Sheraton seemingly like to cause confusion in Munich, having two similar named hotels opposite each other on the same road. First advice when arriving must be, therefore, to make sure you're heading for the right one. Fortunately, after the 400m walk from the underground station, I was heading for the right one - a bland grey building with nothing really to commend it.
However, once inside, all was forgiven. A fleet of very special cars lines the foyer and reception areas, the highlight of which must surely be the BMW 507 - arguably the most beautiful car ever made.
After wasting time looking over the cars, I checked in (very friendly, very quick, and all in order) before heading to the room. Spacious but otherwise standard, there's no doubt you're in a 4-star hotel, but the hotel itself could be anywhere in the world. I guess that's the price you pay for using an international chain where the level of quality is (nearly) guaranteed.
The bed was good, the room was clean, the bathroom was great. The view was less impressive, but the hotel is in a business suburb of Munich, so the view was probably never going to be great.
As I was pushed for time, it was one of the hotels restaurants for dinner. Going for the more relaxed (and cheaper) Paulaner’s Wirtshaus with Biergarten, I joined some colleagues for a pleasant meal served by a gorgeous young lady. Food was reasonable, if not brilliant, and the same goes for the prices, but both were perfectly acceptable.
Ducktails Bar was a little better. Despite being in a public area of the hotel, it felt quite private and relaxed. Attentive but unobtrusive bar staff had drinks refilled quickly (after checking if I wanted that), while the bill at the end was fairly reasonable for such an establishment. Scotch Whiskey was somewhere in the region of €7, from memory.
Breakfast the next morning was a buffet affair served in a lounge area around Ducktails. Again, exactly as you'd expect. A wide choice of reasonable food all cooked well and served hot.
Overall, Ducktails and the cars rescued this hotel. Without those, it would have been a fine hotel that was entirely forgettable. By having something, anything, that was a little special, they transformed matters. Next time I'm in Munich I may choose somewhere more central but, if price or availability prevents me, I'll be back to the ArabellaSheraton.














