Looking for September on the Rhine for a couple to stay for two nights. Next on the journey is to catch a long train out of Mainz so want a small of commute to Mainz as possible. but to still have charm and e xperience the Rhine. I know RS suggested Bacharach. It seems the more I read, the more confused I get. Any suggestions for specific hotels in Bacharach or other close places for two nights without a ton of train noise? Is that even possilble :::: grin:::
I've never stayed here, but Zum Mahlerwinkl is far enough from the tracks that you should not have train noise.
We stayed in St. Goar at the Rheinhotel last June. The hotel is on the road that runs parallel to the river. I did not notice any train noise at all. Great location and excellent host!
We stayed in the town of Rudesheim a few years ago and loved it. Lots of shops, restaurants and things to do. Can't remember the hotel but it was small and quaint - away from the river - and very quiet.
I think the train noise complaint is exaggerated. I stay at a place just off the main street and have never been bothered by noise. The Malerwinkel is far enough away that you would never hear the trains and is in a very picturesque location.
Unless you're staying in Hotel Kranenturm, I don't see where the train is a problem. We stayed there one night and twice in other B&B's in town.
Bavaria Ben has some great places listed in his website: http://bensbauernhof.com/accommodationsrhinemosel.html
thanks everyone! Keep any tips coming! And David if you haven't watched Muscle Shoals documentary on Netflix - you should :) so good for anyone especially a music lover. Mississippi and Alabama are dear to my heart
I stayed at St. Goar in a hotel only steps away from the train station. I was not bothered by any train noises at all. Electric trains are very quiet to start with and I seem to remember that the trains stop running at some point during the night anyway, There was more noise from the people on the street than the train. unless things have changed for the worst since my trip, any place would seem to be quiet enough.
So far I've only stayed one place on the Rhein, Boppard, and I stayed in a Privatzimmer at the back of a house on a street about a block and a half up from the train station. If I was already awake, I could barely hear the trains, but they were not loud enough to wake me. I'm sure if you stayed in one of the hotels facing the river in Boppard the noise wouldn't be a problem. In St. Goar, the tracks are well up and away from the hotels on Heerstrasse. Only in Bacharach are some of the hotels right next to the tracks.
As Mark points out, the lines on the Rhein are electrified. Regenerative braking is quiet. The electric motors make some noise laboring to get up to speed, but they're not as bad as diesels. And, looking at the arrival/departure boards for towns on the Rhein, the passenger trains don't run at all from about 1 AM to 5 AM, but there are freight trains all night.
I agree with previous posters on Zum Malerwinkel in Bacharach. I have stayed there. Their rooms are basic but within a short walk into quaint Bacharach and no train noise. Nice breakfast buffet. Enjoy your trip.
If you can't find anything suitable, you can always invest in a good pair of ear plugs.
In Bacharach we had a nice stay at the Hotel Restaurant Altkölnischer Hof. It was quiet, comfortable and friendly with a good breakfast. We liked having a balcony room. Also really enjoyed the Cafe Rusticana nearby.
We also stayed at the Rhinehotel in St Goar. It is close to the train station (an easy walk) but I never heard any noise. The train is behind you and I think that helps. We were there in late August and the windows were open all the time. The hotel is right across from the Rhine and we reserved the upstairs room with the balcony. We sat out on the balcony and watched all the river traffic. Our room was very nice. Gil, the owner is awesome. He sat us down as soon as we arrived and he helped us figure out what would be our best options for maxing out our tour time, and the best gelato stands in St Goar and Koblenz. His English is very good, the breakfast is wonderful. We rode the KD boat line up the river to Assmanshausen and down river to Koblenz over two days.
Hotel Rheinfels and Hotel Zur Loreley in St. Goar were both great. I didn't hear the trains once.......if I didn't know it was there, I wouldn't have known it. Great meal at Hotel Zur Loreley, and the host at Hotel Rheinfels was great. Love them both.