Louis Hotel, Munich

Louis Hotel, Munich

Copyright Louis Hotel

From the July Hideaway Report Online:

Needless to say, there is much more to munich than Oktoberfest. Residents of this well-heeled city celebrate the good life year-round, particularly during the magnificent summer months. Having most recently stayed at Sir Rocco Forte’s pleasant Charles Hotel, we decided on the new 72-room Louis Hotel, which has received some good notices in the European travel press. It is the sister property of the Cortiina, which is very popular with the art-and-design crowd.

We were very happy with our choice. Located in the heart of Munich and overlooking the lively Viktualienmarkt, a popular open-air food market, the Louis is a pleasant, attractive and well-run property. It’s the best address in town for boutique hotel fans, and a worthy challenger to the city’s classics. It also offers solid comfort and excellent service for reasonable rates.

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Notable Events in June

Hong Kong Skyline

The Hong Kong Skyline. Copyright Base64 and CarolSpears

JUNE 12-13: Rather than braving the insanity of Oktoberfest, help Munich celebrate its 852nd birthday by attending the colorful Stadtgründungsfest. In front of major landmarks such as the neo-Gothic City Hall and late-Gothic Church of Our Lady, musicians and folk dancers entertain the spectators who aren’t perusing the numerous food and handicraft stalls. Rumor has it that beer is also available.

JUNE 16: In honor of a third-century B.C. Chinese poet who drowned himself to protest a corrupt government, Hong Kong hosts the annual Dragon Boat Festival. One hundred teams of 20 rowers race ornate dragon boats down the Shing Mun River in Sha Tin, cheered on by crowds of locals munching traditional rice dumplings. Dragon dances and fireworks displays round out the festivities.

JUNE 25-28: One of North America’s most charming big cities, Montréal sparkles with music during its Baroque music festival. Although specifics for this year are not yet available, organizers plan to feature Renaissance masterpieces, focusing especially on the rich harmonies of Claudio Monteverdi. A Baroque music parade through Old Montréal is a traditional highlight of the festival.

Wir Haben Spargel!

Spatenhaus an der Opera

Spatenhaus an der Opera

Chalked on slateboards outside of restaurants all over Germany from mid-April to mid-June, this phrase is your guarantee of an exceptionally good meal. The Germans are absolutely mad for spargel, or asparagus, and most prize the white variety, which differs from the green in that it’s cultivated inside long mounds of soil (sunlight coming into contact with chlorophyll gives green asparagus its color).

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