Where to stay · Frankfurt · Germany
Where to stay in Frankfurt
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Altstadt and Innenstadt. Römerberg, the cathedral and the Zeil shopping street between the river and the old walls. Best alternatives — families: Westend; budget: Bahnhofsviertel; nightlife: Sachsenhausen.
Key facts
- First visit
- Altstadt and Innenstadt
- Families
- Westend
- Budget
- Bahnhofsviertel
- Nightlife
- Sachsenhausen
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Altstadt and Innenstadt | Römerberg, the cathedral and the Zeil shopping street between the river and the old walls |
| Families | Westend | Villa-lined streets, bank towers and the Palmengarten |
| Couples | Altstadt and Innenstadt | Römerberg, the cathedral and the Zeil shopping street between the river and the old walls |
| Budget | Bahnhofsviertel | Station quarter of bars, international restaurants and a visible street drug scene |
| Luxury | Westend | Villa-lined streets, bank towers and the Palmengarten |
| Nightlife | Sachsenhausen | Museum mile on the riverbank, cobbled tavern lanes and the Schweizer Straße |
| Food lovers | Sachsenhausen | Museum mile on the riverbank, cobbled tavern lanes and the Schweizer Straße |
| Solo travellers | Bahnhofsviertel | Station quarter of bars, international restaurants and a visible street drug scene |
| Shopping | Altstadt and Innenstadt | Römerberg, the cathedral and the Zeil shopping street between the river and the old walls |
| Quiet stays | Westend | Villa-lined streets, bank towers and the Palmengarten |
Frankfurt neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and couples
Altstadt and Innenstadt
The historic core around the Römerberg, the New Old Town and the cathedral merges into the shopping streets of the Zeil and the Goethestraße. Hotels range from business chains to boutique addresses, and the Museumsufer is a walk across the Eiserner Steg footbridge.
- Good
- Walk to the main sights and the river; Excellent U-Bahn and S-Bahn links; Shopping on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Office district feel after shops close; Prices rise sharply during trade fairs
- Nearby
- Römerberg (Frankfurt), Frankfurt Cathedral, Zeil, Eiserner Steg
$$ · Best for food lovers, culture, couples and nightlife
Sachsenhausen
South of the Main, Sachsenhausen combines the Museumsufer with Alt-Sachsenhausen's cobbled apple-wine quarter and the Schweizer Straße, a long street of cafés, delis and traditional taverns. It is a 10-minute walk across the river to the Römerberg and quieter than the centre at night away from the bar lanes.
- Good
- Museums and riverbank on the doorstep; Traditional apple-wine taverns; Good-value hotels
- Watch out
- Alt-Sachsenhausen bar lanes are rowdy on weekend nights; Fewer big hotels
- Nearby
- Museumsufer, Städel, Eiserner Steg, Schweizer Straße
$$$$ · Best for luxury, quiet stays and families
Westend
The Westend mixes 19th-century villas, the university's Westend campus and bank headquarters, with the Palmengarten and Grüneburgpark on its northern edge. It is calm, green and upmarket, with upscale hotels and a few excellent restaurants.
- Good
- Leafy and quiet; Parks and the Senckenberg nearby; Short U-Bahn ride to the centre
- Watch out
- Expensive; Little nightlife
- Nearby
- Palmengarten, Grüneburgpark, Alte Oper, Naturmuseum Senckenberg
$$ · Best for budget, nightlife, food lovers and solo travellers
Bahnhofsviertel
Between the Hauptbahnhof and the bank towers, the Bahnhofsviertel has the city's widest range of budget and mid-range hotels and some of its most interesting restaurants and bars, especially along Münchener Straße. It also has a red-light area and an open drug scene around Taunusstraße and Niddastraße, which unsettles some visitors.
- Good
- Next to the main station and airport trains; Diverse, affordable food; Lively bar scene
- Watch out
- Visible drug use and street homelessness; Noisy at night
- Nearby
- Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof, Main Tower, Messe Frankfurt
$$ · Best for food lovers, couples and quiet stays
Nordend
North of the old walls, the Nordend is one of the city's most sought-after residential districts, with Wilhelminian apartment buildings, small squares and café terraces along the Oeder Weg and around the Friedberger Platz, where a Friday-evening market turns into a street party in summer.
- Good
- Local neighbourhood life; Good cafés and bakeries; Short ride to the centre
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Mostly apartments and guesthouses
- Nearby
- Friedberger Platz, Bethmannpark, Berger Straße
$$ · Best for food lovers, budget and quiet stays
Bornheim
Bornheim grew up as a village outside Frankfurt and keeps a village feel along the upper Berger Straße, with half-timbered houses, independent shops and some of the most authentic apple-wine taverns in the city. The U4 U-Bahn reaches the centre in about ten minutes.
- Good
- Authentic taverns used by locals; Good-value guesthouses; Village atmosphere
- Watch out
- Outside walking distance of the museums; Limited hotel choice
- Nearby
- Berger Straße, Frankfurt Zoological Garden, Günthersburgpark
$$$ · Best for first-timers and budget
Europaviertel and Messe
West of the Hauptbahnhof, the Europaviertel and the area around the Messe exhibition grounds have large modern hotels, a shopping centre and convention traffic. It suits trade-fair visitors and travellers wanting a new room near the station.
- Good
- Modern hotels with good facilities; Close to the main station; Weekend deals outside fair dates
- Watch out
- Little character; Prices soar during big fairs
- Nearby
- Messe Frankfurt, Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof, Skyline Plaza
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Altstadt and Innenstadt | $$$ | Römerberg (Frankfurt), Frankfurt Cathedral, Zeil, Eiserner Steg |
| Sachsenhausen | $$ | Museumsufer, Städel, Eiserner Steg, Schweizer Straße |
| Westend | $$$$ | Palmengarten, Grüneburgpark, Alte Oper, Naturmuseum Senckenberg |
| Bahnhofsviertel | $$ | Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof, Main Tower, Messe Frankfurt |
| Nordend | $$ | Friedberger Platz, Bethmannpark, Berger Straße |
| Bornheim | $$ | Berger Straße, Frankfurt Zoological Garden, Günthersburgpark |
| Europaviertel and Messe | $$$ | Messe Frankfurt, Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof, Skyline Plaza |
Getting to your hotel
Frankfurt Airport is about 12 km south-west of the centre; S-Bahn lines S8 and S9 reach the Hauptbahnhof in about 12–15 minutes, and long-distance trains leave from the airport's own station. Hahn Airport, used by some low-cost flights, is about 120 km away and served by coach.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Frankfurt for first-time visitors?
Altstadt and Innenstadt. The historic core around the Römerberg, the New Old Town and the cathedral merges into the shopping streets of the Zeil and the Goethestraße.
+Where should families stay in Frankfurt?
Westend: Leafy and quiet.
+Which area of Frankfurt is best for a budget stay?
Bahnhofsviertel ($$): Station quarter of bars, international restaurants and a visible street drug scene.