Hilton Munich Park
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Originally designed to be an apartment block, in 1972 the building that now houses the Hilton Munich Park was rapidly turned into a hotel in time for the Summer Olympics. From the outside, not much has changed, and it’s easy to miss this property nestled as it is in trees on the edge of the huge English Garden on the banks of the Eisbach River to the northeast of Munich’s centre. Marienplatz is a 10-minute drive or 40-minute walk away.
Reception is off to the left of the oval-shaped lobby, and I was promptly checked in and given a three-category upgrade from my booked standard room to an Executive room. Be aware that the hotel treats queen- and king-bedded rooms as separate categories, even though the price difference is minimal. Park views are considered as Deluxe rooms. The receptionist checking me in was new and had to check that I would also receive access to the Executive lounge as I’d been upgraded to an Executive room – in accordance with Hilton Gold benefits, this was confirmed, and my room key re-programmed.
Executive rooms are on floors 10 to 14 (out of a total of 15 floors) with the lounge on the 12th floor. My 11th floor room was located adjacent to the lift which meant it was one of the smallest rooms on the floor at roughly 25 square metres, but I didn’t mind as views of the English Garden with Munich’s skyline beyond were very pleasant and more than compensated for the room’s moderate size. The room’s interior design was entirely unremarkable – the sort of the thing that was trendy in 2010 but is now looking a little tired.
From a practical point of view, power sockets were located either side of the bed and at the somewhat battered desk (which doubled as a minibar) – there was even a UK plug socket here. A coffee machine with Nespresso capsules was provided, along with standard tea-making facilities. Tea bags were by Eilles. Complimentary still and sparkling mineral water was offered for HHonors status members – the tags on the bottles claimed this was only once per stay, but the bottles were replenished daily and I wasn’t charged for drinking more than two. Bathrobes and slippers could be found in the wardrobe in the hall.
Sliding doors opened to reveal a very narrow and dreary balcony, with a rather low railing and an unnervingly sloping floor. I didn’t venture out more than to take one photo.
The tiny bathroom gave solid 1990s vibes, with the marble surround to the basin the only vaguely four-star feature. Horrid white wall tiles, a plastic toilet flush, visible toilet brush, and that most evil of hotel features – a shower curtain – made time in here something of a chore. Crabtree and Evelyn amenities were provided in large bottles. There were face cloths and a shower cap but no soap bar or other amenities (although I’m sure they would have been available on request had I needed them).
I nipped into the Executive lounge one evening, but aside from a lovely sunset view (similar to that from my room, but one floor higher) the level of crowding was such that I passed on spending any time there. The few canapés I did catch a glimpse of looked uninviting. A business centre is available on the mezzanine level above the lobby, and there are meeting rooms on both that level and the top (15th) floor.
For dining, the People’s Lounge and Bar is located in and to the right of the lobby, whilst the Tivoli Restaurant accessed to the left of reception near the lifts offers a riverside setting with outdoor terrace in better weather months. Breakfast here was a decent enough offering, with everything (including drinks) self-service. Seating is on a couple of different levels, and whilst the ambience is very corporate and not in the least bit elegant, it’s a functional enough space that coped well with heavy demand during my stay.
A gym and small indoor swimming pool with counter-current is located on the lower ground floor, which I didn’t have time to visit on this stay.
Hilton Munich Park offered a good base for my trip, even if it is overdue for a refurbishment.