Hotels and holiday apartments on Spiekeroog

Which location suits you

Spiekeroog is car-free and has a single island village. It is about a 15-minute walk from the harbour. Almost all hotels, guest houses and holiday apartments are in the village, and one hotel stands at Pollerdiek near the harbour. The campsite in the dunes is around three kilometres outside the village.

How the ferry runs from Neuharlingersiel is covered on the Ferry to Spiekeroog page.

Hotels and guest houses

The island arranges hotels, guest houses, holiday apartments and holiday homes through its own accommodation search. Some hotels have their own spa area with a sauna. The Meerestied in the village, with its saunas and seawater pool, is open to all visitors.

There are accommodation options with step-free access, but many older buildings do not fully meet the requirements. Ask if you need ground-floor rooms or wide doors.

Holiday apartments

Holiday apartments, holiday homes and guest houses make up a large part of what is on offer. Each host sets their own arrival and departure times, minimum stay, bed linen and final cleaning. Because the ferry runs by the tides, you will not arrive at the same time every day. Agree your arrival with your host.

Group houses

There is no youth hostel on Spiekeroog. The Evangelischer Jugendhof (Protestant youth centre) on Noorderpad has four guest houses; each group lives in its own house and does its own catering. It takes children's, youth and adult groups, choirs, congregations and school classes, but not individual travellers.

Campsite and camping

The island's campsite is around three kilometres from the village in the dunes, with direct access to the beach. It is open from the end of April to mid-September. For the summer holiday weeks, register early. Registration is binding: you name everyone travelling with you and pay a deposit.

Cooking is only allowed at the central grill. There are toilets, hot showers, washing machines and a kiosk selling groceries, gas and bread. Pets are not allowed. The visitor's tax, the ferry and luggage transport are not included in the pitch fee.

If you are in a motorhome, you stay on the mainland. In Neuharlingersiel, behind the dyke, there is a campsite that is open all year and does not allow dogs, as well as a motorhome pitch at the harbour. From there you travel to Spiekeroog as a day visitor.

Visitor's tax

You pay a visitor's tax for every night you stay on the island. The higher rate applies from 15 March to 31 October, and a reduced rate from 1 November to 14 March. Children are free until their 6th birthday. The tax is added automatically when you buy your return ferry ticket. If you arrive by train, you pay at the Kogge tourist information.

Getting your luggage from the harbour to your accommodation

On the island ferry, suitcases and bags travel in numbered containers, and you pay a surcharge for additional items. One item may weigh up to 25 kg. On the WattnExpress you take your luggage on board yourself, and only one suitcase is allowed.

It is about a 15-minute walk from the harbour to the village, and there is no island railway for visitors. You can hire a handcart (Bollerwagen) at the harbour. For a fee, a luggage service delivers your suitcases to your door; you get the luggage tags online or at the counter in Neuharlingersiel. For your departure, have your luggage ready around an hour and a half before sailing. There are lockers in the waiting hall and at the harbour.

Without a car

On Spiekeroog only the fire brigade and the emergency services may drive. Your car stays in Neuharlingersiel: there are day car parks at the harbour, but you may not park there overnight. For longer stays you use the Spiekeroog garages, a 10 to 15-minute walk from the harbour. More on this under Parking at the ferry port.

There is no bike hire on the island. The island ferry takes bikes for a surcharge, the WattnExpress does not. Many paths in the village and to the beach are too narrow for bicycles and closed to them.

With a dog

Dogs must be kept on a lead almost everywhere on the island. Your dog is not allowed on the main beach from 1 April to 31 October, and there is a dog beach with a large off-lead area in the east. Your dog needs its own ticket on the ferry. Whether dogs are allowed in your accommodation is up to each house; in the accommodation search you filter for pets by request. Dogs are not allowed on the campsite.

When to book

In summer and at weekends the ferries are sometimes fully booked, so book your crossing and accommodation early. This applies especially to the campsite in the summer holidays. January is the quietest month, when some businesses close for a winter break. Departures shift with the tides, and the times for your day of travel are in the timetable.