Hamburg thrives on trade fairs, major events, and conferences. However, hotel rooms are more expensive than usual during these dates. Here are some tips for planning your stay in the Hanseatic city.
Planning the booking period
First and foremost, you should find out about the most important trade fair periods and events. If you want to stay in a budget-friendly hotel in Hamburg, staying in the city center towards the end of October or/beginning of November, for example, is not recommended. This is when the Hanseboot trade fair, the International Boat Show, takes place.
INTERNORGA (International Trade Fair for the Hotel, Gastronomy, Catering, Bakeries and Confectionery Industry) in mid-March is also a crowd-puller. The port’s anniversary takes place annually around May 7. It’s especially difficult to find available hotel rooms during this event.
The Schlager Move festival in the St. Pauli district also attracts up to 600,000 visitors annually and guarantees good occupancy of many Hamburg hotels.
Important trade fairs in Hamburg can be found on the website of AUMA (Association of the German Trade Fair Industry). The best way to find events is to use the official Hamburg website or Hamburg Web.
Planning your stay
Where possible, you should use public transportation.
During rush hour or during sporting events, you can get to your destination faster by S-Bahn and U-Bahn than by car. Parking is scarce in the city center anyway. Some hotels even offer a ticket for the HVV (Hamburg Transport Association), which is included in the room rate and valid for the entire stay. It’s best to inquire about this offer when booking your room.
In the city center, it’s important to consider which district you’re in. Not every accommodation in Hamburg is suitable for everyone. A family with small children, for example, is advised not to stay in a hotel on the Reeperbahn (St. Pauli) or behind the main train station (St. Georg district).
You should do your research before booking a hotel and use hotel review portals.
Hamburg – good and affordable? The problem is well known: With a rumbling stomach, you search for an affordable restaurant and end up at an upscale Italian restaurant. The internet offers countless options for viewing and printing out affordable restaurant menus. Men, especially in Hamburg, with the right research, you can enjoy good food at a reasonable price. The official Hamburg website and various online review platforms provide useful search results.
The same applies to visiting many of Hamburg’s attractions. Tickets for museums, theater plays, concerts, or city and harbor tours are often cheaper online than in advance or at the box office. The “Hamburg Card” also allows you to
Use public transport for free and benefit from reduced rates at many attractions.
Planning your hotel booking
Last minute is out! It’s better to book a hotel in Hamburg as early as possible. The sooner you book, the more rooms are available and the cheaper the room rate will usually be. You can often benefit from early bird rates, but these cannot be canceled without reservation. Hotel chains like Accor (Mercure Hotels, Novotels, Suitehotels, Ibis Hotels) operate a system of “non-flexible rates.” These are non-cancellable but affordable room rates.
Furthermore, you should regularly check online portals for available or newly released rooms. Cancellations and vacancies are a hot topic for hoteliers. They advertise available rooms via online portals, as they expect quick resale. It’s worthwhile to compare several hotel booking services. Room rates for trade fairs and events often differ only slightly, but some providers have a larger selection of hotels than others.
Private travel groups should research accommodation options well in advance. It’s best to contact the hotel directly via email. Hotels are usually willing to negotiate group rates. This means that not only the price but also the cancellation policy can often be tailored to the group.
However, it’s a misconception that rooms are inherently cheaper just because you book multiple rooms. Especially during trade fairs and events, it’s a good idea to consult your hotel representative. Many online reservation services also offer a group reservation service. Their staff obtains individual quotes and negotiates with the hotels, eliminating much of the often time-consuming work for the customer.
If Hamburg is completely booked out, you can always opt for the surrounding area thanks to its excellent transport connections. Hotels in Norderstedt, for example, are very well connected to Hamburg via the U-Bahn line 1. Cities like Seevetal, Elmshorn, and Ahrensburg also have good transport infrastructure. Hotels, guesthouses, and inns outside of Hamburg are usually cheaper. Reasonable prices are also offered here during trade fair periods.
