I'd have rated them 5 stars had the hotel put us in a room in their main building (as I'd requested…read moreon my original e-mail request). I just wanted a view of the world's largest advent calendar from our room window. We were in room 31 in the annex around the corner from the main building. The room was perfectly fine and actually more modernized/renovated than the main building. The room was large with a couch, table, and a couple of chairs, very clean, had a mini-fridge, and a good sized, clean, modern bathroom. We were also able to park our car inside the garage below the room so we didn't have to bother with finding a parking spot (which was a bit more difficult than usual due to Gengebach's Christmas market). Breakfast was very good despite the fact we did breakfast at 0930, kinda later than usual. There was still plenty of bread, meats, and cheeses to choose from before they started packing up at 1005. And before they took anything away we were asked if we were finished or not. And still we were able to have capuccinos instead of regular coffee. Don't forget to ask for your Konus Karte upon arrival. The card allows unlimited free local bus and train service in the Black Forest (except for high-speed ICE trains). Gengenbach has a nice Christmas market which was the reason for our visit. From there you can train to Villingen (we did) and/or Freiburg to visit their markets as well.

Location, Location Location! Gengenbach is a picture…read morepostcard town- and the hotel/restaurant is easy to find- free parking in back if you have a small car- not an SUV- Friendly employees from the 2 women who do the breakfast buffet, to the young man who came out of the hotel and attempted to help us park in the free garage in back We ended up luckily with a super close street spot which is worth paying for! The breakfast buffet is included in your room price- starts at 7:30am and is really good- lots of cold cereals, fresh breads, hot coffee, tea, juices, cold meats, cheese and fresh fruit! The selection of jams very good and the coffee was good! The young woman setting it all up was very friendly and sweet. The older woman who I believe is part owner is not as cordial- a bit stern. The room was comfortable. We stayed in the Annex which was easy to take our luggage to- has an elevator and is quiet. However the room smelled- musty -dusty or something. Carpet needs to be removed and just hardwood floors- the furniture and drapes need to be removed- just felt dated and dusty. The beds were comfortable, and the room quiet and plenty of room so overall not bad, just could use some refreshing by simply removing dated linens. Refrigerator in room and plenty of outlets to charge your electronics. Other sites have mentioned a local card for discounts- we were never offered a card- or local map. If you do have a car- you may want to consider parking on street- find out if you can unload in front and then find street parking- also Sundays they shut down the main square area which if you are trying to drive out can be a challenge.

We recently stayed at Die Reichsstadt after a 3 day stay in Munich for Oktoberfest. Our group felt…read morelike we hit the jackpot with this hotel! The rooms were huge (based on European and my American standards) and very comfortable. The hotel had a delicious restaurant that had won multiple awards. Dinner was expensive (which we were't surprised) but worth every penny. All the staff spoke English and were very friendly. The hotel also had a Spa which consisted of a steam room and 2 dry saunas, The rooms were all at different temperatures. Our favorite part of the hotel, by far, was the rooftop terrace. You had 360 degree views of the town and the surrounding country side. I cannot say enough good things about this hotel, it's staff and the whole town of Gengenbach. A definite must see if you are looking for a traditional German town and a getaway for a few days.

Outstanding Hotel in Durbach. Close to everything and well equipped for the traveler or local. We…read morewere here for an anniversary of a friend and stayed several days. Got the big suite which was wunderbar. One of the outstanding things was the supplied breakfast which was "continental" but not like people think in America. They had tons to eat, including beautiful breads, wurst, cheese and charcuterie plus boiled eggs, fruit and all types of cereal. It was staggering. Just no hot stuff like pancakes or an omelette station which we think of in the States. Remember we are guests in their living room, so minimize your expectations of "American Style" and maintain your Smooveness. Grounds are breathtakingly beautiful. They even have a lawn Roomba which was about the coolest thing I have ever seen. Lots of weddings here so you can imagine how pretty the place is. Great restaurant too and used to accommodating large groups. The staff here is formal but very friendly. Don't look for a pool. That is unusual in these parts. We rented bikes and toured the countryside; the town was old and awesome. Very quaint with loads of shopping. So much good stuff to eat, at every turn. You cannot go wrong at any local eating places and almost everyone speaks English. We toured the castle, which was physically beautiful but a bit too tourist-centric for my tastes. There was a great little ice cream place there that you shouldn't miss. Parking in a pain in the ass, but doable as long as you have a small car. Car is a must in this region of Germany, BTW. No getting around it. This is the second time we've been here and the hotel just gets better and better. We are looking forward to our next trip.

A hidden gem! Tucked…read moreaway in the small village of Zell, Germany, Hotel Klosterbraustuben is a bonafide home-away-from-home. Made up of several separate buildings, each multi-floor unit is quiet, clean and comfortable. These buildings are within a neighborhood so you're away from any bustling traffic or noise. Not that Zell has the noise of a large city, but there is fairly constant traffic throughout the day. The rooms are cozy, clean and just right. I stayed on the second floor of one of the buildings, facing the back garden. I had a nice small balcony to go out one, if I wanted. Within the main building is a bar and full restaurant. The restaurant is where you can can have breakfast, lunch or dinner. Breakfast consisted of a buffet style breakfast with many different options to choose from. For dinner, the restaurant is open to the public so you are likely to meet locals when dining in. Everything that I tried on the menu was great. I don't remember all of the items that I tried, but I didn't have anything that I didn't like. This hotel doesn't feel like a hotel. It has more of an apartment feel that really feels like home rather than your typical apartment. For the most part, many on staff at the hotel do speak a certain level of English. Some more than others and some not much at all. This is where Google Translate and a little bit of proactive homework come into play. I always like to learn some basic greetings and phrases when traveling to a non-English speaking country. Hello, goodbye, good morning, please, thank you, etc. I've always been of the mindset that most other countries either mandate English speaking classes in school or people take the initiative to learn. The least that I can do is try to show the same respect and learn what I can. The location of the hotel is just outside of the center of Zell. Zell is a small quaint village that is absolutely stunning. You're about a 5 - 10 minute walk from the center of town and I would encourage anyone to make the walk and stroll down the main street and have a look at the shops and stop in one of the restaurants for a drink or a meal. Would I go back? As this hotel is close to Nordrach, where I have one of my offices, then yes, I will definitely be back. I probably wouldn't normally find myself in this part of Germany, but it is my good fortune that I get to visit this area periodically. Zell and Nordrach are beautiful parts of the country consisting of big green landscapes surrounded by hills and mountains that are perfectly picturesque.