Where to Stay in Heidelberg: Accommodation & Area Guide

Wondering Where To Stay In Heidelberg? Here Are Our Tips!

If you are travelling to Germany and looking for an amazing city to visit, we’d recommend Heidelberg.

This city on the Neckar River is located between a number of larger cities – but this makes it kind of a hidden gem for a short getaway or a stop on a longer Germany itinerary. There are lots of things to do in Heidelberg like exploring the historic Old Town and the Heidelberg Palace!

That said, if you plan on visiting, there are lots of great places to stay in Heidelberg spread across a handful of areas. The city isn’t huge so it’s easy to make a good choice whether you are looking for a hotel, apartment, or guesthouse.

We stayed at NinetyNine Heidelberg City which was a great hotel – quite affordable, great location, really fun design!

So, to help you choose a good hotel or other accommodation that works best for you, we’re going to share quite a bit of info with you in this where-to-stay guide.

We’ll cover the different accommodations in Heidelberg by style and budget, share our own experience, and then show you around the great areas or neighbourhoods to stay in (with example accommodations in each one)!

**Friendly Disclosure: We paid for the accommodation we stayed at ourselves and were not told to include it in this article.

Accommodations By Type

If you aren’t familiar with Heidelberg (yet), you should know that it’s a historic city.

The city was actually largely spared from World War II bombing which is why the Old Town (Heidelberger Altstadt) is so authentic compared to other cities. The city has a nice mix of city life as well as the green, rolling hills around which are good for hiking and exploring.

That said, you are likely looking for help on where to stay in Heidelberg so that’s what we’ll do. In the following section, we will give you an overview of different accommodation options in Heidelberg. We’ll also share specific hotels and other accommodations with you that you can look at in more detail.

If you know that you want to stay in a specific area of the city, then feel free to skip to the second part of this article!

Hotels in Heidelberg

Because Heidelberg is visually so pretty (and because the Neckar River can bring visitors), the city has lots and lots of hotels. Not that there are no other accommodations types but Heidelberg is a very “hotel-heavy” city. This means that there are lots of different hotels by style and budget to suit the needs of lots of different travellers.

⇒ Get started searching for hotels in Heidelberg here

For a smaller city, Heidelberg actually has a decent range of hotel options from “true” budget hotels all the way to luxury hotels. We will break these down below for you. It’s true that many of the hotels are located in the heart of the historic Old Town but we will get into that down below.

If you know you are looking for a hotel in Heidelberg, below are a number of the most popular hotels across the city that we think balance value and location quite well. These hotels in Heidelberg are also well-rated by other travellers:

Budget/Cheap Hotels in Heidelberg

If you are searching for more of a budget hotel option in Heidelberg, you have a number of great options. There is nothing wrong with these hotels in the slightest.

They are just simple hotels in good areas that generally offer fewer amenities (like breakfast) than some of the other options in the city. To be honest, some of the “budget” options below are actually among the most popular hotels within the entire city!

• Star Inn Hotel & Suites Premium Heidelberg – Simple rooms and apartments close to the central train station (Our Pick)
• B&B Hotel Heidelberg – A bright and simple budget hotel with free parking onsite
• ibis Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof – A reliable budget hotel with breakfast by the central train station (Hauptbahnhof)
• MEININGER Hotel Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof – Another reliable budget brand with good breakfast close to the central train station

Boutique Hotels in Heidelberg

Because Heidelberg is a smaller city, that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of stylish boutique hotels.

We stayed at the NinetyNine Hotel and we’d definitely say that it qualifies as one! It has this super cool and cozy jungle theme with animals (mainly monkeys and parrots) scattered through the decor.

It’s definitely cool and unique – not to mention the rooms were lovely and super functional, too! In any case, have a look at the hotels below or check out some other great boutique hotels in Heidelberg!

• NinetyNine Heidelberg City – A popular and affordable boutique hotel with animals (Our Pick)
• Hotel Zum Ritter St. Georg – A historic hotel overlooking the central square in the Old Town
• Hotel Villa Marstall – A bright and elegant hotel on the River in the Old Town
• Arthotel Heidelberg – A stylish hotel with a nice breakfast also located in the Old Town

Luxury Hotels in Heidelberg

For those looking for a luxury hotel in Heidelberg, there are a few options to choose from! The hotels below are great luxury options (both in really great locations) in the centre:

• Hotel Europäischer Hof Heidelberg – An elegant hotel with green space in the heart of the city (Our Pick)
• Boutique Hotel Heidelberg Suites – A charming small luxury hotel with spa and river views across from the Old Bridge (Alte Brücke Heidelberg)

Guesthouses/Bed and Breakfasts in Heidelberg

If you are searching for a cozy place to stay, you might want to look into a guesthouse. Usually called “Pension” in German, guesthouses are sometimes like bed and breakfasts but not all of them offer breakfast.

Be sure to check with the individual accommodations. We like guesthouses because often you meet friendly owners who have advice for travellers!

Heidelberg is a “hotel-heavy” city but there are a number of guesthouses around – especially down the Neckar River in greener areas. Some are located closer to the city centre, and these are the ones that we have focussed on in this article.

⇒ Check here for guesthouses in Heidelberg.

Below are a number of the top guesthouses you can look at:

• Hotel-Pension Berger – A traditional guesthouse with buffet breakfast in Neuenheim (Our Pick)
• Hotel Schnookeloch – A renovated guesthouse with breakfast in the Old Town by the River
• Pension Jeske Heidelberg – A classic and cozy guesthouse right in the Old Town

Hostels in Heidelberg

Since Heidelberg is not really a “backpacker” city, there are not too many hostels to choose from. However, budget travellers and backpackers alike have a few nice options.

⇒ Check here for top hostels in Heidelberg

That said, Lotte – The Backpackers is a top-rated hostel right by the cable car station to the castle in the heart of the old town (Our Pick). Steffis Hostel Heidelberg is located in Bergheim within walking distance between the river and the central train station.

Apartments in Heidelberg

Once again, Heidelberg has many hotels but you can find an apartment or vacation rental. These are good if you want a base for a few days to explore the city or if you are travelling with family or kids.

Sometimes it can be nice to cook your own meal or have you own space while on the road! You can check here for great apartments in Heidelberg. Below are a few nice apartments in great locations around Heidelberg:

• Wohnen unter dem Schloss – Clean and bright apartments overlooking Kornmarkt (in the photo above!) (Our Pick)
• BS Luxury Apartment – A modern and trendy apartment overlooking the Neckar river and old bridge
• Boardingstudio Heidelberg – A simple aparthotel with free onsite parking in Weststadt

Accommodations By Area

Having gone over the different accommodations – hotels, guesthouses, apartments, and hostels – it’s time to check out the different areas to stay in.

Below you will find a breakdown of the best areas to stay in, what you can find there, and a number of popular accommodation suggestions in that area.

Of course, these are not all the areas in Heidelberg you can stay in. However, in our opinion, these are the areas we would stay in if we were visiting the city.

Unsurprisingly, the accommodation options are very much around the city centre (which makes sense). In fact, these areas were where we originally looked for our hotel – as do many other visitors to Heidelberg. We don’t suggest areas that don’t “make sense” for a traveller unless there’s a really good reason (like a top attraction to see).

Whatever your motivations for discovering Heidelberg, below are the best areas to stay in (in our opinion). If you want to get started having a look, check out our top picks for each area. The picks below are where we have stayed before or would stay if we travel to Heidelberg again.

Also, it should be noted that Heidelberg was a very safe city to visit (in our experience) and we recommend areas that reflect our own experiences as well as the experiences of other travellers.

Altstadt – For Sightseeing

If you want to stay in the most popular area of the city, then you should head for the Old Town (Heidelberger Altstadt). The colourful and historic buildings make for an amazing atmosphere to stay in and you also benefit from having many of the top attractions very close by.

⇒ Check Here For Hotels In the Heidelberg Altstadt

That said, the Old Town is actually very long with Heidelberg Palace (and the cable car to get up there) at one end.

You can follow a long pedestrian shopping street (Hauptstraße) which takes you all the way to the other side of the Old Town at Bismarckplatz (the city’s central transit square).

The north edge of the Old Town follows the Neckar River and you can find the Old Bridge for photographs. Of course, there are also many restaurants, bars, cafes, and shops in the Old Town for you to visit.

Compared to other centres in German cities, we really, really liked the Heidelberg Old Town. It feels very authentic while also having everything you might need!

For the above reasons, the Old Town makes for a great area to find your accommodation.

It’s good for sightseeing and history as well as those looking for good food options and/or those who don’t want to walk too much between places while they visit the city. It’s a little sloped towards the water but overall it’s fairly flat so pretty walkable in our opinion.

Featured Accommodations in the Altstadt

You can find some great hotels and other accommodations in the Old Town below. There is such a high concentration of places to stay in here that you should have no problem finding a place that suits you!

Kulturbrauerei Heidelberg – Check Now

• Style: A Modern and Cozy Hotel
• Price Range: Mid-Range
• Location: Heart of the Old Town close to the river and the Castle
• Featured Amenities: Brewery/restaurant onsite, private parking, nice breakfast

Hotel Holländer Hof – Check Now

• Style: A Traditional and Charming Hotel
• Price Range: Mid-Range
• Location: Right in the Old Town overlooking the Neckar River and the Old Bridge
• Featured Amenities: Restaurant onsite, nice breakfast, great views

Hotel Zum Ritter St. Georg – Check Now

• Style: An Elegant and Upscale Hotel
• Price Range: Upper Mid-Range
• Location: Right on Marktplatz in the heart of the Old Town – across from the Heiliggeistkirche
• Featured Amenities: Restaurant onsite, nice breakfast included

Hotel am Schloss – Check Now

• Style: A Clean and Simple Hotel
• Price Range: Mid-Range
• Location: The same building as the cable car (Bergbahn) station for the castle and mountain located right the Old Town
• Featured Amenities: Large terrace with views, buffet breakfast, parking onsite

Bergheim – For River Vibes

For those that don’t want to stay right in the Old Town but still want to stay connected to the rest of the city, check out Bergheim. This area of the city is located to the west of the Old Town and hugs the Neckar River to the north.

We walked through the area and it was very functional. The main street in the area – Bergheimer Strasse – is a busy one but has good transportation connections along it.

The area is also scattered with restaurants to choose from. The edge of the area comes to Bismarckplatz (mentioned above) where you can find a central tram/bus hub in the heart of the city.

⇒ Check Here for Accommodations in Bergheim

It’s important to note that this area is also within walking distance from the central train station. We made the walk to Bergheimer Straße and it was definitely doable in about 10 minutes.

Featured Accommodations in Bergheim

Below you can find some of the hotels in Bergheim. The area is very much known for hotels – some along Bergheimer Straße for easy access in and out of the city while others hug the river with amazing views.

Leonardo Hotel Heidelberg City Center – Check Now

• Style: A Bright and Clean Hotel
• Price Range: Upper Budget
• Location: Right off Bergheimer Straße (a main street in the city) with easy access to the tram
• Featured Amenities: Nice breakfast, bar onsite, underground parking (for a fee)

Hotel Panorama Heidelberg – Check Now

• Style: A Traditional and Reliable Hotel
• Price Range: Mid Range
• Location: Also right on the Neckar River just on the edge of the Old Town
• Featured Amenities: Buffet breakfast, parking onsite (for a fee), good WIFI

NH Heidelberg – Check Now

• Style: A Simple and Popular Hotel
• Price Range: Upper Budget
• Location: Right on Bergheimer Strasse (a main street in the city) with easy access to the tram
• Featured Amenities: Great breakfast, parking garage (for a fee), sauna, cafe/bar

Weststadt – For Convenience

If you don’t mind staying a bit outside the city centre and/or are looking for a budget accommodation and/or are traveling by car to Heidelberg, you might want to look into staying in Weststadt. This small area is just south of Bergheim and southwest of the Old Town.

It’s a bit more of a residential area with a few restaurants and accommodations around. If you have a car, this area – and the area where we stayed right beside it – have good connections back to major roads and the highway (called Autobahn in Germany).

This makes Weststadt a good option as a place to hop back in the car to continue your journey from if you are driving!

It should also be noted that no matter where you stay, there are good transit connections all around. ‘

The area is a bit of a triangle with the main train station (Hauptbahnhof) at one point, Bismarckplatz at another, and Heidelberg-Weststadt/Südstadt train station at the bottom!

Featured Accommodations in Weststadt

Below are a few accommodations in Weststadt or very close by. We stayed in NinetyNine which was a stone’s throw from Weststadt so we included it here. In fact, there is a grouping of hotels in this area near ours that are all fit for a great stay in Heidelberg.

NinetyNine Heidelberg City – Check Now

• Style: A Cool and Functional Boutique Hotel
• Price Range: Upper Budget
• Location: Just outside Weststadt with a tram stop to the Old Town a few steps from the entrance. Also walkable to the central train station.
• Featured Amenities: Bar/restaurant on site, nice staff, free WIFI, parking (free on street, paid in lot)

Star Inn Hotel & Suites Premium Heidelberg – Check Now

• Style: A Popular and Reliable Hotel
• Price Range: Upper Budget
• Location: Just outside of Weststadt, closer to the central train station with public transit nearby
• Featured Amenities: Nice buffet breakfast, good wifi, onsite parking

Boardingstudio Heidelberg – Check Now

• Style: A Simple and Cozy Aparthotel
• Price Range: Upper Budget
• Location: In the heart of Weststadt, close to transit and walkable to the central train station
• Featured Amenities: Good facilities, free parking, good wifi

Neuenheim – For Quiet Views

Lastly, if you want a bit more peace and quiet, you might consider staying across the river from the Old Town in Neuenheim. This residential and “green area” is great because you have the Neckar River a short walk away with hiking trails also very close by.

You are a quick bridge crossing from the other “main” part of the city – but there are still restaurants and grocery stores.

⇒ Check Here For Accommodations In Neuenheim.

A highlight of the area is the fact that close to the river you can find the Neckarwiese which is a very large and narrow park space that runs the shoreline.

It’s a popular place to hang out for locals and visitors alike! There is also direct access from the area via transit to Bismarckplatz and then you are just a short walk to the Old Town.

Featured Accommodations in Neuenheim

You can find a number of nice accommodations in Neuenheim below. It’s a real mix of hotels and guesthouses.

Since it is a less popular area for tourists, you might find that it feels a little more “local” without sacrificing location and connections to the surrounding city!

Hotel Heidelberg Astoria – Check Now

• Style: An Authentic and Cozy Hotel
• Price Range: Upper Mid-Range
• Location: A short walk to the Neckar River, close to public transit stops
• Featured Amenities: Free private parking onsite, breakfast included

Hotel-Pension Berger – Check Now

• Style: A Cozy and Traditional Guesthouse
• Price Range: Upper Budget
• Location: In the heart of Neuenheim, a short walk from the Neckar River and hiking trails
• Featured Amenities: Buffet breakfast, outdoor pool, private parking available

Rafaela Hotel Heidelberg – Check Now

• Style: A Clean and Modern Hotel
• Price Range: Upper Budget
• Location: A short walk to the River/green park along the River, also close to a transit stop
• Featured Amenities: Nice breakfast available, street parking possible

Related Articles

If you head for Germany, be sure to check out these posts which might help with trip planning!

• Beautiful Places in Germany
• German Phrases which might make your trip easier!

And there you have it – our guide on where to stay in Heidelberg! To be honest, the city isn’t too large and with so many good options, it’s hard to make a bad choice – as long as you keep an eye on reviews/ratings!

We had a great time in the city and loved our accommodation so just do your research, trust other travellers, remember your style and budget, and you won’t go wrong!

As always, Happy Waddlin’,
-L&E

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