What are the things in the world that you’ve always wanted to do most? For some, it’s seeing the Pyramids by sunset, or climbing the Himalayas. For others, it’s dining at the world’s finest three Michelin starred restaurants, or cruising the world in luxury. But my own deepest, most pressing desire has been to dress up in lederhosen, stand in a beer hall with thousands of other people, and sing along to an oompah band performing some of the cheesiest pop songs ever written. That I didn’t know that this was my guiding ambition was, I think, something of an oversight on my part. But then a visit to Munich has always ranked quite highly in my personal pantheon, lederhosen or not.
In many respects, Munich is the best city in Germany. Considerably less edgy and aggressive than Berlin, it has been painstakingly reconstructed since WW2 and therefore has the serene feel of a great European city, rather than the slightly haphazard atmosphere of some of its neighbours. Although, of course, if you ask someone from Munich if they’re German, you are most likely to see a pained expression before they explain, politely but firmly, that they are in fact Bavarian, which might seem an academic distinction but is as important to them, as, for instance, not confusing a Scot and a Welshman. (Although I always find that, in order to avoid embarrassment in that situation, I make a discreet bleat, and then if it’s met with enthusiasm I know that I am in the presence of one from the land of St David.)
But I digress. I was staying at the rather fabulous Innside Munich Parkstadt Schwabing hotel, situated slightly to the north of the city centre. While the area that surrounds it is essentially a soulless business park, the hotel itself offers a genuinely five-star experience in terms of luxury and service. Designed by Helmut Jahn, as the adjacent Highlight businesss towers are, it feels fresh and contemporary, and far from the chintziness that other hotels in the area embrace. The rooms have all the things that you’d expect – enormous beds that envelop one in comfort, baths that you don’t want to leave and fabulous views from the floor to ceiling windows – and also some that you don’t, not least the complimentary minibar, which manages the rare task of actually being stocked with interesting things that you’d like to drink, rather than just the usual anaemic fruit juices. It would be very tempting to kick back and relax here for a weekend.
However, this isn’t an option. The aptly named Highlight restaurant offers a rather more refined experience than the hearty-but-exhausting lumps of pork that are de rigueur in many of Munich’s eating establishments, combining minimalist chic with a well-chosen menu that offers twists on many staples; a pumpkin ceviche is one of the more delectable things I can remember eating in a while. It should also be noted – as seems obligatory in German (sorry, Bavarian) establishments – that the breakfast buffet is a thing of comprehensive wonder and beauty and could feed the five thousand were they to arrive at the hotel one morning in search of nourishment.
And it was the five thousand – or at least it seemed like it – steins of beer consumed later at the Oktoberfest that made for a truly amusing ‘what I did on my holidays’ anecdote. The lederhosen duly donned, I fetched up at the Lowenbrau tent, where thousands upon thousands of people drank to their heart’s content, all the while singing along to the raucous oompah band. If you’d ever wanted to hear ‘Blurred Lines’ sung in a Teutonic accent – ‘you know you vant it’, etc – then your chance had at last come. Oktoberfest is a strange, marvellous experience that seems to dominate all of the conversation and interest in Munich for its duration, and everyone goes wild for it for a couple of weeks. (It remains about the only event I’ve ever been to where not wearing the costume makes one stand out and look outlandish.) And then it’s over, and life returns to normal, with only the promise of another Bacchanal next September to keep everyone going.
However, if it’s less a Bacchanal and more a truly comfortable and enjoyable experience that you’re after, I can’t recommend the Innside highly enough. And the best part is that, with prices from a mere £90 per night (excluding VAT), this is luxury that is available to the many, not just the few. Which leaves plenty of money for an extra weissbier or two…
Find out more about INNside Munich Parkstadt Schwabing from the Melia hotels website, including the best rates and special offers. Oktoberfest tents should be pre-booked – for full information, visit the official website.
