Favorite hotel or B&B experience in Europe?

Tops on our list is the most amazing B&B. It is The In Patio Guesthouse in Porto, Portugal.
It only has five rooms, but all are spacious and well kept. Also, the owners of the house go WAY out of their way to assist in so many ways. Also, the breakfast was great and its location was perfect.

Second place would be The Brooks Guesthouse in Bath, England. Great service, great breakfast and great location as well as great accommodations.

Thank you, Geovagriffith! I haven’t stayed in Bath, yet, and I haven’t been to Portugal. It’s great to have some special ones to keep a list for future trips.

Jean, isn't this a fun topic ! And that room sounds fabulous.

For me, it's a single room with balcony on the side in the original building of Hotel Kviknes in Balestrand, Norway. It's the kind of hotel where I couldn't afford a room with balcony in the old building if I went with my husband or my mom or a girlfriend or whatever. But a little single I can (or at least could) swing for a few nights.

The hotel is old and grand and has the most wonderful common spaces on the ground floor, and the views out to the Sognefjord are to die for. The incredible buffet breakfast with the view out the windows of the shades of blue of the fjord and the hills/mountains is also a big selling point.

The final treat is to go out onto your room's balcony, which is on the side of the hotel - turning your head back a few degrees, you see the ferry landing, and how you can literally make it from the ferry to the hotel checkin in 45 seconds. But looking straight ahead is a small arm of the Esefjord - which means there is another "shore" just a few hundred feet away with a glorious red barn, little white church, and all the green all around. What a treat to have one's own happy hour out there !!!

I used to have an absolute favorite in Glenfinnan (Scotland on Loch Shield in the Highlands, along the trainline between Fort William and Mallaig), but the owners took it back over and gussied it up and I imagine it is now far out of my price range. That was another place I also treasured.

And both of these appeal to me in part as well because you van get to them by public transport. Bus or ferry for Kviknes, and bus or train for Glenfinnan.

Unfortunately, the owners of our favorite B&Bs in Bath and Brugge retired so they are no longer open. We’ve enjoyed Victoria House in Caernarfon on a couple occasions.

We stayed at the Avienda Palace hotel in Lisbon this past October. It was so beautiful, so opulent, and very welcoming.
They took us to our room, showed us how everything worked, including a phone for our use during our stay. They delivered our bags too. They had a piano player in the evening to listen to while sipping a cocktail or glass of wine. Every evening there was a little gift in our room - fruit, chocolate, tote bag for shopping, voucher for a cocktail, etc.
The location was perfect, an easy walk everywhere. Loved our stay.

We really love getting off the beaten path, so here are some of our favs.

Central Park Voorburg in the Netherlands near The Hague, was amazing. I got a really good deal on the rate, and felt like a princess during our stay. Their food was amazing, the setting was so pretty, and the rooms were great. We didn't want to leave. Their restaurant had just gotten their Michelin Star, and I seriously would go back there just to eat.

Another favorite was Hotel Hof Tütsberg. in Behringen Germany. The setting was so quiet and peaceful. It is on a working farm and I believe they said the main part was from 1592. We loved walking through the grounds. They had the special sheep that live in the Luneburger Heide.

Beach Hotel California north of Kiel Germany was another one we really enjoyed. We really hoped that we could check in and never check out, but alas that is only in the song. The hotel was right on the water so it was fun to walk the shore. There were wild rabbits everywhere so that was fun.

Schloss Burgellern near Bamberg Germany was also really great. It was an old summer house turned into a hotel. Our room was huge. The food was great. I could drink their Spargel Soup by the gallons. Another night we had a Spargel Flatbread. Another hotel in a very peaceful setting.

Last one was Hotel de Charme "zum Schiff" in Iffezheim German near the Black Forest was seriously the cutest hotel. Antiques everywhere, and an adorable garden. The hosts were amazing. We had had a bad day of travel and got there late in the evening and they helped us find a place to eat - we hadn't eaten since breakfast. The room was cozy and the breakfast was awesome. Man the Germans know how to do breakfast. It was a short drive the next day to Soufflenheim France, so I could feed my pottery addiction.

We luv the Hotel Bernerhof in Wengen… great little restaurant and large rooms with amazing views, a short few minutes to other restaurants and train station- book early to get private bathroom and great value on price vs other properties…returning in a month

Oh Jean, that hotel sounds amazing! To describe something that's so beautiful as almost hurting your eyes, I get that. I've added Boutique Hotel Elvezia on Isola Bella near Stresa, Italy to my Lakes list, thanks for the ideas.

Kim, We too loved the Hotel Kviknes in Balestrand, Norway, especially the hand carved panels that surround the room where they served breakfast! We liked it so much we extended our stay to 3 nights & after a warm bike ride along the fjord, came back & got into bathing suits for a freezing dip off the pier.

Ok, this might sound trite, but the best room with a view we've had was at the Hotel Fontana, in front of the Fountain of Trevi in Rome. https://www.hotelfontana-trevi.com/. I had wanted to stay there for decades, and finally did in 2019. The breakfast room on the top floor has a full view of the fountain & we had drinks up there as well in the evenings, just stunning!! We were out early enough in the day to have the fountain mostly to ourselves. Getting back home in the evening was like running a gauntlet, but it was worth it for a once in a lifetime experience.

It has been over 20 years, but the Kildrummy Castle Hotel in Aberdeenshire really stands out. The hotel was so gracious with our kids (8 and 10 at the time) and went above and beyond for us. On our last morning we had to leave before breakfast and they said they would make us something. When we got up in the morning, they had a grand spread for us on a large table in the dining room. Just for us! Our room overlooked the old castle ruins and the room itself was beautiful. Our daughter loved to draw, and there was a drawing room, so she sat in there silently for hours just drawing;)

Not a fancy place by any means, but the Casci Hotel in Florence was also so gracious with our kids (5 and 8). The day we were taking the train to Venice, they gave the kids a few treats for the journey including Orangina and blood oranges. Just those little gestures make a big impact.

On apartment in Paris (not operating any more) had the best owner. She met me while the girls were still in class and she walked me all over the neighborhood showing me the places to go and the places to skip, and introduced me to several of the shop owners. When the kids were done and met up with me, she had all of us come to her home and meet her family and she was very interested in the girls study abroad.

My favorite hotel in Paris was the Hotel Brittanique. We loved the location and the rooms were gorgeous. We had little balconies and I can still picture us standing there taking it all in. The staff were so helpful as well. I would love to return, but their prices have skyrocketed.

Two of my favorite small guesthouses are in Iceland, both in Stikkisholmur. One was Hotel Egilsen and the other was Akkeri Guesthouse, both with wonderful views of the harbor. They are next door to each other and both were just excellent.

At Akkeri, we had the kids with us as well (late 20's by this time) so we had two rooms. The breakfast room had a fridge for people to use, and most people kept wine or beer in there. By the late afternoon, guests would gather and chat and make new friends. We met two couples that were from Reykjavik and we drank and talked with them for hours. In the morning, that breakfast room was transformed into the most beautiful place with china and linens, but still casual. The owner sat down with us that morning to see what our plans for the day were and she gave us some excellent advice and sent us to places we had not even heard of.

At Egilsen last fall, I was with a friend and we adored the room. Breakfast was so good and healthy, probably our best one of all of our trips. One of the best restaurants in the country is across the street from these places, so even better:) The town is tiny, so being able to go walk along the harbor early in the morning or later at night was so peaceful.

Another place in Iceland that we adored was Heydalur up in the Westfjords. We had a camper van on that trip, but they also have regular lodging. The entire place though was just so peaceful and beautiful. A swimming pool in the greenhouse, hot springs right outside, and then another down the hill and across the creek. You had those to yourself as the place is so isolated. We rode horses there in the morning, and it was low tide so we were able to ride along the fjord. It is so laid back that we did not even need to sign waivers or anything. It was just "oh you want to ride, ok, let's go". Their restaurant was very good and best of all is that they have a golden retriever;) When I was looking at possible places and found a photo of their dog, I knew that was a must stop:) There is also a hot spring right next to the fjord , but on the other side of where Heydalur is, so it is a bit of a drive. After the horse ride, they gave us a few horse shoes that my husband cleaned up and hung above two doors. So a constant reminder of a beautiful place, and they are supposed to bring good luck.

My very favorite, to this day, is Sheedy's Doolin in Doolin, Ireland. The hosts, the rooms, the food, the location all top notch. And, they have a welcome dog (first it was Beans, who has passed, now it's Bertie!) You can walk to the cliffs from the B&B as well as in to both the old and new part of town. The views all around are stunning! If my family lived closer to Doolin (they are in Co. Donegal and outside of Dublin), I'd stay here every time I'm in Ireland.

My favorite hotel was at Historik Hotel Gotisches Haus Garni in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany. We were there on our honeymoon in 2012 and had the room at the top of the hotel, up a flight from where the elevator stopped. It was the entire floor and had it's own balcony and a window you could open and look down over the town. It was beautiful and perfect for a honeymoon. We unfortunately weren't able to book a room there when we went back in 2018 for the Christmas markets.

We also stayed at the Sacher Hotel in Salzburg on our honeymoon and on the 2018 Christmas Market trip. It was the most luxurious hotel I had ever experienced, probably ever, and I loved eating Sacher Torte and sparkling wine for breakfast each day. The location was fantastic too.

The hotel itself didn't stand out, as it was a Best Western location, but the location of the Scores Hotel in St. Andrews was amazing and the atmosphere of the town is one of my favorites. It was a bucket list trip for my husband and we were literally steps away from the 18th green at the Old Course and we got to watch people play in every evening. And the fact that we got to play 4 of the courses just topped off the stay in St. Andrews. The Scores closed but it appears to have reopened as Hotel du Vin St. Andrews.

I also loved Hotel Saski in Krakow, Poland where I stayed in December 2024 with my mom. We splurged on a Saski room which contained frescos that they discovered when they renovated the hotel and restored them. It was one of 3 rooms in the hotel that had them. The breakfast buffet was amazing as well.

A good topic indeed.

My all time favourite hotel experience took place in a family run Pension in Berlin-Charlottenburg, which I learned of by reading "Let's Go Germany" and "Europe" only in 2009. This was Pension Knesebeck where I stayed after the initial 2009 visit for the next 10 years. I went back every summer after 2009.

A very traditional small hotel Pension experience of the "old school"....typical Berliner Milieu, (this is attested to by the comments left

in the guest book), only cash payment accepted, typical traditional German breakfast in the breakfast buffet, no English newspapers in the breakfast room, the shower and WC only in the hallway, lovely conversations and discussions with the guests and proprietor only in German, (she spoke only German and Polish), all and all, an extremely warm , comfortable , accommodating and hospitable place to stay.

The price was pretty cheap for a single, starting in 2009 at 39 Euro and by 2019 I paid 60 Euro. My laundry could be done there, sometimes it was free.

Sheedy’s in Doolin. Just as describe by KimberelySea. It is by far one of our all around best experiences.

Several years ago we stayed in Casa Pombal, Coimbra Portugal. I cannot remember how I came to know of it, but we hiked all the way up to it ( and up ) to ask if they had a room. They did, an absolute tiny little room, shared bathroom but we had it all to ourselves and a balcony with a view over the entire town. We were welcomed with Port, and the lady who welcomed us sat down and showed us all the places we should go on a map, and recommended dinner. It was such a lovely little surprise.

Fun topic, Jean.

I have the following to share.

Pisciotta, Italy (the Cilento) - Hotel Marulivo https://www.marulivohotel.it/. Two hours south of Salerno; 2-1/2 or 3 hours south of Naples. (2024) charming hotel, high on the hill, overlooking the Tyrrhenian (Mediterranean) Sea, near Palinuro. The owner host couple was charming and informative. Charming, remodeled 14th Century Monastery.

Montignac France (Dordogne) (2023) - https://www.laroseraie-hotel.com/en. This 3 star hotel was booked by the operator of a self guided bike tour we took in the Dordogne. It was wonderful. Lovely grounds. Outdoor pool. Overlooked the Vezere River. Across the river from the main part of town. Nice restaurant for dinner. Lascaux is just a mile or two outside of town.

Chinon France (Loire Valley) (2023) - https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotels-in-chinon/best-western-hotel-de-france/propertyCode.93421.html. Another 3 star hotel booked by the same tour operator; this was part of our self guided bike tour of the Loire valley. I know what you’re thinking. Best Western. Non, merci. It was a charming hotel in an old building in the heart of the old part of town and very close to the Vienne River. Lovely room. Well updated. One of our better breakfasts. Very close to the municipal elevator that takes you up the side of a cliff and leaves you a very short walk to Charles VII’s castle, where Jeanne d’Arc persuaded him to allow her to lead the battle against the English.

Granada Spain (2005) https://www.hotelcasa1800granada.com/en/. Still there and still well rated. Down the hill from the Albaicin to the north and the Alhambra to the south. A few blocks from the Plaza Nueva. In a charming 16th center building. The rooms face inward to internal courtyards. Breakfast included. When we arrived, we parked near the cathedral downtown and had to walk through the Plaza Nueva. It was Friday before Palm Sunday. The Plaza was filled with 19 and 20 year olds who were celebrating the end of exams and the coming school vacation by drinking WAY too much. The hotel was a sanctuary once we wended our way through the throngs, streets and alleys. Though they had no dinner dining, they wrangled everything they served at breakfast including cheese, bread and jamon (cured ham), along with wine and sherry that we enjoyed with our Spanish friends as well as a Mexican family that had come to Andalusia for Semana Santa. The BANNER headline in the paper the next morning was MACROBOTEILLA. Again, despite the mess outside that Friday night, the hotel was charming and the city was very nearly entirely cleaned up early the next morning. We originally found this hotel on https://www.i-escape.com/ … though i-escape.com no longer lists it

We’ve stayed in some other charming hotels that we have found on i-escape - in Vejer de la Frontera (2005) and in Prague (2018) - though I cannot find them, now. It is a website worth checking out and it shows many lovely looking homes and inns well off the beaten path.

LATE NOTE.

1. I’m embarrassed to have said charming so many times.
2. Re I-escapes website. We tend to pick the cheapest places they show. Many of the accommodations are a bit dear. But we are always pleased with what we choose.
3. Glad that CW also loved Casa 1800 (below).

My favorite hotel experiences in Europe are few, as we now prefer to use AirBnBs. But the following were really special:

1. Schlosshotel Kronberg, outside Frankfurt, ca. 1985. My first time in Europe and oh, my goodness, what a room we had. Played golf at the hotel's course.
2. Hotel Imperial, Vienna, also ca. 1985. Room full of gorgeous pink marble.
3. Hotel Wilden Mann in Luzern, also ca. 1985. The place dates back to 1517.
4. Le Champ Des Oiseaux in Troyes, France, 2022. Old abbey turned into lodgings. Highly recommended.
5. Hotel Altstadt, also Vienna, ca. 2013. Amazing suite of rooms. I have no idea how we afforded it.
6. Clontarf Castle Hotel in Dublin, 2023. We'll never stay anywhere else when we return to Dublin.

My friend and I stayed in a small b and b in Naples last Fall, me for two nights, she arrived the next day for her one night.
I’ve been to Naples before and was not worried in the least about staying near Centrale rail station, and it’s not so great reputation.
It was just easier to be near there to go onward to the south.
So, I get off the train from Rome and am walking in the direction of the b and b, using google maps, when a big smile-y man suddenly comes close towards me rattling a big bunch of keys.
That’s it….I’m doomed, I’m going to be mugged, then kidnapped, then sold into slavery……..
He then whisks out a paper with my name on it and he turns out to be the owner, coming to meet me at the time I had said I would be arriving.
The b and b was right where I was standing looking at my map.
Three locked gates later, into the charming place and shown the room and given fresh blueberries, strawberries and a glass of Prosecco to “recover “ from the (one hour or so) train journey.
Super clean, good linens on the beds, great towels, enough toiletries (nice ones) for six women, three hairdryers (?!) and a scale (though who needs that on vacation….) in the bathroom, and a personal escort by the charming Ricardo to what was the absolute best pizza I’ve ever eaten for dinner across the street in his friend’s restaurant.
Breakfast to order delivered on a trolley each morning with enough food to feed more than two.
I would recommend staying there to anyone.
It’s called Domus Deorum Deluxe.

I am enjoying reading about your favorites and what made each of them memorable to you! I’m glad to see several countries represented.

Any place with Beans & Bertie for dog names has to be a special one! ; )

Hotel Kraljevac on a river in Kljuc. Can't think of a better place to relax for a few days.

Norway (Balestrand) Hotel Kviknes
South Africa (Just outside Cape Town) Grootbos (National Geographic Unique Lodge)
Germany (Stuttgart) Le Meridien (first place in Europe we stayed that had a hot tub)
Spain (Seville) Hotel Amadeus (hot tub & view)
Italy (Verona) Hotel Due Torri (wonderful terrace)

Hi Tammy, could you add which cities your hotels are located? Thanks!

I also loved Hotel Casa 1800 Granada, in Spain. While I was there, I thought, I could live in a place like this in my "infirm years" when I want the relaxing sanctuary that fred described, above. I can go downstairs for my breakfast.

I'd love to find a retirement "Casa" like that, with a dinner option and retirement services!

Hotel Bellevue Syrene, Sorrento, Italy
We had a room on the top floor with a balcony and gorgeous views of the Bay of Naples and Mt Vesuvius. The breakfast was wonderfu, and the hotel had appetizers and snacks throughout the day which was a treat.

Hotel Royal Riviera, St Jean Cap Ferrat, France
We enjoyed this lovely hotel with a heated pool and a small beach on the bay. It is near a scenic promenade Maurice Rouvier along which you can walk from Beaulieu sur Mer to St Jean Cap Ferrat. The breakfast was great also.