Well, they lied, but they apologized

I just wanted to update my earlier review to note that the managers of the Bogenhausen and of the Arabella's overall both wrote me to acknowledge my complaints (which I made separately to the Bogenhausen manager by email).

After some negotiation, they agreed to provide me with a free upgrade at the Arabella Grand when I next return and to credit me for the second night of problems during my last stay. Overall, an appropriate settlement. Since I'm in Munich often for business, the free upgrade has real value to me.

My opinion of the Bogenhausen as a place to stay remains unchanged, but they deserve credit for trying to compensate me for the problems.

Good value, positive overall.

Spent three nights at this hotel with my boyfriend just before the new year. Our stay was very pleasant and hassle free.

We were given a wonderful room on the 21st floor with a great view. I read some other reviews complaining about a metal grid on the balcony but ours had a very light nylon one, barely there.

The hotel is not very central but with Munich's excellent public transport this is not a problem.

The pool/spa area is very nice too.

Would recommend it.

Nice but with some problems.

Nice location. You can find anything in the area surrounding the hotel, filled with small shops, supermarket, bakeries and fine small restaurants. The U-Bahn station is close to the hotel and Marienplatz is just four stops away, with only one change of trains in Odeonplatz. The hotel was under remodelation during our stay, so the noise was very uncomfortable and the smell of the plumbing in the bathrooms was horrible. Breakfast at the hotel restaurant is great but very expensive (20 euros per person, plus service and tax). The hotel reception staff is very unfriendly, except mister Tashi, who is a person always willing to help the customer.

Nice but not this time

I am headed back to Munich in two months and am not staying at the Arabella Sheraton this time around.

The hotel was nice, but not exceptionally so. For the price, it was greatly lacking in the amenities you would find in may lower range hotels stateside, such as broadband in every room. The lack of internet access was my biggest complaint.

The second point is the rooms just plain feel old and slightly disheveled. It's all very clean, don't get me wrong. The hotel is just visibly old, visibly worn. Again, for the price that's a problem.

As someone else here noted, the cages enclosing the balconies interfere with the ambience. You have a great view of the misty alps in the distance, and in the mornings, old world architecture peeking up through the dawn fog. Sounds magical right? Now interrupt that scene with very tightly woven wire grating. Very jarring.

The breakfast buffet was truly exceptional, though expensive. The highlight of my mornings for sure.

Theoretically in the process of being upgraded, this hotel simply doesn't live up to its price range currently. More focus on amenities, particularly business amenities like broadband in the rooms, and a little more attention to ambience, and they could have a real winner here.

In the meantime, why not stay at the other Arabella that is pretty much directly across the strasse?

For this trip, I'm going to the new Innside Premium Hotel - Parkstadt Schwabing. From what I hear, if modern is the problem, Innside is the answer in Munich. Guess I'll find out!

Mediocre at best

First the good... it was cheap at 87 Euro /night on a corparate rate. The rooftop spa is very nice and included with your rate. And that's about the ONLY thing that is included. Plus a one night extension went up 30 Euro for the same crummy room.

Phone charges are criminal - even for toll-free calls, expect to pay $4-5 USD. And with no in-room wireless, this means either sit in the lobby paying $22/day to T-mobile, or pay $4-5 every time your modem disconnects. Completely unacceptable - we will contact our corporate travel to suggest they be removed until this is fixed. Being in a remote business park, business travelers are the only good candidates to stay here, so why no wireless? Not recommended for leisure travel - stay closer to Munich.

Breakfast is not bad but pricey, and we too were not told there is an additional charge for it until checkout. (not even at the buffet)

Rooms were marginal... old furniture and balcony that you can't actually go onto. View (or lack thereof) was covered with mesh as well. I didn't understand that.

We heard if you pay 50 Euro more, the rooms are much nicer since they're renovated. But that doesn't make up for everything else.

I should note this was the only major US chain hotel we stayed at over a week in Europe, and the only major disappointment.

Overall, not recommended unless you don't care about location, want something cheap, and don't need any business amenities.

Bogenhausen a decent but limited hotel

Stayed for 5 nights in early Feb '05. No broadband internet in rooms but T-mobile per day access in lobby. Apparently they are upgrading rooms and are half way through the hotel. I stayed in the older room which was nicely simple but not luxurious. Room had balcony that was covered by wire mesh (to prevent jumpers?) which gave it a tenament feel. The breakfast buffet is very nice and extensive. I believe it is 15-20 Euros a day. There is a nice pool/spa area at the top. Hotel is located near train station to downtown which is very handy. I believe it is a 10 euro train to the airport but a 50 euro taxi ride. Also a few shops and restaurants nearby.

Beware of exorbitant long distance phone charges. Do not make international calls from your room phone if you can avoid it!

I only visited the lobby and restaurant of the Sheraton across the street but it appeared much nicer.

Short break

Stayed here for a short 4 night break. Standard room was nice, but upgrade to executive room for £50.00 per night was well worth it. The room was outstanding with extremely high levels of decor and facilities. Restaurant was over priced / lacked an 'international menu', and Breakfast was like wise. However dined in the cocktail bar on several nights, excellent value / service and food. Overall a great base for a short break, with access to U-Bahn and S-Bahn all within minutes.

Rip off

The hotel is ok but they hit you with charges for breakfast $20 per person and phone calls $4 for toll free, etc, etc. I was led to think that breakfast was included, and $4 for a toll free call that did not even get conected. All in all I paid $120 in charges over 2 days I did not expect. A rip off.

Yet another clearly over-priced Sheraton...

This hotel is not to be mixed up with its sister hotel Sheraton Grand across the street. While Grand supposedly is 5 star this one is possibly 3+ (despite a nice pool area). In this very ugly 60's type concrete building the rooms is quite spartan without basics such as safe, fast Internet connection and only one English TV channel (CNN but plenty of German, Spanish, Italian, Turkish and Portuguese ones), a lobby cafe that's a joke, a restaurant totally lacking ambience e t c.

If you do not have to stay in the area - don't go there. If you do have - choose the Sheraton Grand (if money is not a problem) or Hotel Rothoff around the corner instead.