Review: Le Meridien Munich
For the first time in four years, I opted to stay at a hotel for Oktoberfest not named Four Points Sheraton Munich Central. And the result?
A mixed bag, really.
The Le Meridien Munich is located pretty darned conveniently – especially for Oktoberfest. The property is literally across the street from the south entrance of the Haufbahnhof Central Station, and an easy, fifteen minute walk to the center of the city, Marienplatz and the Glockenspiel. Though it’s not nearly as close at the Four Points Munich Central, the Le Meridien is only about a ten minute walk (4-5 blocks) to the front gates of Oktoberfest at the Theresenwiese.
We attempted to check-in relatively early, due to our morning arrival from the States, but not surprisingly, we were informed that our room would not be ready until 2pm. Okay, not a big deal. We then were informed that a roll-away would cost us 60 euros extra PER day. This was not what the details of our reservation said when I booked the room, and luckily I’d printed out all the confirmation details and had them with me. The front desk staff member was extremely nice and agreed that our rate did, indeed state that there was no fee for a roll-away…. score!
An Around the World Trip — Oktoberfest and Asia
- Introduction
- United Global First Class Chicago to Munich
- Oktoberfest… and Six Other Highlights of Munich
- Le Meridien Munich
- THAI Royal First Class Munich to Bangkok
- THAI Royal First Lounge and Royal Orchid Spa
- A Layover in Bangkok
- THAI Royal Silk Business Class Bangkok to Shanghai
- Two Days in Shanghai
- Park Hyatt Shanghai
- China Eastern Economy Class Shanghai to Hong Kong (to Shanghai)
- A Weekend in Hong Kong – Ten Highlights
- Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui
- Grand Hyatt Shanghai
- Air China First Class Lounge – Shanghai-Pudong
- Air China Forbidden Pavilion First Class Shanghai to Tokyo-Narita
- A Twenty-Two Hour Layover in Tokyo and the Hyatt Regency Tokyo
- ANA Suite Lounge – Tokyo-Narita
- ANA First Class Square Tokyo-Narita to Washington-Dulles
After a walk around town and a lunch at the Haxnbauer, we returned to the hotel to find our room — a standard, twin room on the second floor, facing the internal atrium of the property. The room was a decent size for European standards, but lacked the space that I’ve grown accustomed to during Oktoberfest with the studio rooms at the Four Points Munich Central. Nevertheless, the beds were firm, but comfortable. The closet space was ample. And the bathroom featured a full bath and a glass-enclosed shower, which was a nice touch.
Overall, the room was perfectly fine, but it really wasn’t anything special, or overly premium like the Le Meridien brand suggests.
We did not use any of the services offered at the hotel, as we merely used the place as a home base for our revelry at Oktoberfest and our touring around Munich. We slept, and we slept a LOT in this room. One drawback to the room is that the air conditioning never seemed to cool the room down enough. This is a common issue I find with hotels in Europe though, but it’s irritating nonetheless.
I did like the lobby of the Le Meridien, as it featured plenty of lounging area that was decorated for the Oktoberfest. The lobby bar is a sleek, modern space that served me a scotch or two on occasion. While there were always people in the bar, it lacked the festive vibe of the lobby bar at the Four Points.
As I mentioned, we did not have any meals at this property, so I can’t really comment on that. Upon check-out, I noticed an irregularity in my bill, as they’d charged me a rate almost double the rate that I booked. I pointed this out to the front desk agent, and after a consultation with the manager, it was changed to the proper rate. I’m glad this got worked out, but it was another minor annoyance, and something that was pretty baffling to me.
The Verdict…
Overall, the Le Meridien did its job by serving as a clean, comfortable place to get some rest during our time at Oktoberfest. I really wasn’t overly impressed with the property though, and certainly didn’t feel a particularly upscale vibe that I was expecting with the Le Meridien brand. We got a relatively good deal on the hotel, and ultimately it was that — the price was right. I’d do it again too if I got that kind of deal again, but I’d much prefer the Four Points property a few blocks away.
How I Booked It…
As mentioned, I found a very good rate for Oktoberfest at this property. I booked it about a year in advance, and it seems to me that the hotel may have forgotten to put the price premium on these rates when I booked, since it was only about 55-60% of the “normal’ Oktoberfest rate. In years past, I’ve used SPG points to stay at the Four Points Munich Central, and I’ll probably pursue that avenue next year, as it’s a steal for 10,000 points per night (11,500 for a studio room). The Le Meridien will cost you 16,000 points per night. If you’re staying for Oktoberfest, I strongly recommend that you save your points and book a room at the Four Points, since it is more convenient for the Wiesn, and you can upgrade to a larger room for a small premium.
How do you go about booking the studio? I see where I can book with points or points an cash but I don’t see the studio offered. Do I need to call after I make the reservation?
You must call. It will cost 11,500 points per night, as theres a 1,500 point premium on studio rooms. It is definitely worth it though.
Can you still get the 5th night free with that rate?
Yes. I used the 5th night free promotion in 2011 at this hotel for Oktoberfest. I assume that has not changed. The biggest challenge would be availability, as studios tend to go pretty fast at the 4P Munich Central during Oktberfest.