Month: <span>February 2020</span>

Review

Day 908: Twostay Coworking Munich x Holzkranich, Munich, Germany

My second trip to a Twostay coworking space. I thought I would try out a different one on my last day in Munich.

Like the other one this is a restaurant in the evening and coworking space in the day. It had a nice entrance area with tables looking out of huge window so I sat there for the first two hours.

The tables are extra-solo in that area. The laptop had to hang over one side and just a third of the mousemat fitted onto the table. After the morning spent in Lost Weekend and the bad ergonomics I was a bit sensitive and the table to chair ratio in the front windows was starting to give me cramps.

There was a mid level section of the restaurant up a few steps with a range of large tables and better seats which I spent the second half of the afternoon on.

Also in the front are there was a small “front-room” style section with low tables and sofa seats to lounge on. The Space Captain worked from it for a bit, (which is the space manager). It’s not a super productive spot but it is good if you need to relax and brainstorm for a minute or two.

Like yesterday’s visit it was a quiet space, but there was one other guy working there.

Filter coffee and water is provided as standard. They also had flasks of hot water as well, which is surprisingly popular out of people I’ve met while travelling.

WiFi was sufficient, clocking in at 45mb/9mb.

Had quiet music playing in the background, a nice blend of soul / classic rub songs which kept pricking my ears up because many of my favourite hip hop songs sampled heavily from that era.

I highly recommend checking these spaces out if you find yourself looking for some sensibly priced coworking in Munich. Most spaces charge around 30 EUR a day and are only open office hours.

The Twostay places close around the same time as well but the big difference is that the price is already more reasonable for the entire day, and you can buy a half day instead. This gives you the freedom to check out a cafe in the morning, and settle in for some serious undisturbed work in the afternoon.

Review

Day 907: Twostay Coworking Munich x Nudo, Munich, Germany

Nomad friendly? Yes!

Twostay is an interesting coworking concept that I found dotted around locations in Munich. They partner with restaurants that are normally only open in the evening and convert them into pop up coworking spots during the day.

The branch I tried out was Twostay Coworking Munich x Nudo, in the student friendly Odeonsplatz area of Munich.

You pay for your ticket online and a QR code is emailed to you. I didn’t need to use the code though as they have a concept called the Space Captain and I was greeted by a nice woman who got me settled in quickly with a seat, drinks and WiFi. Actually, I realised after that she is one of the founders, Dorothea.

Unlimited coffee and water is provided.

WiFi was strong 60mb/30mb.

This branch is open from 8:30am to 5pm, Mon-Fri. There is some small variation between venues so check their site for full details.

I got seated in the window at the front, looking out on to the passers by. There were additional seats further back.

Tables where individual solo style. Small, but big enough for the laptop and half a mouse pad, with simple victorian school style seats. Perfect for me.

Totally silent working space except for the tippety tapping of keys, with a little bit of light background music later in the afternoon.

Pricing was 6 EUR for half day (4 hours), 12 EUR for a day (8 hours) and 96 EUR for a full month, where you can move around to any of the branches.

This was a perfect match for me because the rest of the spaces are 25-40 EUR for a one day pass, and open a strict 8-6 office hours. I try my best, I really do, but I don’t manage to get to bed before 1-2am and I’m just not ready in the mornings to get full value of this kind of time window. I was also only in Munich for 1 week so having the fluidity to move around multiple spaces in one day was actually really great. Am I convincing you? No? OK fine, I just love a bargain!

Also, bonus, there is some entertaining graffiti in the toilets:

Review

Day 904: Lost Weekend, Munich, Germany

Nomad friendly? Yes!

  • Range of group tables
  • No plugs on main tables but there was some sockets on the truck
  • Very popular with uni students
  • Americano coffee was 2.5EUR
  • Got a delicious falafel sandwich for 5.7EUR
  • Wifi speed test was 38.77Mbps / 11.15Mbps 
  • Wifi had a bit of a wobble, seemed to disconnect sometimes on my first visit, no trouble on second visit
  • Played a range of music in the background from trip hop / lo-fi / deep house music
  • I didn’t see any signs for a toilet

Despite the entire place being crammed with laptops, I decided to check their website to see if they mentioned being laptop-friendly. You never know if it’s been invaded or if its by the cafe’s design. In this case they do list themselves as a “coworking space and vegan coffeeshop”. I guess the lack of power supplies is a natural barrier for people overstaying their welcome.

My first visit was just a social one, but I went back and worked from it a few days later. Without the plugs it meant my time was limited but I’m quite glad of this because for me the ergonomics of the tables / chairs was off. The chairs were a little too low for the table which meant to type properly you had to hunch your shoulders up. After a few hours of that it was getting pretty uncomfortable.

If you can work with your laptop on your knees then there are a range of window ledge seats around the outside. There are maybe two or three different types of table throughout.

They also have a nice centerpiece with a big old 60s style flatback delivery truck parked in one corner. You can climb up and sit on tables on the back of it, or on the steps to the side. At weekends they turn the venue into a nightclub, so I suspect this might be where the dj goes.

Despite the ergonomics I would have gone back, because the place had a nice vibe. I guess maybe it’s the fact that all of the students are there and all diligently working away on their laptop; it has a kind of productive feel to it. Some places make me not want to get caught slacking and that is one of them. With Twostay x Nudo just around the corner it’s easy to push the ejector button if it gets too much.

Review

Day 903: Coffee Fellows, Munich, Germany

Nomad friendly? Yes, but only 1 hour of free WiFi per purchase

It was my first day in Munich and I wanted to hit the ground running so I looked around the local area and found this laptop-friendly location.

They have branches all over Munich, the one I was the Schützenstraße branch, but they are on almost every corner in the city center.

They seem to be a variety of sizes and layouts, so be aware that you might not get a suitable table when if you’re just heading to your nearest branch. The one near my second hotel was just a tiny little place with round tables.

  • Coffee was €3.20 for latte.
  • Water was €2.50 for small bottle.
  • Wifi just 25mb/5mb on speed test.
  • Lots of different types of tables.
  • Starbucks style food available.
  • WiFi code isn’t given by default, you have to ask, but it’s free.
  • Code lasts 1hr.
  • Open from 7am/8am to 10pm every day

I worked from a group table which had good space and chairs. It’s upstairs and to the left / back of the area.

Some tables have power supplies, the group one didn’t seem to, but I was only there an hour so I just ran on battery and didn’t investigate that deeply.

While I was there several other laptops were in use, scattered around the area. Two guys were even abusing the area, bringing their own food and talking about how they were just going to eat it anyway and use their own WiFi tether. I don’t recommend that you do things like that, but it is an indicator that it’s more of a big chain type place where people just flow through, rather than some places, where you feel you’re really taking up space.

Actually, I forgot to take photos so I was just sourcing some on their website and it seems that the banner over the door says “coffee + internet” and they feature people on their laptops on their own photos.

Schützenstraße is right next to the main train station, Hauptbahnhof. You can go down the subway steps right outside the front door of the cafe. Underneath there are many healthy fast food places like salads, couscous, vegetarian, asian, etc. And some bakeries if you’re feeling naughty.

The toilet has a password on it, which is printed on your receipt. One to remember, because I cleverly threw out all my waste, and then tried to use the toilets
on the way out.

Review

Day 902: Meininger Hotel Muenchen City Center, Munich, Germany

As accomodation

Nomad friendly? Yes, if you get a good locker.

  • Comfy beds
  • 6-bed and 12-bed dorms available for good price (6-bed was about 20 EUR a night)
  • All you can eat breakfast available for about 7.5 EUR
  • Snacks and water available in reception around 2 EUR
  • Big beer bottle of local beer is 3.3 EUR
  • Heating is very powerful… too hot sometimes and the radiator knobs are behind beds so if it’s late then it’s too late to change the temp.
  • Bar area with ok seating, very deep sets so not really got back support
  • Games room with pool table and darts
  • Lock rental 5 EUR deposit only.
  • Good quality shower and bathroom facilities.
  • Towels available from reception.
  • Good location, plenty of facilities around and train stations within short walking distances.
  • Next to a main road. Noise doesn’t disturb me but traffic can be heard. I was staying on level 1 though.

Security in my room was very bad – lockers are just under bed slide out drawers. They require a medium, fixed boom lock. Can hire one from reception but most of them in my room were broken and can just be easily twisted open. Maybe other rooms might be ok. I’ve stated in this chain before and had a variety of experiences but usually they have metal lockers. There’s no way around it, it’s a risky way of travel.

Your room is secured to just the six people that are staying in the dorm but its a fast moving spot and in the 4 nights I stayed, there was people coming and going, and some arriving in the middle of the night and leaving before I awoke. I’ve hardly ever actually had any issues in any hostels over the years but I’m always on security watch so this wasn’t a good situation for me, especially with it being the first outing of my new Macbook.  I walked everywhere with my laptop on my back, even going out for the evening meal, but sleeping I was exposed to it being taken from right under my nose. In the end I decided to finish off the week in Dolomit Hotel which was the first cheap hotel I found, just for a sense of security for my things.

As a coworking space

Nomad friendly? Yes, but only proper desk space for 1 person

  • Coffee available in entrance from 2EUR, espresso based machine.
  • Internet speed is only about 15mb after an initial 35mb burst, with 3mb up.
  • Good chill / communal area, I worked from the sofas one evening.
  • 3 internet terminals, two with macs available for free use, one empty bay, perfect for a pop-up office. Plug socket, privacy, desk space.
  • Terminal areas are tucked away and pretty low light areas
  • Can get a bit busy / loud during the day
  • Reception chill area with ok seating, no back support though
  • Worked from bed ok, during two evenings

The spot that I got set up with was perfect for me. They had a decent chair and desk area which looked out over the. Espresso style coffee was on hand for a few euros and with my noise cancelling headphones on I melted away into my own world.

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