2019 Oktoberfest Tents Guide: Comparing the Best Oktoberfest Tents

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I’ve been to Oktoberfest before, so for this year’s trip I didn’t need to read a million pages of festival tips to prepare.  I just wanted to pick which Oktoberfest tent to go to!  Unfortunately, it took reading through a thousand websites just to find the basics I needed, so I thought I’d compile all of it into a single best Oktoberfest tents guide so that no one else had to re-create the wheel.

This article will be short and sweet…just the facts (although if you have questions, let me know in the comments.  I love talking about Munich, beer, and travel!)

Inside an Oktoberfest beer tent
Ein prosit from Oktoberfest!

Oktoberfest Tents Guide: Everything You Need to Know in One Quick Chart (2019)

Oktoberfest Tent NameIndoor SeatsBeer ServedBeer Price
(CASH ONLY)
Type of Music
Armbrustschützen-Festhalle5830Paulaner€ 11,70Traditional Brass
Augustiner-Festhalle6000Augustiner€ 11,40Traditional Brass
Bräurosl6200Hacker-Pschorr€ 11,80Traditional Brass &
Yodeler
Fischer Vroni2695Augustiner€ 11,70Traditional Brass
Hacker-Festhalle9300Hacker-Pschorr€ 11,80Day: Traditional Brass /
Evening: Party Band
Hofbräu Festzelt6895Hofbrau€ 11,70Traditional Brass
Käfer’s Wies’n-Schänke1000Paulaner€ 11,80
Löwenbräu-Festhalle5700Löwenbräu€ 11,80Traditional Brass
Marstall3200Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu€ 11,80Day: Traditional Brass /
Evening: Party Band
Ochsenbraterei5900Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu€ 11,50Traditional Brass
Paulaner-Festzelt8450Paulaner€ 11,80Party Band
Schottenhamel6000Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu€ 11,75Traditional Brass
Schützen-Festzelt5100Löwenbräu€ 11,80Traditional Brass
Weinzelt1920WINEVariesVarious

If you’re looking for specific band names, longer descriptions of each tent atmosphere, or information on smaller tents, you’ll find more at the Oktoberfest festival guide.

So What are the Best Oktoberfest Tents?

Armbrustschützen-Festhalle is the sightDOING pick for Oktoberfest 2019.

It’s everything I wanted Oktoberfest to be: good beer, cheerful visitors, great oom-pah-pah music (with some international hits thrown in), and 5,000+ of my new friends singing Ein Prosit.  I highly recommend it and consider it the best of the best Oktoberfest tents.

armbrustschutzen oktoberfest tents guide
Inside the Armbrustschützen-Festhalle, one of the Oktoberfest Tents

In my experience, no other tent has the same international, social flair as Armbrustschützen-Festhalle.

However, it’s worth checking out a few tents to decide your own favorite. You’ll hear different bands, meet other people, and try different beers! What’s not to like?

My other favorites were Marstall, Oschsenbraterei, and Augustiner Festhalle.

augustiner beer tent entrance from outside oktoberfest in munich germany
Entrance to the Augustiner-Brau beer tent at Oktoberfest. (Side note: Although this wasn’t my favorite atmosphere, it was darn good, PLUS Augustiner has fabulous beer)

More importantly, you’ll probably want to keep in mind that the “best” tent is probably the one with open seats, unless you planned ahead and paid for a reservation.

Where to Stay for Oktoberfest

If you’re going this year, look NOW and book ASAP. Some hotels are probably already sold out or have high rates. If you’re not 100% committed to going yet, I still recommend booking a (refundable) reservation while you can.

Oktoberfest 2019 runs September 21 – October 6, 2019.

If you’re planning ahead for next year, you’ll have more options.

My Favorite Munich Hotels

Booking your hotel through these links helps to support this site.  It also means you’re getting a hotel I’ve personally stayed at and recommend at the lowest price publicly available.  Thanks for your support if you choose to book.

My favorite hotel in Munich is the Hilton Munich City.  It’s easy to reach from the airport, the Marienplatz, Theresienwiese (Oktoberfest), and just about anywhere else since it’s situated right on top of the Rosenheimer Platz subway station.  Rooms are comfortable and service is helpful.  If you hold Gold or Diamond Hilton status, the lounge with (free) evening drinks and full breakfasts is wonderful.

>>>>> Book the Hilton direct for free internet and the best prices.

Even though the Hilton is my favorite, I’ve stayed at the Holiday Inn Munich City Centre twice during Oktoberfest (2011 & 2017).  It’s essentially the same location as the Hilton, but they have semi-reasonable prices during the festival which means more money for beer 🙂  Book direct to save 5%.

Mini-Primer on Erding, Germany

Although staying in downtown Munich itself is best, if you’re on a tight budget or if everything in the city is sold out, you can commute in on the S-bahn (commuter rail).

My recommended alternate is the Hotel zum Erdinger Weissbräu in the town of Erding:

  • You’ll save a ton of money
  • The hotel restaurant has great traditional Bavarian food
  • You can tour the Erdinger brewery (book English tours in advance; they DO sell out, especially during Oktoberfest)
  • You can visit the Thermenwelt Erding (the waterpark requires bathing suits; the sauna circuits are mandatory nude, like most German spas)

If you have more time than money, it’s a good option.

Things to Do in Munich Other than Oktoberfest

There is so much to see in Munich other than just hitting up the beer tents.  Remember, Oktoberfest is a huge festival, with rides and food and carnival games.

Outside the festival, you’ll find plenty to enjoy in the city itself.  If you only have one day, the best thing you can do is a bike tour through the city to see all the highlights (with a stop at an outdoor biergarten, of course!).

For day trips, I prefer Zugspitze in the mountains rather than Berchtesgaden/Eagle’s Nest.  And of course, Neuschwanstein castle is a classic day trip that makes you feel like you’re in a fairytale (skip the Linderhof combo version – it’s nice, but your time is better spent at Neuschwanstein).

 

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Any last questions on the best Oktoberfest tents?  I’m happy to help with your planning!

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Oktoberfest in Munich is the world's biggest party! Head to Germany for food, music, and drinks. Each beer tent has different beers to choose from and a very different vibe. Which is right for you? You'll know by the end of this article! Includes beer prices, type of music at each tent, and the size of the festivals tents. Click to get the chart for easy comparison!
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