The Best of 1994
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GEMüTLICHKEIT The Travel Letter for Germany, Austria, Switzerland & the New Europe INSIDE: Dear Subscriber... 1994 HOTEL OF THE YEAR THE BEST OF 1994 Pension Altstadt Vienna 8TH ANNUAL "G" 10 FAVORITE The differences between a pension and a hotel aren’t im- portant to the average vacation TRAIN TRIPS traveler. A hotel usually has a AWARD WINNERS restaurant and occupies its own his is the final issue of our eighth year of publication building. A pension, on the Associate Editor, Bruce and, as always at the year’s end, we select those Woelfel, lives to ride the other hand, typically rents two establishments which best epitomize gemütlichkeit, or three floors of a building T trains of Europe. He loves to that untranslatable, difficult to pronounce German eat, sleep and do all manner of housing other businesses. It word we chose for the title of this newsletter. seldom serves meals other than life's activities aboard them. breakfast. The concept of gemütlichkeit has something to do with To Bruce, the plight of hospitality; a sense of warmth, coziness and friendliness. It "Charlie," the mythical MTA So it is of little consequence has more to do with people than with things. The best way to commuter who had to "ride that our 1994 Hotel of the Year understand gemütlichkeit is to experience it. forever 'neath the streets of — Vienna’s Pension Altstadt Choosing our annual “G” Award winners is neither Boston," is a fate devoutly to — is technically not a hotel. science nor art but a feeling that involves the heart, mind and be wished. Here are his 10 Regardless of its official desig- gut. We do not present our 1994 honorees as the best of their favorite train trips involving nation, the Altstadt was an easy countries — although we heartily recommend all of them — Germany, Austria and choice. It combines a high Continued on page 3 Switzerland. level of personal service, fash- ionable ambiance and, during a time in which the price of an 1. Swiss Crystal ordinary double room in a styl- Panoramic Express: ish hotel in a major European Montreux - Zweiz- city is seldom less than $250, BREMEN immen (narrow excellent value. gauge) Former computer execu- Hotel Lichtsinn This exquisitely small- tive, Otto Wiesenthal, has con- scaled train has uniquely ceived and executed a lodging designed front and rear of great style. Bits and pieces cars with large glass of modern art are scattered HE 1994 "G" Hotelschiff Elbresidenz T ARD WINNERS windows through which throughout the Altstadt’s 25 AW DRESDEN tracks and preceding or spacious, art nouveau guest receding landscapes can be rooms (ask for Number 14 or Italian Park Village viewed. There is also a 31), no two of which are alike. delightful lounge car From a chair by the fire in the Pension Aviano Pension Altstadt where one can enjoy a light main salon guests can enjoy Zur Hohen snack of tea and pastries BADEN-BADEN Brücke Gästatte the view across the rooftops to Waldhotel while scanning the passing St. Ulrich’s church. Forellenhof Schwechater Hof sights. The trip takes only Hotel Rebenhof MUNICH Herr Wiesenthal and his Christliches Hotel Mader VIENNA an hour and a half and Gasthof Hospiz Hotel Adler rises precipitously above staff recommend good neigh- Pöchhacher borhood restaurants and can Rest. du Marche Lake Geneva from Haus Sarstein GRAZ Montreux, snaking back also run down theater and op- ZÜRICH era tickets. Hotel Beaufort and forth through hairpin turns past tiny hamlets, The Altstadt is located in a with panoramic views of Hotel Walter au Lac Continued on page2 Continued on page 2 Restaurant Vetta Continued on page 5 Gemütlichkeit December, 1994 Hotel Mader $80 Park-Hotel & Spa, Schillerstr. 6 D-76530 DEAR SUBSCRIBER Baden-Baden, Germany, phone 07221/ Continued from page 1 Stadtplatz 36, A-4400, Steyr, Austria, phone 07252/53358-0, fax 07252/533506. 9000, fax 07221/38772 Rating: 18.5/20. fairly upscale neighborhood of shops and Hotel Rebenhof $85 Hotel Beaufort $207 apartments, a few blocks beyond the Ring Hotel Rebenhof, Weinstrasse 58, D-76534, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. See “G” awards and a short walk from the Neu Rathaus. Neuweier (Baden-Baden), Germany, phone story. Rating: 18/20 The center of the old town is only 15 07223/5406, fax 07223/52321. Hotel Walter au Lac $145 minutes on foot or five minutes by under- ground. Hotel Ohnime $75 Very large double rooms, many with huge Purbergstrasse 56, A-8044, Graz, Austria, lakeside terraces, are the leading feature Perhaps in part because it is in Vienna, phone 0316/39 11 43 19, fax 0316/39 11 of this three-star hotel. Ideal location on Gemütlichkeit has received more favorable 43 19. Piazza Rezzonico. Hotel Walter au Lac, Piazza Rezzonico 7, CH-6900, Lugano, letters and comments about the Altstadt Hotelschiff Elbresidenz $89 than any other hotel we reviewed in 1994. Switzerland, phone 091/227425, fax 091/ Hotelschiff Elbresidenz, Terrassenufer 12, 234233. Rating: 16/20 (For prices, phone numbers and other D-01069, Dresden, Germany, phone 0351/ 459 50 53, fax 0351/459 51 37. Kneippkurhaus Christliches Hospiz $220 particulars on the Altstadt see listing on Oberstdorf, Germany. See “G” awards Pension Altstadt $110 page 8.) story. Rating: 18.5/20 Pension Altstadt, Kirchengasse 41, A-1070 ✳ ✳ ✳ ✳ Vienna, Austria, phone 1/526 33 99-0, fax Park Hotel Bremen $275 1/523 49 01. An outstanding five-star hotel, regally BEST HOTEL VALUES OF 1994 situated in the middle of Bremen’s 350- Pension Aviano $105 acre Bürgerpark with access to footpaths, Here, are the 11 best hotel values of Pension Aviano, Marco d’ Avianogasse 1, the past year. They are listed in alphabeti- cycle tracks, meadows, streams and lakes. A-1010 Vienna, Austria, phone 1/512 83 Park Hotel Bremen, Im Bürgerpark, D- cal order and include the approximate 30, fax 1/5312 81 65-65. price for a standard double room with 28026, Bremen, Germany, phone 0421/34 private bath. Schwechater Hof $78 08 611, fax 0421/34 08 602. Rating: 17/ Schwechater Hof, Sieringerstrasse 122, A- 20 Gasthof Pöchhacher $62 4400, Steyr, Austria, phone 07252/53067, Privathotel Quisisana $195 Gasthof Pöchhacher, Sieringerstrasse 122, fax 07252/5477054. Updated 19th century villa on a hill above A-4400, Steyr, Austria, phone 07252/ ✳ ✳ ✳ ✳ the town. Elegant interior, especially the 63173. public rooms. Fine spa facilities. Haus Sarstein $58 BEST HOTELS OF 1994 Privathotel Quisisana, Bismarckstrasse 21, Haus Sarstein, A-4830 Hallstatt 83, D-76530, Baden-Baden, Germany, phone Austria, phone 06134/217. In addition to our Hotel of the Year we 07221/3440, fax 07221/38195. Rating: saw some hotels that without respect to 16/20. Hotel Adler $100 price were outstanding. Here are the very Fuggerstrasse 1, D-87561 Oberstdorf, best in alpha order along with the price for Romantik-Hotel Der Kleine Prinz $195 Germany, phone 08322/30 59, fax 08322/ the cheapest double room. A little too cute but there’s no argument 81 87 that this is a tremendous small hotel. Brenner’s Park-Hotel & Spa $290 Guestrooms are extraordinary and service Hotel Lichtsinn $110 Lavish guest rooms, elegant public rooms, is five-star. Romantik-Hotel Der Kleine Hotel Lichtsinn, Rembertistrasse 11, D- good food and top-class service in a Prinz, Lichtentaler Strasse 36, D-76530 28203, Bremen, Germany, phone 0421/36 magnificent park setting. The finest spa Baden-Baden, Germany, phone 07221/ 80 70, fax 0421/32 72 87. facilities. Few are in this class. Brenner’s 3464, fax 07221/38264. Rating: 16.5/20 Vol. 8, No. 12 HOTEL RESTAURANT RATING KEY December, 1994 GEMüTLICHKEIT The Travel Letter for Germany, Austria, Switzerland & the New Europe Rating Category Scale Hotel Rating Criteria Unacceptable 0 - 3 People/Service 30% Editor & Publisher: Robert H. Bestor, Jr. Adequate 4 - 7 Location/Setting 15% Associate Editors: Elizabeth Schiller, Bruce Woelfel Average 8 - 11 Guestrooms 30% Contributing Editors: C. Fischer, R. Holliday Above Average 12 - 15 Public rooms 5% Design & Composition: Paul T. Merschdorf Excellent 16 - 20 Facilities/Restaurant 20% Consulting Editor: Thomas P. Bestor Subscription Dept:. Andy Bestor, K. Steffans Special Designations Restaurant Criteria Gemütlichkeit (ISSN 10431756) is published monthly by UpCountry Publish- G By virtue of location, decor, Food 65% ing, 2892 Chronicle Avenue, Hayward, CA 94542. TOLL FREE: 1-800/521- special charm, warmth of Service 20% 6722 or 510/538-0628. FAX: 510/582-8296. Subscriptions are $67 per year management, or combina- Atmosphere 15% for 12 issues. While every effort is made to provide correct information in this tion thereof, an especially publication, the publishers can make no guarantees regarding accuracy. pleasant establishment. Second-class postage paid in Hayward, CA. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: $ Offers significant value. Gemütlichkeit, 2892 Chronicle Ave., Hayward, CA 94542 Gemütlichkeit 2 December, 1994 agreeable climate of this urbane Swiss- century shell on a stunning lakeside 1994 "G" WINNERS Italian city. location. Large and luxurious top Continued from page 1 Hotel Walter au Lac, Piazza floor doubles, lavishly complete with only that they have qualities that set Rezzonico 7, CH-6900 Lugano, Switzer- walk-in closets, segmented marble them apart; qualities that can never be land, phone 091/227425, fax 091/ baths, bars and safes — lacking only measured and only sketchily defined. 234233. MOD-EXP the larger windows of rooms on lower floors costing twice as much — are 1994 "G" Awards available on weekends for two for Waldhotel Forellenhof about $160. Pension Altstadt Baden-Baden, Germany Hotel Beaufort, 1, Esplanade du Vienna, Austria Mont-Blanc, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzer- Excellent value and rustic charm land, phone 4138/24 00 24, fax 4138/ Also our hotel of the year. See in a wooded setting about three miles 24 78 94.