Bavaria - Zimmer Frei Experience In Late September

Hi Jim,

I think the problem you'll run into is wanting to check in around 10am or even 11am. Check in is typically around 2pm. Check out is typically no later than 10am. A place may hold your bags until check in time later on? I also think stretching your expected room cost to 30 Euro is more along the line of what you'll be finding.

Paul

Jim, you don't stay in a "Zimmer frei". A better term is a Privatzimmer, a private room in a home. Zimmer frei is the sign that the home owners hang out in front of the house. It means "room available" or "vacancy". Once you stay in it, it's no longer frei; it's "belegt" or occupied. So really, you stay in a belegt Zimmer.

For the most part, a Privatzimmer is not Frau Schmidt's spare room. A lot of homes in Germany were made for large families, and when the children leave, they renovate a whole floor, turning it into guest rooms with attached bathroom. Only rarely have I stayed in a Privatzimmer with an etagen Bad (shared bathroom).

Also understand that many of these places are run by older people who never learned, or have forgotten, English. Some knowledge of German is useful.

You can always walk around town looking for a Zimmer frei sign, but that could be time consuming or fruitless. The Tourist Information office often has a list of available rooms, and that will save you a lot of time searching, but understand that they will pick the next place on their revolving list, not the least expensive or most convenient place for you.

Most towns have a website at www town_name de, and they will have a list of accommodations in that town. Look for Unterkunft or Übernachten. They are usually listed by category - Hotel, Gasthaus, Ferienwonungen, and Privatzimmer. You must also realize that if you don't reserve in advance but just come into town and look, others will have booked online in advance and taken the best accommodations. You'll get what they didn't want.

"Can one always find zimmer frei rooms available -- typically around 20 euro nightly, breakfast included, etc?"

As a solo traveler that price is unrealistic. You can get in that per-person ballpark as a couple but single rooms typically cost more. If you're just showing up in town, don't expect to find the lower priced places available - they're more likely to be pre-booked.

"How does one spot a bad zimmer frei, even before walking to it, or a good one, as well."

I've had only two bad ones, but dozens and dozens of nice places. But then I've normally booked online in advance and done some sleuthing using photos, the occasional review, etc. There's no way to know before you walk to them if you haven't already done some homework, and sometimes not even then

You're using public transport I assume. This of course limits the number of places available to you. That's not a big deal, but it does encourage pre-booking.

If you like flexible travel, then I suggest pre-booking a room in a base town for 2-3 nights here, then another for 2-3 nights there, etc.... Pick a town that has good connections to other towns that interest you and do day trips from your base - that's where your flexibility comes in. You'll have 3 days for making impromptu decisions about how to spend your time. And you won't waste any time looking for a place that doesn't suit your requirements or your price range.

In 2009 I made a swing through Austria and southern Bavaria. I spent two nights in Lahn, in a farm house south of Hallstatt, Austria, because for some reason everything in Hallstatt was booked. Following that, I spent two nights in a private home in Hall, Austria. It was the first place I inquired about on the Hall Tourist website and after they found me those accommodations, they wouldn't answer any of my requests for a competitive quote from another property. Several days later, I stayed in a nice Privatzimmer in Mittenwald. The two nights in Lahn cost me 20€ each plus kurtax. The two nights in Hall were for 20€ per night. Mittenwald was 25€, so it is (or was) possible to find inexpensive accommodations. Every one of the places was simple, but adequate, certainly not "bad". The least memorable nights were in Hall, where the breakfasts were, in my opinion, meager. My hostess was a rather old woman; perhaps that was how much she ate for breakfast.

I've also spent 35€ many times for a room in a family run gasthaus.

My experiences have been pretty positive, so I'm not too concerned about getting a bad room. If you have specific requirements, be sure to mention them when booking. Arriving in person, you can inspect a room before deciding whether or not to take it. See also http://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/sleeping-eating/reserving-rooms-as-you-travel.

@ Jim...I would not suggest upon arrival that you ask to see the room first before deciding on taking it. That isn't done there. If you do ask that, and the proprietor allows you to see the room, I would be surprised. I remember that when I first got over to (West) Berlin as a student backpacker in July 1971 at a Pension on Kurfürstendamm, I asked to see the room, a mistake since I was thinking American. Do you think the guy showed it to me? No. But I took the room. Another time at another Pension in Berlin I saw a Canadian couple trying to "negotiate" in English with the woman on duty over taking a room, the price, and asking to see the room first before deciding. This all happened in the hallway in front of my room. The woman refused to show them the room, berated the couple by saying if they wanted luxury they should go to the Adlon at Pariser Platz.

Whenever I have stayed at small hotel or Pension in Germany, telling them what sort of room I want, they tell me the price, they never ask if you want to see it first. After that first "mistake" in Berlin, I've never asked to see it first. A "bad Zimmer frei" or a bad room at a Pension doesn't exist. I've never encountered such a thing in Germany, whether I paid in DM or Euro.

A lot of times in Germany, the host has actually taken me to the room and showed it to me. Sometimes, they just give me the key. Since you don't pay until you check out, I imagine if you didn't like the room, you could just bring the key back and leave.

Once, in Braunlage, I had reserved the room online and forgotten to check the "no smoking" box. The night clerk gave me the key, and when I went to the room, all the windows were open. I closed them and found the room reeked of smoke. I went back to the desk and complained, and she gave me a different room.

In 2004 when I biked along the Mosel, I stayed in Enkirch, a tiny wine town. I was given the key to my room, no name or address requested, had a great breakfast in the morning, they showed me where to put my bicycle in a garage right next to a shiny big motorcycle, and I paid about 22 Euro when I gave the key back. (The previous night my bicycle spent the night in a cellar with big bags of potatoes in Bernkaestel-Kues.)

It was super easy getting a room each night in those small towns, but I'm not sure I would go without some sort of advance reservations now, though.

Have a great trip!

Jim,

Given your location, you may find it helpful to attend the next meeting of the Denver area RS group that meets once a month (I'm assuming they still meet). Check the "Travel Group Meetings" section here on the Forum for information on time and place. That way you can get lots of first-hand information from the experts.

Good suggestion, Ken. I didn't notice his location.

Yes, we still meet, the third Saturday of the month. This month it's the 15th. 10 AM at Panera Bread in Aspen Grove (near the Mineral Light Rail station). I've spent about 2 months traveling in Bavaria, mostly small towns, recently staying in Privatzimmer. I'll bring my netbook (Panera has Wifi) and show you how to find accommodations in smaller towns.

It would help if you know some of the town in which you might want to stay.

Hi Lee ..... I attended the Panera Bread meetings a couple of times last year. But now, I'm spending the rest of this year in Mississippi helping my sister with caring for sick and/or elderly relatives, returning to Lone Tree by Christmas.

I am interested in any tips on specific privatzimmers in Mittenwald, Garmish-Pa, Grainau, and other small villages all around Southern Bavaria, along the German/Austria border. Also Innsbruck, and Appenzell and St. Moritz in Switzerland for this late September & early October trip.

I will have a travel partner (a cousin) the first 14 days of the 28 days I will be gone. Then, of the 14 days I'm by myself, I have 9 days in Bavaria without lodging reservations ..... those 9 days will be my privatzimmer adventure.

So,any info will be appreciated ...... Jim.

(and thanks to everyone who has responded to my inquiry - I will follow-up in a day or 2, been kind of busy).

In 2009, I stayed at Haus Ostler for 1 night in Mittenwald. It was nice enough, with it's own bath and a balcony. The hostess was very nice (only spoke German, as I remember). The Haus has 2 Privatzimmer (doubles) and a vacation apartment (Ferienwohnungen). As of today, both Privatzimmer are available. I think the price for one person in a Zimmer is 33€.

I only found three places (including Haus Ostler) with Privatzimmer on the Mittenwald website and one was probably more than you want to pay. The other one has a room for 25€. That room is already booked for a week in September.

I've stayed in Pfronten several times while traveling along the Bavaria/Austrian border. I particularly like this place. At 29,50€ it's a little above the 20€ you wanted to pay, but it's a nice place (a Gasthof, not a Haus with Privatzimmer). With your stay, you get a guest card that gives you free use of the buses, including the one that goes over to Füssen, so you could use Pfronten as a base to see the castles.

I've found places to stay pretty easily in September around a pretty wide sweep of Germany. The exception was opening day of Oktoberfest in Munich. I still found a place, at a good price, but it wasn't easy.

I typically create a list of places before I travel, then call ahead about 10 to book. Dropping a bag wasn't usually an issue (but I only use a carry-on and often stash it in a locker at the train station before touring, then pick it up before going to lodging later). I've most often experienced the owner showing me the room, and house, then giving me a key. The room typically has a comfortable, if small, bed and a sink; the bathroom is down the hall.

I've found the quality of rooms is consistently high. I'm comfortable booking anywhere sight unseen in Germany because I've never found a place that wasn't clean and comfortable.

Lee --- today, for GaPa, I secured a 4 night resv. at Gasthaus Maria-Anna, 26 euro including b'fast and GaPa Card for free busses all around, etc. That will be my basecamp.

In Mittenwald for 3 nights, I'm staying at Hotel Alpenrose --- in their "single room with bath down the hall". At 34 euro including an elaborate breakfast buffet (same as premium rooms get), I get the benefit of a wide array of guest perks, in the heart of the village.
I will check out Haus Ostler when there, for future visits. I'll have a rental car, will likely check out Phronton, will check out Gasthof Aggenstein.

I wish I knew how to do that thing in your earlier message -- click on "this place", and it opens to the website .... would have done that with Gastehaus Maria-Anna if I had known how.

Brad -- thanks for the positive message on the privatzimmers - I agree, likely in Germany/Austria they all will be quite nice.

Jim

Hi Jim,

Just checking that you know that Garmisch and Mittenwald are only about 20 or so minutes drive from one another, as you will have 7 nights in basically the same area. Not a bad thing. That said, we love the area and loved our 2 stays in Mittenwald.

Paul

And Mittenwald is only 21 minutes from Garmisch-Partenkirchen by train, and you can watch the scenery as you go. The one-way fare is 4,40€ by train vs 2,70€ just for fuel in a car, but there is no daily car rental fee by the train.

Hi,

I missed that Jim is using trains. My only point was about staying in both Garmisch and Mittenwald, as they are so close to one another.

Paul

Paul & Lee ---- I know that M'wald & Ga-Pa are very close ...... but my trip objectives are still evolving, and my objectives in both M'wald and Ga-Pa have become different -- those are perks of traveling by yourself & an open schedule.

In M'wald, after 8 days in Italy with a younger relative, I want to stay put for those 3 days, sleep in a little with later breakfast, then out by 10am to do some serious all day hiking in the trails above the village, back by dark, then a nice dinner with a German beer or two.

In Ga-Pa for the 5 days/4 nights, at Gastehaus Brigitte (was Gastehaus Maria-Anna, but changed it), I will have a rental car. I will do day drives to nearby places like Fussen, Reutte, Oberammaugay, etc. ...... and longer drives to St. Moritz and Appenzell, Switzerland. On one of the longer drives, may stay overnight, but keep my base room at Gastehaus Brigitte (it's cheap enough for that, 26 euro).

As far as evolving - it looks like my privatzimmer adventure is turning into a Gastehaus adventure -- I think the Gastehaus's will offer greater opportunity to visit & socialize with others, both other tourists as well as locals. In both Ga-Pa and M'wald, I will be staying right in the heart of town -- the privatzimmers I was considering were farther out.

I have enjoyed the dialogue started with my original post -- and helpful info from people that really do want to see others have a good trip.

Thanks ...... Jim.