Hotels and holiday apartments on Baltrum

Which location suits you

Baltrum is about five kilometres long and car-free, so you get everywhere on foot. There are two villages to stay in:

• Westdorf: The main village by the harbour, with most of the hotels, shops, cafés and restaurants, the town hall and the SindBad swimming pool. A good choice if you want short distances to everything.
• Ostdorf: Quiet and green, between the dyke to the south and the dunes to the north. Behind the cemetery is the Altes Ostdorf with the oldest houses on the island.

In the far east, between salt marsh and dunes, are the youth education centre (Jugendbildungsstätte) and the campsite. For how the ferry from Neßmersiel runs, see Ferry to Baltrum.

House numbers instead of streets

Baltrum has no street names. Addresses read “Haus Nr.” or “Westdorf Nr.”, followed by a number. Remember the house number of your accommodation, as the luggage trolleys at the harbour are sorted by it too.

Hotels and guesthouses

The island community lists nine hotels, most of them in Westdorf. They range from small houses with a few rooms to hotels with a sauna and views of the Wadden Sea. Some have accessible rooms and a lift, so ask if you need them.

Whether dogs are allowed and whether the hotel stays open in winter are best checked directly with the hotel.

Holiday apartments

Holiday apartments and holiday homes make up a large part of the choice. The island community does not arrange accommodation itself. You can find available dates in the island's hosts directory and through local booking agencies.

Unless agreed otherwise, check-in is from 17:00 and check-out by 10:00. As the ferry runs according to the tides, you will not arrive at the same time every day. Agree your arrival with your host. Each host sets their own minimum stay, final cleaning and bed linen terms.

Group house and campsite

The Jugendbildungsstätte run by the Niedersächsischer Turnerbund in the east of the island takes youth groups, school classes, sports clubs and families. In winter you stay in shared multi-bed rooms, in summer in large tents with wooden floors. You cater for yourself.

The campsite on the same grounds is open from mid-May to mid-September. You pay the visitor's tax for it online in advance. Caravans and motorhomes are not allowed on Baltrum.

If you are coming by motorhome, stay on the mainland: Neßmersiel itself has no campsite. Neighbouring Dornumersiel has a campsite on the North Sea beach and two motorhome pitches, one of them open all year. From there you visit Baltrum as a day guest.

Visitor's tax

You pay a visitor's tax for every day on the island. Children under 6 go free. A reduced rate applies from 1 November to 14 March. You pay online before you travel or to your host, and you receive the guest card for it. The tourist information office does not issue cards. The card is checked at the harbour when you leave. With the guest card you pay less for admission to SindBad.

Luggage from the harbour to your accommodation

You do not take suitcases and large bags on board. In Neßmersiel you hand them in at numbered containers, at least 15 minutes before departure. Remember your container number. No luggage is carried on the day-trip sailings.

On Baltrum, many hosts meet you at the landing stage. Otherwise luggage trolleys labelled with the name of your accommodation are waiting at the Wippenparkplatz. A horse-drawn carriage takes you and your luggage to your accommodation for a fee; book it early. You can also send your luggage to your accommodation by parcel service.

Without a car

Baltrum is car-free. You leave your car at Neßmersiel harbour, in season in the long-stay car park. How that works is explained under Parking at the ferry port.

The island community asks visitors to leave their own bikes at home, as everything is within walking distance. The ferry carries bikes for a surcharge if there is room. Many hosts hire out bikes.

With a dog

You pay a daily dog tax for each dog, to your host or online. On the ferry it needs a ticket of its own. From the Easter holidays to the end of the autumn holidays, dogs must be kept on a lead throughout the village, and your dog may go on the beach only in the eastern section D. Whether dogs are allowed in the accommodation is up to each house, so mention your dog when you enquire.

When to book

The season runs from mid-March to the end of October. Book early for the summer holidays, Easter and Whitsun; the carriage is in demand then too. From November the visitor's tax is lower, but the museum, the National Park House and the island theatre are closed. Departures shift with the tides, and the times for your travel day are in the timetable.