Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Germany / Munich / Mandarin Oriental, Munich
Mandarin Oriental, Munich
Munich, Germany · Mandarin Oriental · Grand Luxury
Built 1875–1880 as the Central-Säle ballrooms under King Ludwig II, the Neo-Renaissance halls briefly housed the Kaim Orchestra, forerunner of the Munich Philharmonic. Foundations still reveal a stretch of the medieval city wall in the cellar. Georg Rafael converted the shell into Hotel Rafael Munich in 1990; Mandarin Oriental bought the Rafael Group in 2000. Today just 73 rooms sit steps from Hofbräuhaus, with Matsuhisa Munich and Forbes Five-Star standing.
- 73 rooms
- Opened 1990
- Neighborhood: Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt
- Architect: Johann Kilian Stützel and Anton Roth
- Interiors: Ralf Claussen; Kathrin Matthiesen (cm-Design)
About Mandarin Oriental, Munich
- Architects Johann Kilian Stützel and Anton Roth built the halls, which also hosted debutante balls.
- During restoration, builders found medieval city-wall foundations still visible in the hotel cellar.
- After WWI offices, wartime damage, and a failed Antique Haus antiques mall, hotelier Georg Rafael opened Hotel Rafael Munich in May 1990.
- Mandarin Oriental's 2000 purchase covered four Rafael Group hotels total, for $142.5 million.
- Only 48 guest rooms and 25 suites fill the Altstadt shell; Matsuhisa Munich opened with the 2015 public-area refresh.
History
The Neo-Renaissance halls at Neuturmstraße 1 went up between 1875 and 1880, under King Ludwig II, as the Central-Säle: ballrooms by Johann Kilian Stützel and Anton Roth, where debutantes danced and the Kaim Orchestra, forerunner of the Munich Philharmonic, found an early home. Stützel bought Roth out in 1877. The family held the building until 1919, when it was sold and cut into offices for a sewing-thread firm.
War damage came in the 1940s; the shell was renovated in 1945, drifted through owners, and failed as the Antique Haus antiques mall before a 1987 foreclosure. Georg Rafael, a founder of Regent, opened Hotel Rafael Munich in May 1990. Mandarin Oriental bought the four Rafael hotels in 2000 for $142.5 million, and the Altstadt house took the Mandarin name.
During restoration the foundations showed a stretch of Munich's medieval city wall, still visible in the cellar. A 2007 campaign redid the 48 rooms and 25 suites; in 2015 the public rooms were rebuilt and Matsuhisa Munich opened. Guests now sleep in seventy-three keys, steps from the Hofbräuhaus, in halls that once held the city's orchestra.
The setting
Mandarin Oriental, Munich occupies a neo-Renaissance building at Neuturmstraße 1 in the Altstadt, constructed 1875 to 1880 as the celebrated Centralsäle ballroom complex that hosted forerunners of the Munich Philharmonic under King Ludwig II. The property sits steps from Hofbräuhaus — a two-minute walk — and seven minutes on foot from both Marienplatz and the Viktualienmarkt, placing guests at the core of Munich's historic old town. Medieval city-wall foundations discovered during renovation underscore the site's layered history, while its location near Maximilianstraße affirms the micro-area as Munich's premier luxury enclave. 9-minute walk to former royal palace Munich Residenz.
Restaurants and bars
- Matsuhisa Munich — Restaurant · New Style Japanese-Peruvian · Chef Nobu Matsuhisa
- Munich Sushi Club — Restaurant · Japanese-Peruvian
- Ory Bar — Bar
Experiences
- The Lounge — All-day dining including afternoon tea, cake specialties and international dishes.
- Turkish steam bath and Finnish sauna — Sauna and steam room facilities in the wellness area.
- Personal training sessions — Personal training available alongside a fully-equipped fitness centre.
- Bootcamp Sportclass — Listed under Discover Munich as a Bootcamp Sportclass.
Amenities
- rooftop pool
- spa
- fitness center
- sauna
- steam room
- concierge
- room service
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice (2025)
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star (2025)
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