Best areas to stay in Hannover
1. Mitte (city centre)
The centre is the most practical base for a first visit. It puts you within walking distance of the main railway station, the Galerie Luise shopping area and the historic core, and it is where the mid-range and upscale city hotels cluster. If you want to step out of your accommodation and be among the sights, this is the area to choose.
It suits first-time visitors, short-stay travellers and anyone arriving by train. Note that the centre is also where large trade fairs send room rates upward, so book well ahead during exhibition periods.
2. Alte Neustadt
Alte Neustadt sits just north of the centre and is the budget traveller's corner of the city. The source material places several budget hostels and small guesthouses here, including properties on Heinrichstraße and Osterstraße, with beds starting at the lower end of the city's price range and breakfast often included.
It suits backpackers, students and anyone watching their spending. It is close enough to the centre to walk or take a short tram ride, and one property here is described as being near woodland, which makes it a quieter option than the middle of town.
3. Around the Hauptbahnhof (central station)
The streets immediately behind and around the central station hold a mix of budget and mid-range accommodation, from simple city hotels to larger chain properties. This is the most convenient area if you are arriving or leaving by train, or using the station as your transport hub for the airport and the fairground.
It suits travellers who value connections over atmosphere. Expect some street noise in this area, and remember that station-side rates rise sharply when a major exhibition is on.
4. Wülfel (city south, near the fairground)
Wülfel lies to the south of the centre and close to the exhibition grounds, which makes it the sensible base if you are in Hannover for a trade fair. Budget hostel-style accommodation is available here, and the area is served by its own transport links into the centre.
It suits business visitors and fairgoers rather than sightseers. If your trip is built around the fairground, staying here cuts your daily commute; if it is built around the old town, you will be travelling in each day.
5. Medical Park area (Roderbruch direction)
The area around the Hanover Medical School, reached by tram, has a small cluster of hotels including chain and boutique-style properties. It is a quiet, functional district rather than a tourist one, with good bus and tram connections back into the city.
It suits visitors with business at the medical school or hospital, and travellers who prefer a calm base with easy transport over a central location.
6. Expo-Plaza and the fairground surroundings
The Expo-Plaza area, a short distance from the centre, is home to modern business-style accommodation with conference facilities, fitness centres and on-site dining. It is designed around the exhibition and event trade rather than leisure tourism.
It suits conference delegates and event visitors. The trade-off is distance: you are roughly eight kilometres from the city centre, so you will rely on transport for sightseeing.
7. Barsinghausen and the Deister area
Out in the Deister Natural Park, guesthouse-style accommodation offers a rural base with en-suite rooms and breakfast included. The source material describes this as a good base for visitors to the exhibition centre who prefer hiking country to city streets.
It suits walkers, families and anyone with a car who wants quiet surroundings. It is not a practical base for a short city break, as you will be commuting in for everything.
Where to stay on a budget, mid-range or splurge
- Budget: youth hostels, city hostels with single rooms and dorm beds, and small guesthouses, often with breakfast included. Several sit in Alte Neustadt and Wülfel, with a few near the station. Hostel association membership may be required at some properties.
- Mid-range: chain hotels and suite-style properties, mostly in the centre, behind the central station, and around the Medical Park and Expo-Plaza. Expect standard amenities, fitness facilities and on-site dining at the upper end of this band.
- Splurge: upscale and five-star hotels close to the central station and the Galerie Luise, with sauna, fitness, massage and steam bath facilities. Rates climb steeply during major trade fairs.
Best area for a first visit
Stay in Mitte, the city centre. It keeps the main station, the shopping streets and the historic core within walking distance, and it gives you the widest choice of mid-range accommodation. From here you can reach the fairground and outlying districts easily by tram or train without committing to a base outside town.
Frequently asked questions
When should I book my accommodation in Hannover?
Book well in advance. Hannover hosts large exhibitions regularly, and during these periods hotels fill up quickly and raise their rates, sometimes by a large margin.
Which area is best if I am visiting the exhibition centre?
Wülfel, in the city south, is relatively near the fairground and has budget accommodation. The Expo-Plaza area also works well for fair visitors, though it is around eight kilometres from the centre.
Where should budget travellers look?
Alte Neustadt has the densest cluster of hostels and cheap guesthouses, with single rooms and dorm beds at the lower end of the price range. Wülfel offers a similar budget option closer to the fairground.
Is it worth staying outside the centre?
Only if you have a specific reason. The Medical Park area and the Expo-Plaza suit business visitors, and the Deister area suits hikers, but all of them mean relying on trams, buses or a car to reach the sights.
Compare live prices for your dates with the booking tools on this page before you decide.