I stayed at the Hotel Glutschaufel for over a week. I was very pleased with my experience here (as…read moremy son would say: you gave it 5 stars...duuuuh). This little hotel is located in the country just north west of Grafenwöhr. The grounds of the hotel were very well kept and I was impressed by the modern style to the place despite its country backdrop. The staff was incredibly friendly and hospitable. They didn't seem to mind my obnoxious behavior at times ;) This is the point where I'd like to point out that the hotel room and restaurant were top notch.
I'll start with the hotel and move on to the restaurant. My room was very cozy. I come from a land where large plush beds with several layers of bedding are thing. Apparently in Germany this is not the case. The bed was made up of a couple of twin mattresses on a wooden bed frame. The furniture itself was nice, but the mattress was pretty stiff. Also, I found the lack of sheets disturbing (*using my finest Darth Vader impression*). Other than the bed being a tad off-putting, the rest of the room was very clean and modern. I was pleased with the size of the bathroom. I did have some troubles figuring out the fancy hinged windows (which seemed to be a thing throughout Germany) as well as the exterior sun shades. I eventually figured it out. I don't think anyone saw me naked.
Oh, almost forgot, there's beer in the vending machine. It's cheaper than water. Just thought I'd point that out.
So the room was great, but what about the restaurant? Well, it was a fantastic dining experience. The atmosphere matched the rest of the hotel: modern. I really enjoyed the cozy feel as well as the excellent service. I feel like all of the dishes had a great gourmet feel to them. I can't say enough about the service here either. I know very little (emphasis on little) of the German language. Many of the servers at the Glutschaufel did their best to understand our jargon. There was never a point of frustration for either party involved. On to the food.
Fillet (with garlic butter)
This fillet was pretty good. It was an Argentinian cut of meat that was cooked medium-rare. I really liked the taste of the meat. It was just the right amount of red...I'm not a vampire so I don't like the flesh to be living. The garlic butter added a bit of the garlic tinge but didn't overpower the flavor of the meat. I also ordered the garlic bread, which was pretty garlic-y (not sure if that's a word...I'm not a doctor).
Pappardelle
I ate this meal a couple of times because I'm unoriginal and can't make decisions. Kidding, I ordered it because it was really good. The noodles were not overcooked and had a great thickness to them. I thought this dish was nice because of all of the various flavors that they packed into it. I had one dish with fillet strips on top and the other had bacon on top. The sauce was creamy but not too thick. It definitely didn't upstage any of the other flavors. I was pleased with how the chef balanced out the ingredients to maximize the flavors.
Fishes dishes
I enjoy locally-caught stuff. I had the Zander one evening (closely related to a perch I guess...thanks bunches, google). It was a simple white fish that was cooked to perfection. It was also served with catfish. I forgot to ask the fish if it, too, were locally caught. The dish had home made gnocchi, snap peas and another foamy thing. The taste was incredible. I'm gonna say that a lot. Get used to it.
The mahi mahi was pretty good. It wasn't the best mahi I've had but I really enjoyed it mixed with the fresh veggies and sweet potato puree.
Breakfast!
This was the best breakfast I've ever had while staying in a hotel. All of the breakfast things were served in actual dishes (not prepackaged crap). There was always a delightful assortment of meats, cheeses, grains, yogurt, jams, breads, juices and fruits. You can also order eggs any style from the kitchen. I can't go back to a Holiday Inn and feast on their wretched excuse for the first meal of the day. The Hotel Glutschaufel does breakfast the right way. I also want to point out that since we couldn't get breakfast the last morning we were there (early flight), the staff at the hotel prepared a 'to-go' meal complete with sparkling apple juice, an apple, simple sandwich and a tasty treat. This was perfect for a long day of misery...eh hem...travel.
To round out this laboriously lengthy review, stay here. Quit your job, take your savings, fly to Germany and stay here. You'll love being surrounded by nature. You'll love the cozy confines of this darling dwelling. You'll love the people here. And, more importantly, you'll love the food.
~ pickle
