Hotel restaurants attract more guests

FRANKFURT - Hotel restaurants are increasingly becoming culinary hotspots in their own right. A recent study by OpenTable and KAYAK shows that 62% of Germans believe that the restaurant offering in hotels has improved over the years. Hotel restaurants are increasingly being perceived as culinary destinations in their own right, rather than just as convenient places to eat within an accommodation.

Gone are the days when hotel restaurants were just a convenient option for overnight guests. More than half (51 per cent) of Germans see hotel restaurants as places for everyone and not just for hotel guests. Similarly, 51% of respondents believe that hotel restaurants are of the same high quality as independent restaurants**.

"The increase in guests in hotel restaurants underlines their growing importance in the catering and hotel industry. As 71% of Germans would be prepared to book a hotel again if they had a good culinary experience there**, it is clear that the restaurant has just as strong an appeal as the hotel room. For hotel operators, there is a real opportunity to inspire not only overnight guests but also locals," explains Lea Stadler, Senior Director of Global Sales and Services at OpenTable Germany. "And for guests, whether travelling or looking for a special local restaurant experience, we recommend our new list of the Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in Germany 2025, which combines the best of both worlds."

Timo Schmitz, General Manager of the 25hours Hotel Das Tour in Düsseldorf, also confirms the growing popularity: "Hotel restaurants have entered a new era; they are no longer just functional places. Today, they combine outstanding cuisine with character to establish themselves as meeting points and creative culinary spots for both travellers and locals. While the restaurant and bar were initially mainly used by hotel guests, we now see that over 75% of our guests come from the city."

Culinary delights as a reason to travel

Eating out is no longer just a stopover when sightseeing. For many travellers, it is the experience par excellence. More than half of Germans (52%) say they spend more money on food and drink in restaurants than on other activities when travelling. The fact that good food plays a central role on holiday is not only evident in terms of expenditure, but also in the choice of accommodation: 41% of Germans have already chosen a hotel because of the hotel's own restaurant.

In addition, 54% of Gen Z would visit a hotel restaurant because the dishes are particularly photogenic and social media-friendly, also significantly more than the average of 38%. KAYAK provides matching figures: The restaurant filter was used around 64% more often compared to the previous year. A clear sign that interest in culinary experiences in hotels has increased.

"More than two thirds of Germans surveyed would book the same hotel again if they liked the restaurant," says Yvonne Bonanati from KAYAK. "For 64 per cent of German holidaymakers, it is important that their hotel has its own restaurant. The hotel restaurant now seems to be much more than just an amenity, it is sometimes even a reason for booking."

The top 50 hotel restaurants in Germany

To make it easier for guests and travellers to choose, OpenTable and KAYAK present their top 50 hotel restaurants in Germany. They include HERITAGE in Hamburg (Hotel Le Méridien), NENI in Munich (25hours Hotel Munich The Royal Bavarian) and the Oben Restaurant in Frankfurt (Meliá Hotel). The selection is based on guest data and was filtered by hotels that are bookable on KAYAK.

OpenTable analysed the number of guests seated in the restaurant for all restaurants active on the OpenTable platform in Germany between 1 June 2024 and 31 May 2025 and compared it with the same period in the previous year. The online survey was conducted by WALR among 1,535 German consumers. The survey took place between 5 and 12 June 2025 and was conducted in accordance with MRS (Market Research Society) and ESOMAR guidelines to ensure ethical and accurate data collection. The list of the top 50 hotel restaurants in Germany for 2025 was compiled from over 300,000 reviews from verified OpenTable guests and restaurant metrics from 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2025. Restaurants with a minimum number of guest reviews were considered and scored based on a set of unique data points, including guest reviews and the percentage of five-star ratings. The criteria were weighted to arrive at an overall score. Qualifying restaurants were then ranked based on the ability to book the hotel where the restaurant is located through KAYAK.com. The resulting list appears from A-Z, not in ranked order, and the KAYAK data is based on hotel searches on KAYAK and associated brands between 1 January and 22 June 2025 for travel at any point in the future. They were compared with searches from the same period in 2024. The percentages are approximations.