One of the most beautiful towns in Germany, a journey to Bamberg can feel like going back in time. This Bavarian settlement, spread over seven hills, boasts a vast old town surrounded by Europe’s largest intact city wall, which modern architecture has singularly failed to penetrate.
The Hotel Central (Photo: Hotel Central Courtesy Booking.com)
The town’s character, however, is not stuck in the past, with a lively student population offering it genuine vitality and pushing it beyond being a mere tourist hub. There are also no fewer than ten local breweries, making sure that any visit here is well watered, and a wide range of hotels, catering to all budgets and tastes. Here are five of the best.
Hotel Central
High ceilinged modern interiors in a venerable building right in the heart of Bamberg’s old town, the Hotel Central is exceptionally clean and comfortable, boasting all the conveniences a 21st Century traveller expects. Why not splash out on a balcony room, with views out over the city.
Hotel Alt-Ringlein
Hotel Alt-Ringlein (Photo: Hotel Alt-Ringlein Courtesy Booking.com)
For those wanting to swaddle themselves in Bamberg’s ancient culture, this hotel with its half-timber façade housed in a building parts of which date back almost to the 13th Century is a perfect choice. Bursting with Bavarian charm, the rooms themselves actually feel relatively modern and of course have both TVs and WiFi throughout. There’s a traditional restaurant onsite, where local beers simply must be sampled!
Am Blumenhaus
Am Blumenhaus (Photo: Am Blumenhaus Courtesy Booking.com)
In a quiet residential area just five minutes from Bamberg old town, this modern hotel is a great bolt-hole from the crowds at the end of a long day immersed in Bavarian culture. It has clean rooms characterised by trendy modern décor and the latest mod cons. The cherry on the cake, is the hotel’s proximity to the forested nature reserve along the town’s Regnitz River: proof Bamberg is more than just its historical heart.
Palais Schrottenberg
Palais Schrottenberg(Photo: Palais Schrottenberg Courtesy Booking.com)
Surrounding a romantic courtyard, this idiosyncratic hotel, despite the age of its building is a relatively new player on the Bamberg scene: it only opened its doors in 2014. As such, there’s still a freshness to the service here and a genuine wish from its staff to impress. Parquet floors and period details in the rooms hint at the history of the surrounding town, and though it’s centrally located, there’s a real oasis of calm created the moment you step through its lobby doors.
Altstadthotel Molitor
Altstadthotel Molitor (Photo: Altstadthotel Molitor Courtesy Booking.com)
Exposed wooden beams? Check. Charming period details in all the rooms? Check. Right next door to an historic brewery in the centre of town? Check. The Altstadthotel Molitor is one for those eyeing the full Bamberg experience. Located inside an impeccably restored mill from the 15th Century, it’s still replete with modern touches, including cable TVs and wifi, and run by a very gentle, accommodating staff.