DEAR GEMüTLICHKEIT SUBSCRIBER The Travel Letter for , Austria, Switzerland & the New Europe

January 23, 1998 Let the Good Times Roll We may look back on these early BARGAIN days of 1998 as a “golden age” of Is southern Bavaria the least expensive of the great tourist regions in all of Germany, travel to Europe. At least financially. In Gemütlichkeit’s 11-plus years I Austria and Switzerland? We think so and offer some numbers to back our claim. can’t recall a time when the ele- here, in Germany, Aus- But the region that has them all ments of a low-cost European tria and Switzerland, — in spades — and offers the vaca- vacation were aligned as beautifully will the vacation traveler tioner the lowest prices, is southern as they are right now. W Bavaria. We are speaking of the area be certain of finding the • Transatlantic winter airfares following in 1998? south of that stretches from are as low as I’ve seen them. Today, • Great scenery Berchtesgaden near Salzburg to Lindau near the eastern end of the on the Internet (www.bestfares.com), • A plethora of natural and man- Bodensee. for example, one could book a made wonders roundtrip for two persons from New • A wide range of charming ac- In it are found some of the best York’s JFK to Stuttgart for $506 on commodations reasons for visiting Germany: Delta. That’s $253 per person. • Regional cuisine • The Bavarian Royal Castles; • Car rental rates have dropped • World-renowned castles, Linderhof, Neuschwantstein, slightly within the last few months churches and museums Hohenschwangau and, not to be and free upgrades in some catego- missed on the Chiemsee, Lots of places, of course. The ries are being offered. For example, Herrenchiemsee. Black Forest or the Mosel Valley in one can book a compact Opel Corsa Germany, the Bernese Oberland or • Great churches such as the for $89 per week (not including tax) the Grisons in Switzerland, the massive one at Ottobeuren, the in Germany and be guaranteed an Salzkammergut or Danube Valley in jewel-like Wieskirche and the Ab- upgrade to a compact Opel Astra. Austria and several other regions of bey at Ettal. Or book an Astra for $99 per week the three countries boast all these • Big lakes like the Bodensee and get upgraded to a midsize Opel features to at least some degree. Vectra or Audi A4, cars which can Continued on page 2… handle four passengers and lug- gage. For two or four persons Living Large in the Austrian Tirol traveling together, that’s dirt-cheap in-country transport. top-of-the-line country hotel For example, three of Austria’s • The dollar fetches approxi- in Austria, particularly in the top country properties which we mately 1.82 deutschemarks and 1.48 A Tirol, is like a landlocked have covered in past issues — the Swiss francs. It isn’t so long ago that cruise ship with organized guest Post in Lech, Grüner Baum in those numbers were 1.38 and 1.09 activities, big, posh dining rooms, Badgastein, the Tümmlerhof in respectively. and plenty of guest-pampering Seefeld — have highly involved facilities. Not necessarily better than family ownership, commodious By combining these elements its counterparts in Germany and guest rooms, very good kitchens with top value European self- Switzerland, but different in subtle and employees who show up for catering accommodations (apart- and pleasing ways. work in traditional dress. ment or condo), one can devise a week’s vacation for two persons for With an emphasis on longer Late last year, prowling the Tirol well under $2,000. Here’s how: stays, these hotels invariably include by auto, we tried three more hotels breakfast and dinner in their rates in this category. All, to varying First, choose a village in south- degrees, fit the described mold and ern Bavaria (see lead story this and seem to have larger guestrooms are recommended. In each, we spent page) that suits as a headquarters and a higher percentage of rooms one night and ate both dinner and from which to see the region. Using with separate sitting areas. Austrian breakfast in the hotel. Given the the local tourist office, locate a one- hotels also seem to pay more atten- level of luxury and the quality of week rental (this time of year, in tion to tradition and are more likely food, we think all offer good value. non-ski towns, there is probably no to have family ownership. The best Continued on page 2… of them have excellent restaurants. Continued on page 4… January, 1998 DEAR SUBSCRIBER The Gemütlichkeit bypassed the four and five-star Continued from page 1 Hotel Rate Index hotels and averaged the lowest price for a single room among the three need to even book ahead). Prices As a way of comparing hotel leading three-star establishments. start at about $200 per week. Then costs in various regions and cities we purchase your air tickets, arrange for have devised a rather simple, decid- The assumption is that the lowest single room rate is indicative of a the car and away you go. The cost: edly unscientific index. It shows the hotel’s overall rates and that our aver- air from the East Coast, $800; condo/ average rack rate cost for the cheap- est single room in each city’s three- age for top three-star hotels is indica- apartment rental for a week, $250; tive of a town’s overall hotel rates. VW Golf for a week including tax star hotels. For our source, we used and airport pickup charges $115; fuel the 1997 Michelin Red Guides for Salzburg (A) $126 Germany and Switzerland. for 800 miles, $92. That’s a total of Zermatt (S) $119 $1257 and leaves $743 for meals and Unfortunately, there is no Red Interlaken (S) $95 incidentals. The cost from other parts Guide for Austria so Salzburg (in- Montreux (S) $94 of the U.S. will be slightly more due cluded in the Michelin Red for Germa- Heidelberg (G) $93 to the higher airfare, but we are ny) is the only Austrian town listed. Appenzell (S) $90 seeing ads on the West Coast for $400 (Since, for this first appearance of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (G) $82 roundtrip fares. the index, we chose mainly small to Rothenburg (G) $78 Now is the time. Don’t wait. — RHB midsize cities popular with tourists, Baden-Baden (G) $77 it is probably not fair to include Sion (S) $67 Salzburg. Because is it Austria’s BAVARIAN BARGAINS Rudesheim (G) $61 Continued from page 1 third largest city — behind Vienna and Graz — and probably attracts Bamberg (G) $58 and Chiemsee and lovely small ones more tourism than any town on the Trier (G) $58 such as the quiet Königsee, near list, its hotel room prices should Bad Reichenhall (G) $56 Berchtesgaden. more properly be compared with Lindau (G) $49 places like Vienna, Berlin, Munich, Füssen (G) $49 • Germany’s version of the Alps, Hamburg, Lucerne and Zürich.) including the jagged Wetterstein Berchtesgaden (G) $48 range with the country’s highest Our methodology in creating the (G) $44 peak, the Zugspitze. index was simple; in each town we Southern Bavarian towns in bold face type • Quaint country towns full of • Some of the world’s best beer. Many use the Bavarian capital, ornately painted houses such as Best of all, compared to regions Munich, as a headquarters when vis- Mittenwald, which Goethe called “a iting the area. Others drive the busy, living picture book.” which equal its charm and popular- ity, southern Bavaria is a bargain. As east-west, German Alpine Road, • Historical sites like Adolph you can see from the new overnighting at the better-known Hitler’s “Eagle’s Nest” and the scant Gemütlichkeit Hotel Rate Index towns such as Lindau, Garmisch- remains of the Nazi sanctuary at (box above), the principal tourism Partenkirchen, or Berchtesgaden. Obersalzberg, near Berchtesgaden. cities of southern Bavaria are much Nothing wrong with such plans, but • Resort towns like Garmisch- less expensive hotel-wise than their there is an even cheaper, more peace- Partenkirchen, Schliersee and Bad counterparts elsewhere in Germany ful, way to see the region. Reichenhall. and Switzerland. For those a bit more adventurous,

Vol. 12, No. 1 HOTEL RESTAURANT RATING KEY January, 1998 GEMüTLICHKEIT The Travel Letter for Germany, Austria, Switzerland & the New Europe Rating Scale Scale Hotel Rating Criteria Excellent 16 - 20 People/Service 30% Above Average 12 - 15 Location/Setting 15% Editor & Publisher: Robert H. Bestor, Jr. Average 8 - 11 Guestrooms 30% Associate Editors: Elizabeth Schiller Adequate 4 - 7 Public rooms 5% Contributing Editors: C. Fischer, R. Holliday Unacceptable 0 - 3 Facilities/Restaurant 20% Design & Composition: Paul T. Merschdorf Consulting Editor: Thomas P. Bestor Value Rating Scale Restaurant Criteria Outstanding Value 17 - 20 Food 65% Subscription Dept: Andy Bestor, K. Steffans Very Good Value 12 - 16 Service 20% Gemütlichkeit (ISSN 10431756) is published monthly by UpCountry Publish- Average Value 9 - 11 Atmosphere 15% ing, 2892 Chronicle Avenue, Hayward, CA 94542. TOLL FREE: 1-800/521- Below Average Value 5 - 8 6722 or 510/538-0628. Fax: 510/582-8296. e-mail [email protected]. Sub- A Rip-Off 0 - 4 scriptions are $67 per year for 12 issues. While every effort is made to provide correct information in this publication, the publishers can make no guarantees Special G Designation regarding accuracy. Periodicals postage paid in Hayward, CA. By virtue of location, decor, charm, warmth of management, or POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: combination thereof, an especially pleasant establishment. Gemütlichkeit, 2892 Chronicle Ave., Hayward, CA 94542 Gemütlichkeit 2 January, 1998 there are dozens of places just The 17-room Hotel Giselstein, in The Golf und Country Club Ho- slightly off the beaten path where -Buching (Füssener Str. 16, tel Margarethenhof (Gut Steinberg, plenty of comfortable accommoda- tel. +49/8368/260, fax 885) has Gmund-Marienstein D-83701, tel. tions can be found for well under doubles for about $70 and three- +49/8022/705060, fax 74818) is that $100 for two persons. course meals under $14. rare European hotel actually on a golf course and as such double Eisenberg-Zell This month we have compiled a rooms at $200 are a good value. sampling of lesser-known villages About 12 km (8 miles) west and a Lenggries and towns offering low prices for little north of Füssen. Take the road three-star accommodations. Some are to Nesselwang and turn right at Just south of Bad Tölz and west so small you will need maps at Kreuzegg. Tourist Office, Pröstener of the . Tourist Office, 1:200,000 or 1:150,000 scale such as Str. 9, D-87637 Buching, tel. +49/ Rathausplatz 1, D-83661, tel. +49/ Die General Karte for Germany #25 & 8364/1237, fax 987154. 8042/82422, fax 7880. #26 or ADAC Karte Deutschland #15 The Burghotel Bären (Dorf Str. 4, Both the Alpenrose (Brauneckstr. to find them. D-87637, Eisenberg-Zell, tel. +49/ 1, D-83661, tel. +49/8042/91550, fax We have listed the local tourist 8363/5011, fax 73119) has a highly 5200) and the Altwirt (Markstr. 13, D- authority for each. In addition to the regarded restaurant and double 83661, tel. +49/8085/91550, fax 5357) usual information provided on rooms for about $80. offer double rooms for about $67. things to see and do, they are the best WEST OF THE INN RIVER NEAR GARMISCH- PARTENKIRCHEN source of listings for self-catering Kochel am See rentals (apartments, condos, etc.), An interesting little resort 37 km which are the least expensive way to Thirty-six km (23 miles) north- (23 miles) south and slightly west of vacation in Bavaria. Last year, a west of GP at the northeast corner of Rosenheim. Tourist Office, Kirchplatz member of our advisory board the Kochelsee. Tourist Office, Kalm- 2, D-83735, tel. +49/8023/648, fax 1034. rented a studio apartment in bacherstr. 11, D-82431, tel. +49/ The Gasthof zur Post (Schulstr. 3, Garmisch-Partenkirchen — probably 8851/338, fax 5588. D-83735, tel. +49/8023/226, fax 775) southern Bavaria’s most expensive The Seehotel Grauer Bär (Mitten- has doubles for about $83. destination outside of Munich — Str. 82, D-82431, tel. +49/8851/ with small kitchen and balcony with 861, fax 1607) is on the lake and On a scenic yellow road just mountain view. The price was $267 offers double rooms for about $94. for one week for two persons. north of Red Road 307 between Farchant The hotels listed have not neces- Schliersee and Bayrischzell. Tourist sarily been rated by Gemütlichkeit, we Four km (2.5 miles) north of GP Office, Kirchplatz 10, D-83730, tel. mention them only as possibilities. on the main road to Munich. Tourist +49/8028/876, fax 2040. Office, Rathaus, Am Gern 1, D-82490, NEAR FÜSSEN In tiny Birkenstein, one km east tel. +49/8821/961696, fax 961622. of Fischbachau, the simple, 18-room Nesselwang The Hotel Alter Wirt (Bahnhofstr. Hotel Oberwirt (Birkensteinstr. 91, About 17 km (11 miles) northwest 1, D-82490, tel. +49/8821/6238, fax D-83730, tel. +49/8028/814) offers of Füssen. Tourist Office, Hauptstr. 61455) has doubles for about $78. The double rooms for about $53. 18, D-87484, tel. +49/8361/923040, 14-room Gästehaus Zugspitz NEAR BERCHTESGADEN fax 923044. (Mühldörfstr. 4, D-82490, tel. +49/ Schönau am Königsee The Hotel Post’s (Haupstr. 25, tel. 8821/96260, fax 962636) is even Five km (3 miles) southwest of +49/8361/30910, fax 30973) best cheaper, about $61 double. Berchtesgaden on the Königsee. doubles rent for about $83. The hotel Grainau Tourist Office, Rathausplatz 1, D- has a beer garden and a beer museum. Six km (4 miles) southwest of 83471, tel. +49/8652/1760, fax 4050. Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Tourist In Unterschönau, the Hotel About 20 km (13 miles) north and Office, Waxensteinstr. 35, D-82491, Köppeleck (Am Köppelwald 15, tel. slightly west of Füssen. Tourist tel. +49/8821/8970, fax 8488. +49/8652/61066) has mountain views Office, Haupstr. 39, D-87637, tel. and double rooms for about $70. +49/8364/983033, fax 983040. The 15-room Hotel Wetterstein’s (Waxensteinstr. 26, D-82491, tel. +49/ Ramsau The Pension Heim (Aufmberg 8, 8821/8004, fax 8838) most expensive Eleven km (7 miles) west south- tel. +49/8364/258, fax 10 51) has long double rooms are about $83. west of Berchtesgaden. Tourist Of- received Gemütlichkeit’s enthusiastic fice, Im Tal 2, D-83486, tel. +49/ recommendation. Double rooms ON/NEAR TEGERNSEE 8657/988920, fax 772. about $72. Gmund am Tegernsee Halblech At the north end of the Tegernsee The Hotel Oberwirt (Im Tal 86, D-83486, tel. +49/8657/225, fax 1381) About 13 km (8 miles) northwest 48 km (30 miles) south of Munich. has double rooms for about $70, a of Füssen on Red Road 17. Tourist Tourist Office, Rathaus, Kirchenweg beer garden and three-course meals Office, Bergstrasse, D-87642 Buching, 6, D-83703, tel. +49/8022/750527, fax for under 25 DM ($14). tel. +49/8368/285, fax 7221. 750520. Gemütlichkeit 3 January, 1998 There was also a better than AUSTRIAN HOTELS Bright green curtains feature huge artichokes in various stages of average, serve-yourself cheese buffet Continued from page 1 bloom. The toilet is in the same room and a rather dramatic dessert pre- Rates for extended stays, of course, with the shower, which is a bit of a sented on black plates with wings of will be less on a per-day basis than disappointment for a hotel in this white chocolate mousse, Tiramisueis we paid. price category. and fresh berries. A fine finish to an excellent meal. Though it is not in the country, Though guest rooms at Hotel der we are also including a review of a Bär are not quite on a par with the With it we drank a somewhat popular Innsbruck hotel that is part Post, Grüner Baum, Tümmlerhof — pricey but excellent Italian red wine of the Romantik group. It offers an or the two other country hotels in — Cru “Occhetti,” Nebbiolo d’Alba, interesting comparison with accom- this issue — it’s restaurant may be Prunotto, 1989 — for which we paid modations available just a few the best of all. 520 AS ($41). There were many less expensive choices. minutes away in the countryside. Dinner at der Bär: We didn’t reserve ahead at any After introducing himself — not Breakfast was the bounteous of these hotels; we simply stopped usual in Europe — the young, buffet one expects at a country hotel and inquired as to the availability of tuxedoed maitre d’hotel, Fabian, of this category. a room for one night. In high season, escorted us to a large, booth-like We paid 2560 AS ($202) for room, this footloose approach might not window table softly illuminated by a breakfast and dinner. single, low-hanging, shaded lamp. work so well, but we were in luck. Getting there: Proceed east to Before us were starched linens, Hotel der Bär Ellmau about 20 km (13 miles) on gleaming stemware and delicate, Ellmau Red Road 312 from the Wörgl exit on fresh blossoms floating in a giant A12 Autobahn just south of Kufstein. The Bär’s several buildings wine glass. Somewhere, a piano The nearest rail station is in St. sprawl over the hillside above the rippled familiar show tunes. Johann im Tirol, about 12 km (8 town, a position that takes advan- Above us, of course, were heavy miles). tage of a fine view of the wooden beams and had it been Daily Rates: Singles 930 to 1180 AS Kaisergebirge range. Five-star summer the view across the valley to ($101 to $125), doubles 1460 to 2760 amenities include two swimming the mountains would have been a AS ($196 to $230). Rates include pools, a beauty center, free bicycle glorious one. The floor covering was breakfast and dinner. No cards. use, a long list of guest activities, a green/grey carpet with white bears Contact: Hotel der Bär, A-6352 supervised activities for kids, tennis woven into it. Ellmau, Tirol, Austria, telephone 53 and six golf courses in the vicinity. Our traditionally dressed wait- 58/23 95, fax 53 58/23 95-56. On two visits, we have found der ress served us Trumer Pils in tall, Rating: QUALITY 17/20, VALUE 14/20 Bär’s staff to be exceptionally slim glasses. friendly and helpful, though we Hotel Jagdhof The half-board dinner began with Neustift required nothing more than a com- a few tiny baked shrimp followed by fortable room and good meal. a morel mushroom soup sprinkled Austria’s Stubaital, a few kilome- In the spacious bar, the hotel’s with tiny croutons. Next came a dish ters south of Innsbruck, is a narrow most appealing room, a wall of with Asian overtones; Fischstrudel auf valley running at a southwestern curving windows takes advantage Wildreisrisotto, flaky white fish in angle off the main highway to Italy. of the view. The furniture is comfort- phyllo crust over a mixture of white Neustift is one of the larger villages able; couches and overstuffed chairs and wild rice. along the valley road which deadends at the Stubai Glacier, arranged around coffee tables are Following a bit of sorbet to reset where there is year-round skiing. great for groups of four to six. It is the tasters came the featured course, particularly pleasant after dinner. three small pork medallions, first Arriving in the early afternoon by Unfortunately, on this visit a rather grilled then coated with a sauce of car, we inspected two rooms before obnoxious teenager had comman- Gorgonzola cheese and quickly choosing Number 211, a Burgstall deered the room’s sound system and broiled to form a light crust. apartment for 2840 AS ($227), includ- played loud music that matched his personality. Ranking the Four Hotels Room Number 212 is on a corner Food Room Friendliness Overall Ambiance with a balcony off one side, a win- der Bär Jagdhof der Bär der Bär dow on the other and oddly deco- Jagdhof St. Peter St. Peter Jagdhof rated. There is a small sofa in hot- St. Peter der Bär Schwarzer Adler St. Peter pink leather and the bed, covered by Schwarzer Adler Schwarzer Adler Jagdhof Schwarzer Adler a pink and green striped spread, is Cost for one night with breakfast & dinner (not including beverages) too low to the floor for our taste. Jagdhof-$227 Schwarzer Adler-$218 der Bär-$202 St. Peter-$157 Gemütlichkeit 4 January, 1998 ing breakfast and dinner. We chose it Notes from a desserts and/or a selection of cheeses over a standard double room for Traveler’s Journal from a buffet. about 300 AS ($24) less. Number 211 Overall, a good meal in very was really three rooms: one with a • Across the road from the pleasant surroundings. The evening queen-size bed, another with a single Hotel Jagdhof in Neustift, the was slightly marred, however, by our Czech beer, Budvar, is available at bed, and, between the two, a sitting after-dinner experience. We sat by the the Hubertus Bar. room with huge L-shaped sofa, imposing fireplace in the bar waiting coffee table and TV. The large bath- • A salami and cheese sand- to be served. Other than two or three room consisted of shower, tub and wich on a Kaiser roll at Neustift’s patrons on stools at the bar itself, we double sinks in one space, and the village Metzgerei is a bargain at 15 were the room’s only customers. toilet in a separate room. Among the AS ($1.18). Unfortunately, something we had four hotels reviewed here, this was • For those who don’t hike or eaten had apparently rendered us easily the best room we occupied. ski, there is little to do in the invisible because no one ever in- The Jagdhof has all the five-star Stubaital, though the drive up to quired as whether we wanted a cup refinements: indoor and outdoor the glacier is quite scenic and of coffee or a $500 bottle of Chateau pools, beauty farm, fitness facilities Innsbruck is less than an hour d’Yquem. Not really needing the and so on. away. calories, we toddled off to bed after The welcome was routine and not • In Seefeld, for local color, try about 10 minutes. especially warm. the Milchhof on Münchnerstrasse. Despite the unenthusiastic wel- The beer is Puntigamer and the Dinner at Jagdhof: come and being ignored in the bar, clientele earthy; many grizzled Dining rooms in Austria’s five- we like the Jagdhof and would hap- characters in Tirolean dress, but star country hotels are the quintes- pily return. very smoky. sence of rustic elegance and the Getting there: From Innsbruck, take Jagdhof’s is a fine example of the • A pleasant half-day excursion Red Road 182 south which parallels genre. Walls and ceilings, of course, from Innsbruck is first to Schloss Autobahn A22 toward the Brenner are light wood with frescoes, and the Ambras, in the forest just above the Pass. (The Autobahn is much faster floor’s scrubbed planks are scattered Autobahn southeast of the city, the but you will pay a 50 AS/$4 toll.) with Oriental rugs. favorite residence of the Archduke Angle southwest into the Stubai Ferdinand. Valley at Schönberg. The nearest rail The candlelit table, designated as From there, take the yellow station to Neustift is in Fulpmes, ours by a small ceramic plaque about six km (4 miles). inscripted with a gold “Bestor,” was road south, then east and slightly Daily Rates: Singles 1270 to 1770 AS set with pewter chargers covered by north through Rinn and Tulfes, then back under the Autobahn and ($100-$139), doubles 1960 to 3100 AS embroidered doilies. A slim pewter across the Inn river to Hall in ($154-$244), apartments 2840 to 4,080 vase held a single rose. Tirol, a very old town full of pic- AS ($224-$321). Rates include break- The half-board dinner, accompa- turesque streets and buildings. fast and dinner. No cards. nied by live zither music, started Stop for refreshment at Anisbrau, Contact: Hotel Jagdhof, A-6167 with a thick, slightly smoky tasting Schlossergasse 15, a brewery from Neustift, Tirol, tel. +43 052/26 2234, barley and bacon soup, followed by 1700 to 1900 and now a well-worn fax 2666 503. salad from a well-stocked and main- restaurant-bar with vaulted ceil- Rating: QUALITY 16/20, VALUE 13/20 tained buffet. Roast lamb in a reduc- ings and wood wainscoting. This tion sauce served with house-made un-touristy “local” has the requi- Hotel St. Peter Spätzle and creamed carrots was site smoky atmosphere and collec- Seefeld satisfying but hardly haute cuisine. tion of weathered old men nursing In the mountain resort village of a beer or glass of wine. We had a Seefeld, northwest of Innsbruck, the From the lengthy but expensive lunch here of soup and Zipfer beer traveler can select from a long list of wine list — Austrian wines $30 to for 109 AS ($8.50 for two. hotels — except in late November $50, a passable Chianti from Villa when the whole town closes up and Antinori at $70, for example — we Continue on to Schwaz on the the list of open hotels dwindles to a selected a disappointing-at-the-price pretty yellow road that runs east very precious few. (520 AS/$41) Austrian cabernet from northeast through farms and Neuseidlersee, south of Vienna. pastures above the Inn. You must Picking up a car at the Munich again cross the river since the town rail station about 3 p.m., with Seefeld Service was attentive but rather in on the south bank. We found as our overnight destination, we formal (the servers timed the lifting Schwaz not nearly so interesting as zoomed down the Autobahn, rolled of the silver domed lids covering our Hall. A quick return to Innsbruck is through Garmisch-Partenkirchen, entrees and whisked them off with a via the Autobahn. and eased into Seefeld just before 5 flourish). Use map Die Generalkarte for p.m. After stopping at or driving past There was a choice of attractive Austria #7. Continued on page 6… Gemütlichkeit 5 January, 1998 dabs of whipped cream was more ing train to Zürich, we inquired in AUSTRIAN HOTELS than we needed. person about a room at the Continued from page 5 This was a well-prepared, satisfy- Schwarzer Adler, a three-star hotel of half a dozen hotels and finding none ing meal and the simplest among the Romantik group near the town open we asked a pedestrian if even these four hotels. center. one hotel in town was doing busi- After dinner we adjourned to We booked Number 401, which ness. Yes, the St. Peter. comfortable chairs by the bar’s fire- was spacious and comfortable At this relatively new, four-star place where we intended to finish the enough but a definite cut below the property we were quoted a rate, evening with a glass of port. A young three hotels we had just come from. including breakfast and dinner, of man who had been talking loudly and The cost for two persons was 1900 2000 AS ($157). animatedly on a cordless telephone, AS ($150) with breakfast. overheard our order and immediately After depositing the rental car in Unlike its country cousins, the rushed over to recommend a special the hotel’s basement garage, we rode vintage port. He was unusually fer- Adler has no spas and no great the lift up to reception and were vent in his advocacy and it soon public rooms with massive fireplaces shown to a comfortable, spacious became clear there was, or had been, a to cozy up to on cold nights. It is a double, Number 107. In it we found party somewhere in the hotel and he typical city hotel with a tiny street- a separate sitting area with couch, had not only played an important role level bar and a restaurant. coffee table and television, a gleam- in the wine selection but in the con- Dinner at Schwarzer Adler: ing bathroom with thick towels and sumption of it as well. The warm and cozy little dining terrycloth robes, and a balcony with room’s handful of candlelit tables, a mountain view. Obviously part of the hotel’s ownership or management (though head-high dark wood paneling, and Though the hotel’s public rooms he knew us only as two American leaded windows with deep sills filled feature the usual dark wood beams guests of the hotel), he then pro- with Tirolean knickknacks, is an and paneling, white stucco vaulted ceeded to tow this writer to the appealing dinner venue. Add a menu arches and deep-cushion chairs and hotel’s impressive, brick-lined wine with interesting-sounding dishes and couches, the St. Peter might be just a cellar whose contents he passion- we looked forward to the evening whisker less richly decorated than ately expounded upon with hardly a with some relish. the Jagdhof. pause for breath. Alas, however, the food ranged Looking at its opulent indoor Back at the fireplace he had the between ordinary and dreadful. A pool and Jacuzzi spa, however, one bartender bring a taste of the special shared “Romantik Variations” appe- sees little difference between this port and pledged us one glass without tizer plate (150 AS/$12) was mainly a hotel and its five-star brethren. charge if we would purchase the other. collection of heavy — and heavily- The wine was good so we agreed to Dinner at St Peter: salted — smoked meat and fish and the proposal and our benefactor re- As virtually the hotel’s only soggy ratatouille-style vegetables. turned to his telephone. On our bill guests we were served in solitary when we checked out next morning Lifeless mixed salads (50 AS/$4) splendor in the vast dining room. We was a bar charge for $15. If that’s the were followed by medallions of supped on gemischte salat (brought price for one glass, the wine was even Chamois (235 AS/$18.50) in a gar- from the kitchen rather than a buffet better than we thought. licky crust and stuffed breast of because of so few diners), onion guinea fowl ($17) with a chanterelle soup, spaghetti in a light, rather Getting there: Seefeld is about 20 km mushrooms sauce. Sounds good but bland, tomato sauce, and a main north of Innsbruck on Red Road 177. we surmise both had been prepared course choice of baked red snapper, It is accessible by train from at an earlier time and reheated prior lamb chops or Kalbsgeschnetzeltes Innsbruck (about 35 minutes) and to serving. (chopped veal). We chose the latter Garmisch-Partenkirchen (about 45 two. The juicy chops were served minutes). For dessert, we asked for plain with lentils and potato croquettes, Daily Rates: Singles 850 to 2150 AS vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate and the sauteed veal arrived in the ($67-$169), doubles 1700 to 4300 AS sauce (60 AS/$4.75). Though we usual creamy mushroom sauce with ($134-$338). Rates include breakfast were at first told the chocolate and dinner. a side of buttery rice. couldn’t be heated, the ice cream Contact: Hotel St. Peter, A-6100, A bottle of Spanish red, Rioja came with a steaming boat of it. It Seefeld, tel. +43/5212/4555-0, fax was the best part of the meal. Campo Viejo Riserva of 1994, 380 AS 455545. ($30) had no rough edges and was a Rating: QUALITY 15/20, VALUE 13/20 Without beverages, the dinner for nice accompaniment to the pasta and two was 851 AS ($67). meat dishes. Schwarzer Adler The Schwarzer Adler is comfort- Innsbruck There was no cheese course and able enough, the location excellent no choice of desserts, but the sponge Looking for an overnight in and the service pleasant, but the cake with hot chocolate sauce and Innsbruck prior to catching a morn- Gemütlichkeit 6 January, 1998 restaurant is to be avoided. Your pass on. On a visit to Appenzell I train goes into the hill under the schillings buy much more in the found some changes at the Hotel hotel and on up to the train station in countryside. Hecht (Hauptgasse 9, CH-9050 town. The apartment had living- Daily Rates: Singles 900 to 1250 AS Appenzell, Fax +42/071/787 1047). dining area, kitchen, bath and two ($71-$98), doubles 1500 to 2300 AS The owners, Maria and Regula balconies. The owner-chef, Gerd ($118-$181). Rates include breakfast. Knechtle, have sold their interest in Kaiser, had hot bread at our door Contact: Romantikhotel & Restau- the hotel to other family members. each morning at 8 a.m. rant Schwarzer Adler, The new owners are Arnold COL. DAVID C. SNYDER SR. Kaiserjägerstrasse 2, A-6020 Knechtle and Felix Walker (his EVERGREEN, CO Innsbruck, tel. +43/512/58 71 09, fax wife, Prisca, is Arnold’s sister). The 56 16 97. new manager is Sammy Engel who Old Gemütlichkeits Never Die The highlight of a recent trip was Rating: QUALITY 11/20, VALUE 9/20 comes from the Palace Hotel in a three-day visit to the Dolomite Lucerne and Uto Kulm in Zürich. region of Italy and the Hotel Cappel- Maren Leuthard is now the chef la in the tiny village of Colfosco. We and comes from the Hilton Hotel READERS' save all our Gemütlichkeit issues in in Basel and Chrug restaurant in binders and whenever we plan a trip FORUM Zürich. to Europe we begin by leafing Many excellent home cooked through the issues to see where we Eating in Zürich dishes are offered. My personal would like to explore this time. We For the price of a new Mercedes favorites were Appenzell cheese knew we were taking a chance going one can find obscene four-inch thick ball salad and the Schnitzel along “cold” to a region we had never veal chops at Jacky’s Stampferstube with Quollenfrisch and Hanfblüte visited and using a recommendation and slabs of roast Easter baby goat (made with cannabis) beer from the nine years old (Ed. Note: the Cappella sliced off the cart at the Kronehalle. local Karl Locher Brewery. was recommended in the November, 1988, issue). However, we knew we This winter there are plans to do But for those of us who aren’t would find the Dolomites unchanged some remodeling and upgrading of Imelda Marcos or Michael Eisner, the from the description in an earlier cost of eating well in this capital city the interior. All members of the issue and so used it to plan our is genuinely frightening. Ah, but staff were pleasant and went out of itinerary. lucky me! A Züricher brother-in-law their way to be helpful. The rooms introduced us to a small, unassum- were comfortable and the hotel is Note: German became our com- ing restaurant called Hiltl, very clean. The wood-paneled mon language in this region. We Sihlstrasse 28, Zürich city center, Gaststube is a relaxing and delight- speak no Italian and sometimes encountered store personnel who katty corner to the Hotel ful place to dine as is the larger spoke no English, although many Glockenhof and the best food we formal dining room. I would en- did. Our pigeon German came to the found in Switzerland. courage readers to make a visit to Appenzell to stay at the Hotel rescue quite often! Carnivores will be astounded, it Hecht and to meet Sammy Engel. may taste like meat but it’s all veg- We planned to spend our 35th etarian - and astonishingly meaty Another Switzerland discovery anniversary in Colfosco. When requesting our reservation (via fax) I delicious. Fascinating selection of is the town of Arosa. From Chur, a had mentioned it would be our 35th entrees and a salad bar with almost a trip up the mountain on the anniversary and therefore we would hundred tidbits. One gets carried Rhaetische Bahn is something to remember. In summer, Arosa is a like a romantic room. We were given away, but watch out, you pay by the a choice of one in the main hotel or place to just get away and relax and gram at the end of the line! one in the newer Residence Cappella enjoy the sheer beauty of the area. Desserts are outrageous and the a few meters up the street. We The Luftseilbahn to Weisshorn Peak whole meal fits comfortably into a flipped a coin and chose the Resi- or the Gondelbahn Hörnli-Express to canny traveler’s budget. Another dence (160,000 Italian lira per person the Hörnli Peak are unforgettable. nice plus — the waitresses are per day, breakfast and dinner includ- There are many hiking trails to young, happy, speak English and are ed) which turned out to be a stroke enjoy and in winter there is excel- anxious to please. What a delightful of luck. lent skiing. discovery! The town of Colfosco sits high in We were there in early October DAVID SWIFT the Dolomites and sports many and stayed in a beautiful apartment LOS ANGELES, CA hotels. The Capella’s main building at the Hotel Kaiser (Gerd Kaiser, is huge and built, like most of the Appenzell & Arosa Poststrasse, CH-7050 Arosa, Fax others, in typical Bavarian style with Having just returned from a +41/81/377 4244, rooms $80 to window box laden balconies over- month in Switzerland I have a couple $185). The apartment overlooked flowing with bright flowers. Save for of items of interest I would like to the mountains and lake and the Continued on page 8… Gemütlichkeit 7 January, 1998 they had “prepared an aperitif for gift of the hotel! The next morning READERS’ FORUM 7:15.” Not quite understanding this when we checked out the young lady Continued from page 7 ritual we were surprised to find what asked us to wait while she sum- the Italian signs and flags it could be appeared to be a lavish private moned Signora Pizzanini who made mistaken for any German Alpine cocktail party in full swing in the a special point of coming to bid us village. hotel lobby. This, however, was the Auf Wiedersehen. “aperitif” and consisted of cham- The entire wonderful experience, And the scenery? Breathtaking! pagne, wine or beer and a bountiful including the aperitif hour, a varied An expanse of lush valley capped by array of delectable hors d‘oeuvres salad bar, excellent half board en- a mammoth rock formation that including thinly sliced salmon, trees from which to choose, a superb changes color with the traverse of the cheeses, stuffed mushrooms, crudi- bottle of a local Pinot Grigio with sun and dwarfs otherwise huge tés, etc., all served by gracious wait- dinner, dessert, coffee, several after buildings, this is the kind of scenery resses. for which postcards were invented! dinner drinks and a generous break- The evening being cool, even in fast buffet, cost 400,000 Italian Lira. Upon arrival I asked the usual, mid July, a fire was burning on the ($231 at the time.) “Sprechen Sie English?” The young hearth near the piano player. We It was a true gemütlich experience, lady at the reception desk said, “Yes, migrated toward both of these attrac- a visit not soon to be forgotten and I do. You must be the Kiehn’s. We tions and had just settled down on a well worth a return trip and a longer have a lovely room reserved for leather sofa when a couple ap- stay. Thank you Gemütlichkeit for you.” Well, not many Americans proached and introduced them- introducing us to this wonderful must find their way here, we sup- selves. Signor and Signora Pizzanini, establishment! Hotel Cappella 1- posed. the owners, were making the rounds 39030 Colfosco (Corvara), Strada of the guests. The room turned out to be ex- Pecei 17 – Dolomiti/Alta Badia, tel. quisite. Done in natural pine furni- Upon hearing my American (0471) 836183/836168., fax (471) ture, blue carpeting and with a blue accented German, Signora Pizzanini 836561. patterned chintz covering the love exclaimed, “Oh, you are the Kie- VIRGINIA KIEHN seat and side chair the room was hn’s!” (We were beginning to get dominated by a canopy bed and swelled heads or did they have us STODDARD NH replica of a built-in porcelain stove. confused with someone else? Do we (Ed. Note: Traveling isn’t always Matching chintz curtains, cushions have a famous relative of whom we this good, but once in a while, for those on the stove’s attached bench, quilt- are not aware?) She then called over who are open to it and can handle it, a ed coverlet and bed hangings com- to the piano player who broke into little magic happens.) pleted the decor. Mendelssohn’s Wedding March We giggled as we realized this while the entire room smilingly Briefly... was obviously a honeymoon suite. applauded us. Since we eloped 35 ■ United Airlines discontinues The entire underside of the pine years ago it was touching to hear this service to Switzerland from the U.S. canopy was a large mirror! Wall march, which I as a former church on March 1. Look for other airlines, mirrors were placed strategically, organist have played so often, finally possibly Swissair, to add new though tastefully, on either side of the played for us. flights. ■ Our favorite small bed as well. Ah, the Italian sense of Our reserved table in the dining Salzburg hotel, the Trumer Stube, romance, even for a 35th anniversary! room had been specially decorated now has an email address: The staff had placed a large with ribbons and a blue candle. At [email protected]. platter of great pastries and a bowl of my place was a wrapped gift from ■ Wanderweg Holidays, long a fresh fruit on the coffee table along the Pizzanini’s, a small, gold painted reliable seller of walking vacations, with a hand written welcoming note heart shaped mirror with a lovely has announced its 1998 program. from Signora Pizzanini. On each hand written card wishing us contin- Three-night, four-day tours in Aus- night table was a small fruit brandy ued happiness. tria start at $290 and $330 in Switzer- nightcap and chocolates on each After dinner we returned to the land. Tel. 800-270-ALPS for free pillow. lobby and the piano player. Again, brochure. ■ The Hotel Seegasthof The bathroom was large and German was the common language Oberndorfer (fax +43/7666/786491), luxurious, with marble tile, great although all the music was Ameri- right on Austria’s Attersee, has fixtures and a towel warmer. can! With the lounge almost to released 1998 summer rates that ourselves we danced the night away range from 720 AS to 1220 AS ($61- A keyless entry system allowed as he smilingly played our requests. $96) per person. ■ The delightful access to the room and was also Schloss Haunsperger (fax +43/ needed to activate and maintain the My husband asked to purchase 6245/85680), in Oberalm bei Hallein lights. one of the beer glasses as a souvenir. near Salzburg, announces 1998 per They would not hear of it, but person rates from 850 to 1250 AS Inquiring as to dinner serving washed and wrapped it for him as a time, the young lady advised us that ($67-$98). Gemütlichkeit 8 January, 1998