As with any major event, accommodation
will be difficult to track down at a decent price. The situation is further
complicated as every team will play in different cities so transport links
will be even busier with fans trying to get around which means supporters
can't start to make plans until after the draw for the finals on 9th
December 2005. Despite claims that accommodation would be affordable, it is
inevitable that hotels and guest house will take advantage of the tournament
to make a nice profit. So what are your options ?
Hotels
There are numerous hotels in and around all
host cities and prices have been increased for the tournament. As an
example, the
Courtyard Berlin Teltow for a room on 4-5 June 2006 (before the
tournament starts) will cost you €56.
Go forward a month to 4-5 July (during the tournament) and the same hotel will cost you €195 (checked
18th October 2005). If you frequently stay in hotels, you may also find that
certain dates during the tournament are 'black out' dates meaning you can't
spend any hotel loyalty points. Our advice is to search via websites like
Expedia, Opodo as well as direct with the hotel until you find a deal you
are happy with. Remember to be careful with booking conditions as extra
restrictions may apply, for example, cancellation penalties or no breakfast.
Camping
Camping is a very popular way to see Germany
in the summer whether you are driving around in a motor home or are carrying
your tent on your back. Sites can be found all over the country in the
picturesque Bavaria and also close to the main cities. In general, the
campsites are well managed and looked after. Even the more basic sites have
proper toilet and washing facilities as well as a shop.
There is an excellent site about
camping in Germany (click here) and it shows a map with information about 90
different campsites all over the country (click
here). The information is downloaded in PDF (Adobe Acrobat). There is a
link to download the PDF reader if you don't have it installed. If you fancy
staying near the seaside, don't be put off just because you are in Germany.
The Baltic Sea gets reasonably warm in the summer and there are some nice
beaches to be found, just don't expect them to be on a par with Barbados.
A forum has also been set up for people
to chat about camping in Germany during the World Cup and it can be found
here.
Renting Apartments or Houses
If you are planning to stay in Germany for more than a few days, it
may be worth considering renting an apartment or house as it will work out a
lot cheaper than a hotel. Personal contacts with people in Germany are a
good way to find places to rent but a number of websites are also offering
accommodation. Searching various sites, it would appear there are plenty of
options. One site has been set up specifically to deal with cities hosting
world cup matches. It has good search facilities and a good range of
options. For example, a 58m2 apartment in central Berlin, 2 bedrooms, 4
people will cost as little as €100 per day. The longer you stay in one
place, the better the rate and everything is negotiable. More information
can be found here.
Day Trips
This is really an option for people living
closer to Germany and who don't want to spend 3 or 4 weeks at the
tournament. Almost all day trips (coach and plane) are charter trips.
Operators running them want high occupancy to make profits. You should be
aware that occasionally, these trips do get cancelled close to departure if
they don't have sufficient numbers. However, cancellations are very rare and
at a major tournament like the World Cup, trips are more likely to be
over-subscribed than cancelled. Other things to consider are that coach
trips will involve very long road trips and charter flights are likely to
leave at strange times (eg early morning, late night)
Commuting From Other Countries
Finally, there is another option available to supporters and that is to stay
in a nearby country to Germany instead. Accommodation is likely to be
cheaper than in the host nation and if you chose a country who are not
involved in the tournament, flights and other methods of transport are
likely to be available. Countries to consider include Bulgaria, Hungary, and
Greece.
This site was last updated
Saturday, 24 November 2007
