A major event should not be managed solely by raising the ADR. The minimum stay and cost per rotation can change the outcome.
The Oktoberfest 2026 will take place from September 19 to October 4 at the Theresienwiese in Munich. The 2025 edition received around 6.5 million visitors.
The magnitude of the event justifies reviewing availability, price, and minimum stay today. It does not confirm how much a specific property should charge: that depends on location, pickup, real competition, cancellation, capacity, and costs.
The Common Mistake
“If I usually sell at €180, for Oktoberfest I’ll set it at €250.” This may be correct, but there’s one question missing: for how many nights?
Gatavia Calculation
Total commission for the example: 15%. Fixed cleaning and preparation cost: €70 per stay. We do not include supplies, taxes, or other expenses. The rates are examples, not market prices.
| Scenario A | Scenario B | |
|---|---|---|
| Stay | 2 nights | 3 nights |
| ADR | €250 | €220 |
| Gross Income | €500 | €660 |
| After 15% commission | €425 | €561 |
| Less fixed cost | €355 | €491 |
The three-night scenario leaves €136 more in contribution despite having a price per night €30 lower.
The Useful Formula
Minimum ADR = (target margin + fixed costs of the stay) / [number of nights × (1 - commission)]
Test two, three, and four nights and see which combination earns you more without unnecessarily blocking the calendar.
Two weeks before Oktoberfest, review price, minimum stay, and calendar gaps. We are not looking for the highest possible price: we seek the combination that leaves the most net money per stay while consuming the least number of rotations and dead nights. In an extraordinary event, the goal is to fill well.
Source
Landeshauptstadt München, official Oktoberfest information.
Gatavia · Question. Data. Accounts. Decide.