Altstadt / Isartor

Hotel Torbraeu

★★★★★

The Torbraeu stands at Tal 41, at the eastern end of the old town's main street, right beside the Isartor, the fourteenth-century city gate that once marked the main entrance to Munich from the old salt road. The hotel describes itself as the oldest hotel in the heart of Munich and speaks of more than five hundred and thirty years of tradition, back to the days when an inn and brewery stood here to serve travellers arriving through the gate. Today it is a comfortable, classic four-star hotel with a personal, family-run feel that many regular guests prize over the polish of the big chains. Rooms come in several categories, from compact singles and standard doubles to superior and deluxe rooms, a junior suite and a suite, decorated in a warm, traditional style with good beds and modern bathrooms. The hotel's own Restaurant Schapeau is on site for dinner, and the Klimt-Bar, with its nod to the Viennese painter, is a cosy place for an evening drink. Breakfast is generous, served in the hotel's breakfast room, and the service is friendly and attentive, with staff who know the neighbourhood well. The location is one of the best in the old town for sightseeing on foot: Marienplatz is about five minutes west along the Tal, the Viktualienmarkt and the Hofbraeuhaus are a few minutes away, and the Deutsches Museum on its island in the Isar is a short walk east over the river. The Isartor S-Bahn station, on the main trunk line through the city, is directly outside, with direct trains to the main station, the airport and Marienplatz. Rates are in the upper-middle range, good value for the location, and the hotel has received Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice recognition.

Rooms: the room categories vary in size, so it is worth paying a little more for a superior or deluxe room if you want space to spread out, especially for longer stays. Rooms facing the Tal and the Isartor have the city atmosphere and the gate view, while those on the inner side are quieter, which matters in a busy street that sees traffic and trams. The decor is traditional rather than designer, but well kept, and the atmosphere is welcoming for couples, families and older travellers.

Eating and drinking: the Schapeau is a convenient option for a relaxed dinner in the hotel, and the Klimt-Bar is pleasant for a nightcap. Within a few minutes' walk you also have the Hofbraeuhaus, the Viktualienmarkt and its beer garden, and the bars and restaurants of the Gaertnerplatz quarter, so you are never short of choice. The Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz is a five-minute walk in Advent.

Location and drawbacks: few hotels give you such easy access to both the old town and the river. You can walk the old town end to end, from the Isartor to the Karlstor, in about twenty minutes, and the Isar riverbanks and the Deutsches Museum are close. The Tal is a busy street by day, and the Isartor intersection sees traffic, so light sleepers should ask for a quiet room. The hotel's history and its location, more than its facilities, are the reason to stay: there is no pool or large spa.