mean there were a few scratches in the leather or some wrinkles of years of use. The lounge chair slowly crumbles into dust.  You can’t put that in a living room of a 4-star hotel. Especially not in the Presidential Suite, the biggest and most luxury room category!

I tried to forget the chair and the stains and went back to further explore the room and its equipment.

Room Equipment

In the room there were a sideboard with coffee making facilities. These were provided free of charge.There was also a radio on the sideboard which looked like a design-media centre. A closer look told me it was a Grundig Oviation 7000 – an early 2000s design radio with CD-Player and a futuristic, UFO-like remote control. After my early-2000s flashback, I tried to listen to some radiostations. They were not programmed, so i had to search the FM band. As I’m a Munich local, I actually know the frequencies of my favourite radio stations, so I found a good station quickly. But the quality was rather poor. A lot of interferences on many frequencies. I then realised there was a small room antenna with tiny cable right behind the player. I tried to move the antenna a bit closer to the window, but the quality improved just a bit. I decided to switch it off and listen to music via the huge smart TV in the living room. The radio player looks nice, but is actually quite useless.

There was also a screwdriver and bottle-opener, which is great if you want to open a bottle of sprakling wine or a bottle of soda, lemonade or beer. Also the provided hairdryer was good and quite new. I also liked the view from the room. From the living room and bedroom you can see Arnulfstrasse, a main road leading to Munich Main station and the city centre. 

As a special feature I booked the „Romatic Package“. This package is bookable through the official website after you choose your room. It consists of a bottle of sparkling wine, chocolate strawberries, rose petals and late check-out if available. The package costs additionally 21 EUR.

As we checked in, I asked if late checkout is possible and immediately got the answer: No!
And here is what the „Romatic Package“ looks like:

Presented on a worn out black tray you could find 6 tiny strawberries and 6 blueberries along with three uncompassionate placed artificial rose petals.

The strawberries were only half-covered with chocolate and it was nearly impossible to actually eat the chocolate as you would have to scratch it off the slate-dish.

The sparkling wine was good (Scavi & Ray Prosecco)

Wellness & Spa facilities

After another coffee we decided to check out the swimming pool, the fitness facilites and the sauna, all located on the fifth floor. Unfortunately there was no rooftop patio or something.

As there were people everywhere, I could not take pictures. All in all I was a bit disappointed. The fitness room was quite tiny as well as the sauna.

The (indoor) swimming pool area was more spacious, but not really big. We went in but realized there were two families with kids making a water-fun-park out of the whole area. So we decided to leave and sit in the sauna.

When we walked into the sauna area, I was again disappointed of the dwarfishness of the wellness area. There were only three loungers. We decided to just go to have a few sauna sessions and then go back to our room to relax. So we took a shower and walked in the rather small sauna cabin (suitable for approx. 5 people) and looked in the shocked faces of an elderly couple. As I looked at them surprised, he waved away his shocked face and said in a broad British slang. „Sorry mate, we’re not used to naked people.“. We all laughed and I explained a bit about using a sauna in Germany.

All in all, the wellness area was disappointing. All was quite tiny and I don’t want to imagine how packed everything is during the high season or Oktoberfest.

Restaurant & Breakfast

We did not try out the restaurant, because we went downtown to have dinner. But the next morning we could try the breakfast in the quite spacious restaurant.

The breakfast is served in buffet style. As you know by now, I wasn’t that gruntled because of what happened the day before, but I have to tell you I became reconciled with the Eurostars Grand Central. 

The breakfast was huge and there were not only options for continental breakfast or English breakfast but also a lot of Spanish things (Serrano ham, olives, tapas). Also the breakfast manager – a guy looking like a bearded Enrique Iglesias – did a really great job. He was everywhere at the same time. Greeted guests, refilled coffee beans, carried empty dishes, told the staff where to clean the tables, refilled the buffet and greeted guests again. This guy has my deep respect.

Unfortuantely it was not possible to take pictures of the buffet or the breakfast room, as there were too many people, but you can find some on the German website holidaycheck.de.

Conclusion

The stay in the Eurostars Grand Central Munich was good. I think we had a rough start and I also think mistakes can happen.

But I hope the hotel management will replace the worn out furniture soon Especially when you have to pay a room rate over 250 EUR/night for a presidential suite this is a no go.

Also the wellness area could be improved, but is ok when the hotel is empty. I also wished for a warmer greeting, and a less annoyed look when a guest has a complaint.

The close proximity to the city centre and the Oktoberfest grounds makes the Eurostars Grand Central a great basecamp for exploring the city.

I recommend this hotel to couples and families who like to come to Munich for Oktoberfest or during the summer months to explore the main sights but also do day-trips with the urban rail system or by train.

Do you have any thoughts you want to share? Contact me (see footer).

Ratings

The Eurostars Grand Central Munich has very good ratings throughout the Internet:

Google: 4.3 (of 5)
Booking: 8.4 (of 10) „very good“
tripadvisor: 4.0 (of 5) „very good“
Holidaycheck: 5,1 (of 6)
Expedia: 4.3 (of 5) „Excellent“
trivago: 8.5 (of 10) „Excellent“
Agoda: 8.4 (of 10) „Excellent“

Wheretostayinmunich.com Rating

Public transport connection?

5/5

Hotel facilities:

3/5

Staff (friendly? helpful?)

3.5/5

Cleanliness:

3.5/5

Airport-connection (Munich Intl. Airport):

4/5

Room size:

5/5

Breakfast:

5/5

Value for money:

3/5

Overall rating:

4/5

The Best time to visit Munich – June?

by with No Comment Know Before You Go

When is the best time to visit Munich? Whenever you go to a destination abroad where you’ve never been to before, you will ask yourself: When should I go there? Are there “good” or “bad” months? Of course, every city looks far better on a nice sunny day than in heavy rain. There are only a few places in the world where it doesn’t matter when to go, as the weather conditions are always perfect. Unfortunately, Munich is not such a place. Also, hotel prices vary throughout the seasons. Here I will tell you about the best months of the year when you should visit Munich, and of course when you should avoid visiting Munich. This time I will tell you about the things you can expect throughout June in Munich

June in Munich

June is a true summer month in Munich. The temperatures are usually pleasant around 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 – 77° F). Nature stands in lush green and Munich’s residents enjoy their leisure time at the many lakes for swimming, on the banks of river Isar, in the bars and coffeehouses and last but not least in the beer gardens.
In June there can be a heat wave and the 30°C barrier (86°F) is passed. But this can also be followed by sometimes quite strong summer thunderstorms, which come in the late afternoon hours. Here, however, it depends on the so-called macro weather situation. It can also be pleasantly warm and sunny for several days without a rain cloud appearing.
Especially on weekends, when the weather is fine, Munich’s residents get on their bikes and go on tours with the family, stop off in pleasant beer gardens or go straight to the Alps by train or car to go mountain hiking.

But June is also the month in which you can really notice that a large number of tourists come to the city. As usually in June there are also the Pentecost holidays in Germany and neighboring countries, mostly German and European tourists come to Munich. In June you will hear a lot of Spanish, Italian but also Russian and Chinese in the streets of Munich.
The hotel prices usually increase significantly and you realize that the high season has begun in Munich.

Weather in Munich – June

As previously mentioned, June is a summer month. The temperatures are around 20 degrees Celsius (77°F) and the sun is already pretty strong. So if the weather is fine with bright sunshine, don’t forget to pack and use your sunscreen.
Depending on the macro weather, there may be a long dry period with summerlike weather and lots of sunshine. However, there may also be a rather humid period, during which it is nice but there are often rain showers or thunderstorms at the end of the day. This unstable weather can even last for several days until there is real summer weather again.
At night it can still get chilly and the temperature can drop below 15°C (59°F). So don’t forget to bring a jacket for your beer garden visit in the evening.

How is June in Munich?

National Holidays and festivities during June in Munich

Learn about the National Holidays during this month as well as other festivities you will encounter when travelling to Munich in June.

Pentecost (German: Pfingsten)

Besides Christmas and Easter, Pentecost is one of the most important Christian festivals, especially in Catholic Bavaria. Fifty days after Easter, Christians celebrate the appearance of the Holy Spirit announced by Jesus Christ. The celebrations last two days. These days are Whit Sunday (German: Pfingstsonntag) and Whit Monday (German: Pfingstmontag). Whit Monday is a public holiday in Germany. All shops and malls are therefore closed.
In Bavaria, Whit Monday is followed by two weeks of school holidays, so you can see a significant increase in tourism in Munich. The Whit Monday holidays are traditionally the first holidays in Southern Germany when many local people also travel abroad.

Feast of Corpus Christi (German: Fronleichnam)

Corpus Christi is a high church holiday and at the same time a public holiday in Catholic Bavaria. Like Pentecost, Corpus Christi Day is a movable holiday that is based on the church calendar and is not fixed to a specific date. However, Corpus Christi Day is always the first Thursday after Pentecost.

On Corpus Christi, especially in Bavaria, there are often processions in which worshippers parade through the streets of the town in a procession with prayers and chanting together.

Strawberry season

Depending on the weather conditions, the strawberry season in Bavaria begins from mid to late May and lasts until July. Strawberries can be bought everywhere and there are also some strawberry fields in Munich and the region around the city, where you can pick strawberries yourself directly from the field for a fee.
When the weather is fine, especially families with small children go on an excursion to pick fresh strawberries. In the restaurants and especially in the cafes you can find all kinds of strawberry cakes or pastries with strawberries. A dream for all travellers who love strawberries.

Would I recommend travelling to Munich in June?

I would definitely recommend you to come to Munich during June.

The weather is pleasant and it feels like summer. As a tourist, you can also enjoy all the outdoor activities. The beer gardens are open and there are several festivals.
However, I recommend coming outside the German Pentecost holidays. During june, the tourism high season has finally arrived in Munich and you will find many tourists in the streets, especially during Pentecost holidays. The hotel prices reach their first high durign the Pentecost holidays, so prepare for higher room rates in Munich.

Travel weather Munich in June?

When I plan to travel abroad, I always check the average weather conditions for my desired travel time. Everything is better when the weather is right, especially when travelling. Sometimes even a week back or forth can statistically show significantly different weather. Therefore I also would recommend you to check the temperature and sunshine of the last three years to get an idea of how the weather is statistically looking like at your destination. Of course, statistics don’t give you a 100 percent certainty that the weather will be the same again, but the probability is higher.

How not to embarass yourself when using a German Sauna

by Know Before You Go

A few decades ago, visiting a sauna or a wellness area was only something for luxury travelers who could afford hotels with corresponding facilities. In the meantime, a large number of hotels have saunas and wellness areas. This has even developed into a separate sector of tourism and some regions of the world specialise specifically in wellness and relaxation. A visit to a sauna is an essential part of cleaning and relaxing your body. But also here, different rules apply from country to country. Particularly in German-speaking countries, it can happen to tourists from other countries that they step in faux pas during their visit to the sauna. So to avoid being one of those travellers, read the following article and you will be perfectly prepared for a sauna visit in Germany, Austria, and (most parts of) Switzerland.

1. The different sauna types

Not all saunas are the same. Many tourists who come to Europe and want to go to a sauna think mainly of a hot room with benches and a sauna oven. But in reality, there is a wide variety of different saunas. In each one there are benches or seats and a stove that produces heat.

The Finnish Sauna
The Finnish sauna is probably the quintessence of the sauna and the most common type. As the name suggests, it comes from the birthplace of the sauna – Finland. In the Finnish sauna, you will find a dry heat between 80 and 110 degrees Celsius (176 – 230° F). The vast majority of these saunas are heated to exactly 90° Celsius (194° F). However, the air humidity is only 13% at most. This also has its sense, because at a higher humidity the heat is perceived as unpleasant and burning on the body. Nevertheless, the Finnish sauna is not for everyone. Especially newcomers should (if possible) first try the so-called „Biosauna“

The Biosauna or Sanarium
The Biosauna is ideal for beginners. It is not as hot as the traditional Finnish sauna and yet you can sweat very well here. As a rule, the bio-sauna, which is sometimes also called „Sanarium“, is heated to around 60 to 75 degrees Celsius (140 – 167° F). The humidity can be higher than in the hot Finnish sauna due to the lower heat and is usually around 20 to 30%. Organic saunas, in particular, are used for infusions with a wide variety of fragrances.
Biosaunas often have their own terms, such as „meditation sauna“. These names are given by the company that runs the sauna

A small finnish sauna

The Caldarium
The Caldarium is an invention from ancient Rome. Even the Romans knew that a visit to a hot room has a good effect on health. However, the Caldarium is one of the coldest saunas there is. In total, only around 45-50 degrees Celsius (113 – 122° F) are reached, with a comparatively high humidity up to 100%

The Steam bath
the steam bath is also known as „Hamam“ in many countries, although in the German-speaking world the term „Hamam“ usually refers exclusively to a Turkish steam bath with a corresponding cleaning ceremony and washing. The steam bath, which is also known as „Roman steam bath“ is similar to the Caldarium. The boundaries between the steam bath and Caldarium are fluid. In the steam bath, there is almost 100% humidity with relatively high heat (around 50° C / 122°F). Steam baths are often also used for infusions, which has a positive effect on the respiratory tract. Mostly salt is also evaporated, but other mild fragrances are also used. These special steam baths are then called „salt grotto“, „salt gallery“ „herbal bath“ or similar

The Infrared-sauna or Infrared-cabin
Infrared saunas are a relatively special type of sauna, since infrared lamps do not heat the air in the sauna, but the body itself. Usually, you sit under or next to infrared lamps that are directed at you. These produce a temperature of around 50 degrees Celsius (122° F) on the surface of the body, which makes you sweat. Infrared saunas, sometimes also called infrared cabins, are similar to a Biosauna, but in my opinion the gentlest form of sauna, so ideal for sauna novices

2. Who should not got to a sauna?

Even though a visit to the sauna is generally considered to be positive for health, there are certain groups of people who should not go to the sauna.

These include people who suffer from cramp veins in particular. Although it is possible to go to the sauna if you have varicose veins, you should then put your feet up in order to increase blood circulation.
Also, people suffering from high blood pressure, heart problems, or chronic diseases should always consult their doctor before visiting the sauna. Especially high temperatures and the switch between hot and cold can severely interfere with the blood circulation.

Is it ok to go to the sauna with a common cold?

The question of whether a sauna visit with a common cold is possible or not is discussed frequently and in detail. In principle, you should not go to the sauna if you have a cold. On the one hand, you could infect other sauna visitors and on the other hand, you could make your cold even worse, depending on the stage it is in. Basically, doctors say that you can still go to the sauna when a cold starts and possibly even stop it, but if an infection has already broken out, you should not sweat any more in order not to put additional stress on your body. All in all, you should avoid going to the sauna when a cold is on its way.

3. Rules in a German sauna

Nudity

in German-speaking countries, the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries it is completely normal to go completely naked into a sauna, even in mixed-gender saunas. In this nudity, there is absolutely nothing sexual to it and those who have been in a German sauna more often will notice that the other sauna visitors are not interested in your body or even staring at you. However, especially for visitors from English-speaking countries (UK, USA, Australia, Canada), undressing completely always requires some effort.
As a tourist, you should nonetheless bite the bullet here, as otherwise, you run the risk of catching attention even more if you are the only person in a bathing suit in the sauna. It can even happen that you’re thrown out by the bath attendant or the „Saunameister“.

Of course, while you are not in the sauna, you do not walk around completely naked but usually put on a bathrobe and slippers that you have with you.
Of course, it is also allowed to walk around naked for a short time, especially if you go straight from the sauna to the shower in order to take a quick shower and rinse off sweat.

No skin on wood

But even if you are completely naked in a German sauna, there is a special rule that everyone observes. A disregard of this rule can lead to harsh comments. So under all circumstances, follow this rule:

No skin on wood!

The benches and walls of a sauna are usually made of wood. Unfortunately, wood has the habit of absorbing moisture like a sponge, especially when it is warm and dry. This also happens with human sweat. Therefore, avoid under all circumstances that your sweaty skin comes into contact with the benches and walls. For this reason, you usually have a pretty large bath towel with you, on which you sit or lie.
Please also note that if you are sitting on the wooden bench, the towel is placed in such a way that your feet are also on it… because you won’t believe how much you will sweat on your feet.

This rule does not apply to steam baths. Here it would make no sense at all to go in with your towel because it would be dripping wet in no time. In steam baths you don’t sit on wooden benches but rather the seatings are usually made of stone or ceramic tiles.

She doesn't obey the "no skin on wood"-rule. Other guests will definitely tell her

Never use a wooden pillow as footrest

Wooden pillows are available in nearly every sauna. They are placed on the benches and are made of (you guessed it already) wood. You might think that this is a footrest, because it looks similar. But this is not the case. So never never never put your feet on it, not even if you put a towel underneath. This would immediately attract looks and comments.

Only use the wooden pillow for your head when you lie down on the bench (if there is enough space) and always put a towel under your head (see ’no skin on wood‘-rule).

Never wear slippers inside the sauna

When you enter the sauna area, you should wear slippers. This not only helps to prevent you from slipping, but also prevents the spread of foot mycosis.

However, when entering the sauna, you should take them off. You will quickly notice this if there are already some slippers in front of the entrance door to a well frequented sauna. Just add them to it too and go barefoot into the sauna.

Pro tip: Keep in mind where you have left your slippers. If you notice that there are a lot of identical slippers and there is a danger of confusion (for example in hotels where every guest gets the same looking slippers), try to mark them beforehand (e.g. with a pen). If it’s already too late to mark, try to place the slippers in a way that you recognize them (e.g. put them in each other, put them on top of each other).

Take a shower before using the sauna

Before you enter the sauna, you should always take a shower. And I don’t mean that you should take a shower at home or in your hotel room, but right before entering the particular sauna cabin. Therefore, there are enough showers in every sauna area, usually only a few steps away from the sauna cabins.
Whether you use shower gel or just clear water is up to you. When using the shower prior to your sauna session, the point is to open the pores of your skin so that you can sweat more easily and more effectively. It also helps to wash off any sweat that may already be present, as this can smell unpleasantly, which would then intensify in the heat of the sauna and quickly scare off the other sauna guests.

Never enter the sauna cabin completely wet

Even if you take a shower directly before using the sauna, you are not allowed to enter the sauna when you are still dripping wet. Dry off first! Of course you don’t have to dry yourself so much that you could slip into clothes, but you should be towel-dried. This is not only true for your body but also for long hair.
If you were to go into a sauna room dripping wet, the sauna guests would most likely immediately ask you (more or less politely) to dry off first.

Try not to talk inside the sauna cabin

The sauna is a place of well-being and relaxation. For this reason it is usually quiet in all saunas. The sauna guests speak as little as possible and concentrate on themselves. In German saunas this rule is strictly observed.

When you visit the sauna with your partner or friends, try not to talk in the cabin or try to talk as little as possible. If you need to talk, use your inside voice, whisper and postpone conversations for a few minutes.

Take a shower after using the sauna

Right after you come out of the sauna cabin, you should take a shower. This will rinse off the sweat and also refresh your body. Whether you take an ice-cold shower or a warm one is up to you. The ice-cold shower, however, stimulates the circulation. In many saunas, cold plunge pools or cold splash showers are available. Use them when you need a boost of refreshment.
After you shower, dry yourself off and rest a little before you take your next sauna session.

The timeline of a sauna session