Description: We spent a great deal of time debating where to stay in Munich. There were many factors at play, none more so than cost. The hotel needed to have a restaurant, be within walking distance to Marienplatz, and having a pool was a bonus. We quickly realized this was not possible on our budget in the city center, so we looked by the train station and in Haidhausen - the district around the Ostbahnhof. The reviews of the area around the train station said it lacked any sort of quaintness and was a bit seedy (having walked around that area I agree). Uneasy about these reviews we settled on Haidhausen. This more residential neighborhood is just east of the Deutsches Museum and only a 10 minute walk to Marienplatz.

There are four main hotels in Haidhausen - Hilton, Holiday Inn, Motel 1 and Novotel.

I think a traveler would be happy at any of these hotels, but we really like the customer service and amenities at Novotel hotels. We booked our room through Hotels.com for $108.73 a night. The hotel is situated on Hochstrasse just a five to seven minute walk from the Ostbahnhof train station. Since it's on a side street it's very quiet.

The lobby is very cozy and inviting, and chock-full of amenities. There was complimentary use of two computers and a printer. Opposite the check-in desk was were two sectioned-off seating areas - one was a lounge area with couches and chairs (perfect for reading) and the other a playroom with a couple video game consoles (I believe there was a X-Box).

The check-in staff was very friendly and spoke wonderful English. I found them to be very accommodating throughout the stay - they got us extra pillows, bathrobes and toiletries. This Novotel did not have a concierge, but the front desk staff was knowledgeable.

We stayed in a Novotel during Christmas the year before in Paris, and our room was identical to that one - same layout, same orange pillows, same desk and exact same bathroom. As expected the room was very clean.

Immediately inside the door there was a shelving unit was a safe, mini-fridge and coffee pot. To the left was the toilet closet. The main room was spacious with a queen bed, a foldout couch, coffee table and combo desk/TV stand. The bathroom was entered through the bedroom and had a deep tub and a separate shower.

The large double windows overlooked the roof of the lobby and across the way were more rooms - far enough away to give a sense of privacy. It's the little touches that make a trip memorable, and in this case, it was the white icicle lights hanging above the windows across the way.

The hotel pool was heated, but a bit too chilly for me. The pool-deck was quite nice - lots of lounge chairs and very clean.

Right off the lobby was a full service bar with a limited food and dessert menu, and a Michelin guide recommended restaurant. We visited the bar on Christmas night after dinner at the Hofbräuhaus. We split a dessert and had a couple glasses of port. It was a very nice setting, and was reasonably priced. The hotel restaurant had a fair number of people at each dinner. We only dined in the restaurant for the Christmas day breakfast buffet. It cost €25 per person, but I believe it was well worth it - it was also the only thing open. They had all the normal fixings - pastries, breads and jams, yogurt, salads, and cheeses. There was also a nice variety of cured meats and hot sausages. The hot food station served waffles, pancakes, scrambled eggs, and made-to-order omelets. Most importantly, the coffee was free flowing.

I had an absolutely wonderful stay at the Novotel from check-in to check-out. I highly recommend this hotel for its service, amenities and location.
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