Hotels in Germany

Whether in big or small German hotels, professionalism and English-speaking desk staff are normal. Friendly and efficient service is usual. There are plenty of big chain hotels – industry analysts count 150-170 chains in Germany – but Germany also has a long tradition of independent, mostly small hotels that cover about 60% of rooms and offer a pleasant alternative. The drawbacks of some of these establishments, generally in older buildings, are the need to climb stairs and a lack of airconditioning for summer nights. In Germany, airconditioning is mostly a four-star feature.

Many hotels are non-smoking establishments but when booking specify non-smoking rooms if desired. Smokers should check on any prohibitions in rooms.

Many hotels are reasonably priced two-star or three-star options and often small children can stay free. Extra portable beds can often be booked for as little as €10 each.

Estimates of the number of hotels in Germany start at more than 12,000 and rise above 17,000. About 4,000 German hotels are rated at three stars in a 2023 statistical set that does not account for the full total. In 2021, Germany’s national tourist and restaurant association DEHOGA found about 10,300 hotels, about 3,300 hotels garnis, more than 9,000 inns and more than 4,000 pensions were paying value-added tax.

Making bookings

Bookings are described by day of arrival (Anreise, Ankunft) and departure (Abreise) – hence the morning after the last night’s stay should be included. Expect to provide a credit or debit card number when booking direct online, by email or by phone. Cancellation (Stornierung) of bookings is often possible at 24 hours’ notice, but check terms – special deals tend to have restrictive cancellation rules or demand part or full payment.

Note that the terms double and twin are often used interchangeably. To book a double bed, be specific. The term Zweibettzimmer means two single beds, though they may be placed together.

Visit accommodation booking websites for cheap deals but check terms and conditions carefully before booking. Cancellations or changes to bookings may forfeit any deposit or incur a fee. Major chains have their own central booking websites for which varying rates and associated conditions – such as no-cancellation discounts – may apply.

Three strong booking principles are:

• Book early
• Compare booking site rates with hotels’ own sites where possible
• Check differences between weekday and weekend rates

Last-minute bookings might be cheap as well, but the practice can turn out to be expensive.

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Apart from international accommodation booking sites, the German-owned HRS Hotels online booking portal overs a wide range of hotels and chains. It offers a handy indicator of distance from city centre, central rail station and airport as well as filtered searches. With the associated hotel.de site, it claims 300,000 listings worldwide. Both websites operate in multiple languages.

For other accommodation options, visit bedandbreakfast.eu, a site with good search and availability information. The US-based vrbo.com site offers a similar facility for guest rooms and boutique hotels and extensive listings for Germany.

A tourist accommodation agency (Zimmervermittlung) is usual at bigger tourist offices but there are some privately run agencies. Booking from online listings at tourist office websites is generally preferred by the offices themselves but most will deal with email or telephone inquiries.

In business markets competition from trade fairs (Messen) and conferences can push up rates. On the other hand, weekend charges might be cheaper at such destinations. Many hotels now charge separately for breakfast. Wi-fi/WLAN access charges are increasingly uncommon. But parking fees are common and in small city hotels it is best to inquire about availability.

Hotel stars in Germany

DEHOGA regulates star ratings under the conventions of the Hotelstars Union and Germany was one of the first signatories to its standardised star classification system. These stars are objective and rate the presence of defined features and amenities, not the perceived quality and ambience of a hotel building or its rooms.

The rooms will be cleaned daily on request, but an opt-out should also be available. Rooms in starred hotels must have an ensuite bathroom with bath towels and soap (or body wash) and a table and chair. Wi-fi internet access should be available in the public areas and the rooms, and TV should be in the rooms. There should be an option to deposit valuables. Cashless payment should be possible.

One star: There should be reception and breakfast areas and, at least, a drinks machine. It’s not so hard to find a single/double room size of 12sqm.

Two stars: Bilingual staff should work in the hotel. There should be a lamp and a chair for each bed and reading light. A breakfast buffet should be available. Hand towels should be offered.

Three stars: The reception area should be staffed for at least 10 hours a day and the hotel should have a bilingual website and complaints management system. Luggage service should be available on demand. A hair-dryer and beverage offer should be in each room, with an extra pillow and blanket, and a device for internal and external communication should be available on demand. A laundry and ironing service should be offered.

Four stars: The reception area should be staffed for at least 16 hours a day and staff should be contactable 24 hours. There should be a lounge and bar area and at least a minibar (or 16-hour beverage service) in rooms. A robe, slippers, shower cap and cosmetic products should be available. International TV channels should be accessible in rooms and there should be an armchair.

Five stars: In the luxury category, extra pillows are available, along with fresh flowers or a small greeting gift. A deposit safe should be in each room. The reception is staffed 24 hours and door staff and valet parking should be available. A food and beverage offer by room service should be available 24 hours.              

Accommodation taxes

Accommodation rates shown should include the 7% consumer or value-added tax (Mehrwertsteuer).

In classified tourist spa areas there is a daily charge (Kurtaxe or Ortstaxe), typically €2-3 per adult (€1 for older children) levied on top of room rates. Expect the day of departure to be included. Other local taxes can be levied in some towns and cities and can be payable on arrival, so it’s best to know in advance.

Tourist taxes also apply in some destinations under various headings – a culture tax (Kulturförderangabe), a bed tax (Bettensteuer) or simply a city tax, levied per tourist, per day, on top of advertised accommodation rates. These generally range from 1% to 5%, but sometimes they are flat or differential charges or have ceilings. Because most stated rates include VAT, most apply to the after-tax figure. Generally business travellers are exempted, which means filling out a form (check with hosts).