During the five weeks of the Festival, Bayreuth hotels conspire to increase their accommodation rates by 100% -150%. While this is understandable, such blatant anti-competitive profiteering would be illegal in the UK (and possibly the US). So did we feel ripped off? Not at all. The Arvena Kongress goes out of its way to give Wagnerites a warm welcome and excellent value for money. Although it is one of the nearest hotels to the Festspielhaus (15-20 minutes’ walk), it offers a free shuttle service up the hill in a charming replica vintage bus, and while you wait you can help yourself to prosecco, fruit punch, tea and snacks. There is an area in the lobby where DVDs of Wagner operas are screened. The restaurant is geared to post-performance dinners, and the staff actually seem to welcome the sudden influx at 11 o’clock. The bar doesn’t close until 2.30am! Breakfast is a huge spread and, if you eat like a German, very good value. Alternatively there is brunch for late risers, also included in the room rate. As this is basically a modern conference hotel, it has been chosen by the New York Wagner Society as their ‘base’ and the venue for their series of morning lectures, so English-speakers whose visit coincides with theirs (usually the last ten days of the Festival), have another good reason to stay here.
In line with the hotel’s character, the bedrooms are ‘functional’ rather than ‘gemütlich’, so we were surprised at the absence of coffee/tea-making facilities, though a kettle and cups were readily supplied on request. Even more surprising was the absence of drawer-space; just hanging space and shelves. But we were grateful for the air-conditioning (rare in Bayreuth) and a bath-tub as well as the shower. On the top floor there is a sauna, steam-room, small gym and sun-deck. However, the staff are the hotel’s greatest asset – from the smiling ‘Guten Tag!’ on arrival to the final ‘Auf Wiedersehn’ on check-out. They are multi-lingual, well trained, attentive and, above all, charming. So if you are looking for a place to stay during the Festival, which fully understands the needs – and peculiarities – of Wagner-lovers, you need look no further.
- Best Western Bayreuth
- Arvena Kongress Bayreuth
