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Although it has just 48 guest rooms and 25 suites, the Mandarin Oriental, Munich feels anything but diminutive.
That’s thanks to the fact that its home is an imposing 19th-century edifice originally constructed by King Ludwig II of Bavaria as a grand venue to host royal events, concerts and debutante balls.
The hotel is also in one of the city’s most historic districts, surrounded by little streets chock-a-block with shops, restaurants and beer halls, and just a quick walk to many of the town’s major attractions.
The hotel’s intimate size, however, ensures that every guest feels personally taken care of from the moment they are offered a welcome glass of Moet & Chandon Champagne at check-in to the instant that a doorman wishes them a hearty “auf wiedersehn” upon checkout.
Here’s everything you need to know about what happens in between, during your stay.
Mandarin Oriental, Munich location
The Mandarin Oriental, Munich is smack-dab in the heart of the city’s historic quarter, a mere stroll from the Residenz museum, the luxury-brand stores of Maximilianstrasse and the Marienplatz with its famous Rathaus Glockenspiel (the clock atop city hall whose life-size figures reenact scenes from Munich’s history twice a day).
The hotel is also an easy walk to the Viktualienmarkt with its many food, coffee and drink stands, as well as the Englischer Garten.
It’s about a 10-minute S-Bahn ride from the city’s central train station if you’re arriving by rail. Munich Airport (MUC) is a 45-minute car ride away; it can cost $80-$120, depending on the time of day and whether you take Uber or a taxi.
If you don’t mind a short walk, you can catch the S-Bahn directly from the airport to the Isartor station, which takes around 40 minutes and costs 16.30 euros ($19).
An added bonus: If your main goal is to raise a stein of beer in the city’s famous Hofbrauhaus, you’re in luck, since it’s just around the corner.
Mandarin Oriental, Munich booking details
Rates at the Mandarin Oriental, Munich over the next six months or so start at 755 euros ($883) per night in the lowest Deluxe category, with rooms around 355 square feet. The 915-square-foot Tower Suite I stayed in currently starts at 4,785 euros ($5,597) per night.
The Mandarin Oriental, Munich is part of American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts. So if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you can make a booking through amextravel.com and receive perks like availability-based upgrades, up to a $100 credit to use on-property during your stay for things like drinks or meals, complimentary daily breakfast for two, and guaranteed late checkout.
If you book through our partner, Skylark, you can also enjoy elitelike benefits and on-property credits.
Standout features
- Beautiful historical digs right in the city center.
- There’s an outpost of Matsuhisa for when you need a break from heavy German food.
- The hotel underwent a recent renovation, so rooms are looking fresh and bright.
Drawbacks
- There’s just one bar and one restaurant, so you might have to venture out for variety.
- A big construction zone across the street is likely to remain an eyesore for the next year or two.
- High room rates mean only those willing to splurge are set for a stay.
The vibe at the Mandarin Oriental, Munich
Every Mandarin Oriental has a signature fan on display that sets the tone for its particular property. Rather than a commissioned contemporary work, like many other outposts have, however, the Mandarin Oriental, Munich’s framed fan is a spectacular antique: a rococo confection depicting a pastoral scene of rose-cheeked aristocrats taking in nature that was originally created in the 1870s by the House of Alexandre, fan-makers to queens and empresses.
But the hotel also proudly displays contemporary prints depicting the nearby Alps by local artist Felix Rehfeld — check out the pastiche of 100 or so images at the top of the lobby’s grand staircase — and abstract ceramic mountain motifs by the Royal Bavarian Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory.
Like Munich itself, the hotel is a mix of the romantic past and the dynamic present, reflected in its guest roster of history-seeking international visitors and well-heeled business travelers in town to finalize the details of their latest deal.
Equal parts business and leisure, the hotel has something for everyone.
Rooms at the Mandarin Oriental, Munich
Two words: Biedermeier chic. Think nature themes, bright palettes and parquet flooring, but plenty of contemporary touches as well.
The hotel underwent a major interior renovation in 2020 that saw its guest rooms completely revamped to create a brighter, airier feel that still hews to the past thanks to the building’s glorious bones, but that brings a Bavarian aesthetic into the present.
My Tower Suite on the third floor had a long, L-shaped entry hall with a powder room and a cabinet of curios that led past the bedroom into the main living area.
There was a dining table for six as well as a handsome wooden work desk and a minibar stocked with treats like rice crackers and organic apple juice, a Nespresso machine, and fancy Rosenthal fine bone china cups with which to enjoy your morning (or afternoon) coffee.
I was also treated to a welcome amenity of house-made macarons as well as a small-scale replica of Munich’s Frauenkirche cathedral constructed out of chocolate (and yes, I ate it — it was equal parts delicious and sacrilegious).
There was a separate living room up a short flight of stairs in the building’s corner turret, with a semicircular sofa and armchair upholstered in various shades of blue to reflect the moody skies over the Bavarian Alps. For those not fascinated by the street scenes below, there was also a wall-mounted flat-screen television.
The bedroom, meanwhile, was enormous, with a white-sheeted king-size bed and baroque-style bench, a wall-mounted flat-screen TV and plenty of closet space enclosed by mirrored doors, plus a window looking out over the city (though most of the view was taken up by a nearby construction site).
Past the bedroom, the suite’s main bathroom was tiled in deep-veined white marble and black stone. It had a vanity with two vessel sinks and, at the far end next to a set of windows, a free-standing, fast-filling soaking tub.
There was also a large water closet and a separate walk-in shower with both a hand-held wand and an enormous rainfall showerhead that provided quite the cascade — all the better for lathering up with and then rinsing off the provided La Biosthetique hair and bath products.
Food and drink at the Mandarin Oriental, Munich
The hotel has a hodgepodge of dining and drinking options.
Located one level up from reception, the main dining venue is Matsuhisa, from famed Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa. It doubles as one of Munich’s toniest deal-making spots and the hotel’s breakfast venue.
In the mornings, guests will find a prolific buffet of items including house-made pastries, fresh fruit, smoked fish and meats, and a cornucopia of cheeses, plus a la carte dishes like eggs made to order, congee, coconut-mango pancakes and traditional Munich white sausages with sweet mustard, pretzels and obatzda cheese spread.
Come evening, however, the international set should find familiar Matsuhisa specialties like crispy rice with spicy tuna ($25), savory-sweet Kagoshima wagyu tacos ($62), yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno ($39), and various robata dishes and sushi rolls. If you’re in Munich for a few days, the light yet flavorful fare is a welcome break from the filling Bavarian cuisine you’ll find elsewhere.
Just across from reception, the hotel’s lounge doubles as a casual eatery from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. each day, serving various salads, sandwiches and regional specialties as well as a fancy afternoon tea from 3-6 p.m.
Up on the roof during the summer, guests will find Munich Sushi Club, serving favorites from Matsuhisa, along with excellent skyline views of the city’s landmarks.
Back down on the ground floor, meanwhile, there’s an award-winning cocktail bar called Ory where you can pull up a stool at the bar, sidle up to a high table or settle into one of the cozier booths and sample strong classic cocktails as well as more intriguing specialties like the Speyside Connection with Macallan 12-year Scotch whisky, Toki whisky, chamomile, Bavarian honey, maple syrup and lapsang souchong tea ($26). There are also various bar bites.
Amenities at the Mandarin Oriental, Munich
The hotel has a small fitness center with cardio machines and weights to get in a quick workout. Guests can also use the steam room and sauna located just adjacent to it.
Though not formally part of the hotel, the Amour Fou Spa is on the ground floor and available for salon services and treatments, including a mineral stone massage ($201 for 60 minutes).
The hotel has a rooftop deck open for the summer season with a small pool and plenty of areas to lounge and enjoy some sun or sips.
Accessibility at the Mandarin Oriental, Munich
The hotel’s entrance and indoor public areas are all wheelchair-accessible, though the rooftop deck and pool require the use of stairs.
All guest room floors are accessible via elevator, but the small size of the elevators might limit maneuverability. However, the halls are wide and easy to navigate.
A handful of rooms offer wheelchair-accessible features such as roll-in showers, but prospective guests should be sure to call the hotel directly before making a reservation to ensure the accommodations meet their specific needs.
Checking out
Even after 35 years of presiding over the city’s luxury scene, the Mandarin Oriental, Munich still stands tall as one of the town’s most elegant hotels. Its recent renovation has left the rooms feeling fresh and contemporary, and both Ory and Matsuhisa give the property a dose of youthful energy. However, this grande dame has retained its classical feel thanks to the historic building which it calls home as well as the genuinely warm, high-end service provided by the staff. Add in its excellent location, and the hotel is an ideal home base for exploring Munich and the surrounding region in style.
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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
