Isarvorstadt / Deutsches Museum

Hotel Admiral

★★★★★

Hotel Admiral is a smart choice for travellers who want to be central without staying on a busy shopping street, and who like the idea of the Isar on their doorstep. It stands at Kohlstrasse 9, a quiet street in the Isarvorstadt, the lively quarter just south-east of the old town, and its location is excellent for walkers: the Isar riverbank is two or three minutes away, the Deutsches Museum on its island about three minutes, the Gaertnerplatz, with its cafes, bars and theatre, about six, the Viktualienmarkt about eight and Marienplatz around twelve. This is one of the most enjoyable parts of the city to stay in, with the riverside paths for morning runs or evening strolls, the Glockenbach and Gaertnerplatz quarters for dinner and nightlife, and the old town within easy walking distance. Public transport is close at hand. Trams stop at Reichenbachplatz, about three minutes away, and at the Isartor, about five, and the Isartor S-Bahn station, a few minutes' walk, is on the main trunk line, with direct trains to the main station, Marienplatz and the airport. The Fraunhoferstrasse U-Bahn is around ten minutes on foot. The hotel is a small boutique hotel, with double rooms and a suite, and a garden that adds a calm retreat in the middle of the city. For drivers, the Isarparkhaus multi-storey car park is about three minutes' walk away and charges a moderate daily fee. There is no restaurant or spa, but breakfast is served in the house, and the neighbourhood's restaurants are some of the best in Munich. It suits couples and culture lovers, families planning a day at the Deutsches Museum, and anyone who wants a peaceful, central base with character.

Location: the Isarvorstadt is the right side of the old town for anyone who likes cafes, bars and the river. From the Kohlstrasse you can walk along the Isar to the Mueller'sches Volksbad, the art nouveau swimming baths, or north to the Maximilianeum and the English Garden, and the Deutsches Museum is so close that you can visit in two sessions. The old town sights, from the Viktualienmarkt to the Hofbraeuhaus, are a pleasant walk away through the Isartor.

Who it suits: couples, culture lovers and families who prefer a quieter base to the busy streets around Marienplatz or the main station, and who are happy without a restaurant or bar in the hotel. Travellers arriving by car will appreciate the nearby parking garage, which is easier than parking in the old town.

Compared with nearby options: Motel One and the big chain hotels around the Deutsches Museum and Rosenheimer Platz are cheaper and more standardised, and the Hilton Munich City across the river offers more facilities in a less attractive setting. In the old town, the Hotel Torbraeu at the Isartor is a similar, more traditional four-star. Hotel Admiral's advantages are its peaceful street, its small scale and its position between the river and the Gaertnerplatz, which is one of the best places to stay in Munich for evenings out.