Snow-dusted peaks, glassy lakes and a castle straight from a storybook: Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern) is the alpine playground that spreads out south and east of Munich. It's the region that gives you the Zugspitze, Germany's highest peak, the turquoise waters of Chiemsee and Königssee, and Neuschwanstein's fairy-tale turrets, all within an hour or two's drive of each other.

You could base yourself in a ski chalet near the glaciers, a guesthouse on the shore of a lake, or a room with a castle view. Here's a rundown of where to stay across the region and what it'll set you back.

Where to stay in Upper Bavaria

• Garmisch-Partenkirchen: the region's alpine sports capital, sitting right at the foot of the Zugspitze cable car. Good base for skiers and hikers who want the mountain at their doorstep. See hotels in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
• Berchtesgadener Land: the most dramatic scenery in the region, ringed by the jagged Watzmann range and the glacier-fed Königssee. A favourite for hikers chasing proper alpine views. See hotels in Berchtesgadener Land.
• Prien am Chiemsee: the main town on the Chiemsee, Bavaria's biggest lake, with ferries out to island palaces and beer gardens right on the water. See hotels in Prien am Chiemsee.
• Starnberg: the closest of the lake districts to Munich, all sailing clubs and lakeside promenades. An easy pick if you want lake life without driving far. See hotels in Starnberg.
• Füssen: the gateway town for Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, tucked right against the Alps at the region's southern edge. See hotels in Füssen.

How much is Upper Bavaria accommodation?

Expect to pay somewhere around AU$250 to AU$300 a night for a solid mid-range hotel across the region, though it swings a fair bit depending on the season and how close you are to the water or the slopes. Here's the rough breakdown by tier.

• Backpackers/Hostels: from AU$123 per night. Design hostels like the ones in Füssen give you a private-feeling room without the price tag, handy if you're castle-hopping on a budget.
• Budget hotels/Guesthouses: from AU$106 per night. Small family-run guesthouses around Berchtesgaden and the lake towns, simple rooms, real Bavarian breakfasts.
• Mid-range/Apartments: from AU$163 per night. Traditional Gasthof-style hotels in Garmisch, the kind with a beer garden downstairs and mountain views from the balcony.
• Boutique: from AU$311 per night. Smaller, design-led hotels near Füssen and the lakes that lean into local character instead of a chain-hotel template.
• Luxury/Resorts: from AU$501 per night. Five-star spa resorts like the one in Berchtesgaden, golf course and alpine views included.

Top-rated hotels in Upper Bavaria

• Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden: a five-star resort with its own golf course and a spa that looks straight out at the Watzmann range. View on Traveloka.
• Hotel Zugspitze: named for the mountain it sits under, a short walk from the Garmisch cable car station that runs up to the glacier. View on Traveloka.
• Hotel Schlossblick Chiemsee: lakeside in Prien, with rooms looking out toward Herrenchiemsee Palace on its own island in the middle of the water. View on Traveloka.
• Hotel Starnberger See: right on the water in Starnberg, an easy pick if you want to swim or sail straight from your hotel. View on Traveloka.
• Hotel Schlosskrone: a historic inn in central Füssen, a short walk from the path up to Neuschwanstein. View on Traveloka.

Tips for finding the perfect accommodation in Upper Bavaria

• Winter and summer are both busy seasons here, winter for skiing around Garmisch, summer for hiking and lake swimming, so book ahead for either rather than counting on a quiet stretch.
• Prices bump up across the whole region in September, not just in Munich itself, so build in some buffer if you're travelling then.
• If lake life is the priority, filter by "lake view" or check the walking distance to the water first. Some Chiemsee and Starnberg hotels are a fair hike from the shore despite the name.
• Renting a car makes the most of the region. Garmisch, Berchtesgaden, Chiemsee and Füssen sit roughly an hour or two apart by road, so a car lets you base yourself in one and day-trip to the rest.
• Book castle-adjacent hotels in Füssen well ahead in the warmer months. Neuschwanstein's ticket queues and its nearby accommodation both fill up fast once summer hits.