Stopover in Munich? Try the charming Gasthof Gumberger in nearby Neufahrn
Overnight at Munich? Try the Gasthof Gumberger in nearby Neufahrn.
Munich airport is a fine place, and as such, I try to use it as my primary connection point in Europe. For a variety of reasons, I have spent more nights in hotel rooms by airports in the past couple of years that I would normally choose, and the offers from airport to airport vary tremendously, and Munich is no exception.
There are often convenient, but hideously expensive on-airport properties, and then there is the option of travelling into town. This can vary in complexity and cost from Narita airport which lies some 90 kms from Tokyo to London’s Heathrow airport, only 15 minutes (and an eye-watering £20) from the center of the city.
A couple of days ago I needed to overnight in Munich, and unwilling to pay the €300 requested by the Kempinski or head into the city, I looked for a close-by option. It is a lovely hotel, and I have enjoyed staying there in the past, but €300 is a touch steep.
The small town of Neufahrn is only thirteen kms from the airport, and much of that seemed to be spent driving around the runways. It is worth noting that there is a train from the airport, but I was late and needed dinner.
Some seven minutes later, with the taxi hitting speeds of 150 km, and the meter whizzing around at a considerable speed, we screeched to a halt by the Gasthof Gumberger; shaking from the experience and €27 poorer I checked into the property and absolutely loved it.
The Gasthof Gumberger is a fairly substantial hotel, and bed & breakfast (a single room) was €99. A comfortable room, an ample dinner at their convivial restaurant and friendly staff were exactly what I wanted.
Rooms were ample, well appointed and spotlessly clean. One expects this in Germany, of course, but it needs to be said. Quirky buildings in rural Bavaria make great hotels.
Breakfast was extremely good, and the following morning, with more time to spend returning to the airport, I decided to take the train, an option that had eluded me on the previous evening.
The station was a fifteen minute walk from the property, and from there the S1 runs every twenty minutes to the airport for a mere €1.30; I noticed that there was, in fact, another hotel, the Hotel Maisberger adjacent to the station, and at €65 – 85 per night, a fine option, and one that I shall try on my next overnight in Munich.
UPDATE: I did stay at the Hotel Maisberger on my next trip through Munich and can report that it,too, is delightful and makes the overnight stop most agreeable. It is slightly easier to access, but less “country Germany”; one takes one’s choice!
There are many options like this for spending the night at airports, and many comfortable properties that are completely unlike the soulless airport chain hotels. There are even chain-hotels that are so spectacularly well placed (The Premier Inn at Gatwick), that one can overlook their lack of charm.
However, the small villages that so often cluster around airports almost always offer some local charm and comfort at a fraction of the price of conventional airport hotels. Local transportation is usually good, and taxis are quick.
Websites like booking.com have great search features that make finding these little jewels a great deal easier than it was before. It is, however, worth doing a little research before charging on-line to take booking.com’s lowest priced airport option.