Oktoberfest 2008.

Yes, Oktoberfest is back! Or will be back on September 19 with the Lord Mayor of Munich cries, "Ozapft is!" ("It's been tapped"). But if you're planning on making your way to Munich for the festivities, we recommend doing two things.

First, read our tips for Surviving Oktoberfest. We attended it last year and if you'd like not awake the morning after with rain-soaked pants and vomit-covered sneakers, then you'd do well to heed our advice.

Second, checkout the Oktoberfest Package from the Charles Hotel, a Rocco Forte property, in the city's old Botanical Gardens.]]> juliana 2009-09-14T17:50:47-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/10/8/125323/375

You already know that we shacked up at the Leonardo Hotel in Munich and you already know that the hotel has a totally craptastic WiFi network. But today, we regal you with more stories of what it's like to stay inside this hotel.

Our story today involves strange comforters, oddly-named handwash, youth hostels, traditional Bavarian gear and vomit. Hey, it was Oktoberfest afterall.]]> juliana 2008-10-08T15:16:39-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/9/24/163012/360 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/theresienweise.JPG" class="imgborder"><p>As more than a few of you know already, this HotelChatter editor is <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Pick%20a%20Hotel%20in%20Paris">headed off to Paris</a> tomorrow. But what you may not know is that we are also headed to <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotels/city/de/Munich"><b>Munich</b></a> the following week to partake in some authentic <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/oktoberfest%20hotels">Oktoberfest</a> activities. We just love bier and wiener schnitzel. Ok, we really only like saying wiener schnitzel. But we do love bier.<p>Our Ellen De Generes-rambling aside, we are here to tell you what hotel we booked for our two nights in Munich. This is something that we never do! Largely because we're afraid of getting kicked out before we get there. But we're traveling with our life partner and he's made the rezzie in his juliana 2008-09-24T17:04:12-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/9/19/91925/7856 <![CDATA[<p><p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/dreamgarden.png" class="imgborder"><p><b>Hotel:</b> <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Dream+Hotel+New+York/local/30"><b>The Dream Hotel New York</b></a><p> <b>When:</b> Saturday, September 20th. 1 to 7 pm. <p><b>Where:</b> The hotel's lounge, AVA, and its "rooftop-turned-bier-garten". <p><b>What:</b> An Oktoberfest celebration!<p>Kind of random, we know -- but we're told the place will be teeming with beer and Bratwurst (perhaps both in the edible sense and the euphemistic sense). Now, we have to warn you: there's a list for this event and we're not sure who's on it, but we couldn't resist passing the news along to you. Hey, you're a hottie so we figured you can try your luck with getting into this anyway. <p>They're giving away some stuff, too, including treatments at The Chopra Canter &amp; Spa, dinner at Amalia at Jenna 2008-09-19T10:00:30-05:00 40.7645808 -73.981861 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/9/18/92032/5077

If you're reading this, chances are pretty high you're not in Munich, the world's holiest of Oktoberfest meccas (but by all means, correct us in the comments if we're mistaken). Because if you were in Munich, we hope you'd be perfecting your beer stein-pounding or last-minute Dirndl shopping for Saturday, when the festivities get underway.

But for the rest of us beer-lovin' brethren, Middle America has an incredible alternative: Frankenmuth, Michigan, the first German Parliament-sanctioned Oktoberfest location outside of Munich. "Little Bavaria" holds its annual fest today through Sept. 21.