Mittenwald….or Seefeld: Help me decide

The train line from Munich to Innsbruck reaches Mittenwald before Seefeld, and Seefeld is on the Austrian side of the border so by definition Mittenwald is more convenient to Munich - but not by tons and tons.

Seefeld has the funicular taking you right up into the mountains with lots of walks up there.

I know both and from a hiking perspective they are almost equal.

But I like Mittenwald more because yes tourism is there as well but not as much as in Seefeld. Mittenwald has in my eyes more charm and I think it is more down to earth.

My advice would be check as many photos as possible an decide what you like most.

I have enjoyed stays at both, but I will agree with Mignon. There are many Ferienwohnung (apartment), Gasthof and Gasthaus in Mittenwald. I always thought one on the hill towards the Kranzberg Sesselbahn would be nice, but then you have to contend with the hill. I would make your reservations now. I always enjoyed the walks around the Lautersee and the Ferchensee. If it's still running, you can take the old time Kranzberg Sesselbahn up and walk down towards the Lautersee.

Mittenwald worked well for us. Lots of good hikes, nice town, does get a river cruise bus day trip or two in but we were usually hiking during the day. The violin museum was much more interesting than I anticipated. We had an apartment on the hill and yes it was quite nice but as noted there is the hill. We got to just making one trip out and back a day. I'd go again but stay closer to the center.
There was and maybe still is a rail service disruption between Mittenwald and Munich (extra bus transfer? Can't remember) Anyway there is a very good direct to airport Flixbus connection that we took.

Nigel: I had not realized that the train from Munich stops at Mittenwald before Seefeld...so a little more convenient. (We have reservations at Das Hotel Eden in Seefeld because you recommended it awhile ago on the Forum here.)

Mignon and mchpp: I really appreciate that both of you posted here. So helpful to those of us trying to make a decision about a place to stay in Germany from far away. Mignon, I just started my search last night...and Mittenwald did look "quaint," but I was surprised to read that it is larger than Seefeld. And I know lodging choices are slim for September.

greg: I just read about the violin museum last night. Good to know you enjoyed visiting it. I think I will start looking earnestly for a B & B in town.

If you choose to remain with a stop at the Eden in Seefeld I hope you enjoy it - we have done on each of our stops there.... I don't think you can go wrong with either town.

I've sent out inquiries to two different hotels in Mittenwald: Post Hotel or Alpenhotel Rieger
Has anyone stayed in either of those hotels?
Which one would you choose?

The Rieger is a little beyond the central Altstadt, while the Post is right in the middle.

I have stayed at the Post and it's quite nice. The food at the Alpenrose nearby is better though.

LJ: I have analyzed both the Rieger and Post Hotels on Google maps in relation to the train station. The exterior of the Post Hotel makes it look so inviting.
Right now I'm leaning toward the Rieger because it was a little beyond the central old town area. I didn't know whether being in the center would be noisier since the hotels do not have air-conditioning.
How many nights were you in Mittenwald...and what were your favorite things to do...or favorite places for a meal?
Would love any suggestions you have while in the area.

Nigel: We might plan a day trip to Seefeld from Hall and have a meal at the Hotel Eden AFTER we take the funicular to the top of the mountain.

We have been a couple of times in Mittenwald; noise from the street has not been a problem. At least when we were there, most of the tourists are low-key Germans and not rowdy crowds.

Besides the Alpenrose, I think we liked Wildfang a little further down the street, and the Mittenwald Brauerei had good food too.

There's great hiking in the area! You can go for an easy walk to the lakes (Lautersee & Ferchensee), or go through the Geisterklamm gorge to the Austrian end.

But our absolute favorite was the hike through the Partnachklamm we did as part of a long-distance hiking trip. You start in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, hike through the Partnachklam gorge, hike up to the Eckbauer (challenging!) and eventually on to Klais, where you can take the train back to Mittenwald. About 16 km / 5-6 hours hiking. There is also a cable car from Garmisch to the Eckbauer if you want something shorter.

Seefeld is more of a resort with larger hotels and a more apres-ski feel. Mittenwald is more like a village in the center with cute buildings with painted facades. Both are right next to mountains and they are minutes apart.

Emily, Your description of the two towns is very helpful. I think we will change our reservations from Seefeld to Mittenwald. Interestingly, when looking for possibly hotels/B & B on Bookings.com for both towns, the majority of lodgings in Mittenwald are unavailable for our dates, whereas lodging for Seefeld is abundant.
(Emily, your posts past "5000" are very much appreciated. Thank you)

LJ: Thanks for the suggested places to eat in Mittenwald. Right now, I don't think we will go to GP; we'll focus our time in Mittenwald with a day trip to Seefeld.
I'm trying to decide whether to add another night to Mittenwald by shortening our stay in Hall to 2 nights...and 4 nights in Mittenwald.

Mittenwald is a better choice for me.

Carol, re dropping one night from Hall in Tirol in favour of Mittenwald. Hall and Mittenwald are both small towns and any stay of a few days in either place probably involves a day trip or two, though personally I'm sometimes content to stay put and take it easy. I don't know if a visit to Innsbruck is in your plans or not but that is more easily accessed from Hall. Innsbruck has plenty to offer for a long day or more – Schloss Ambras, a nice old town, river walks, an alpine zoo, cable cars on the outskirts. Tratzberg Castle, a few miles east of Hall, is a fantastic visit: more like a rich man's rustic hunting lodge, adorned by folk-artsy decoration and paintings (I plan on returning there in 2024 after a visit many years ago).

If staying in Mittenwald you should receive a guest card for free transportation in the immediate area. If you are a hiker, Leutasch Gorge is close by and there is also a nice hike from Mittenwald to the village of Krun: Krun itself is a decent enough place in beautiful surroundings. I'd always choose Garmisch over Seefeld, but that's up to you. Ettal Abbey, a bit further along, is a very worthwhile visit. A special lunch or dinner can be had at Schloss Elmau (I believe a bus runs there a few times a day from Mittenwald).

There was and maybe still is a rail service disruption between
Mittenwald and Munich

That disruption ends June 10.

Thank you to everyone who added comments and personal experiences about Mittenwald. I/we made the decision to stay in Mittenwald 4 nights.
We'll be in Hall 2 nights during which we'll spend a day in Innsbruck...and then, on the day we leave, we'll have the B & B hold our luggage while we spend some time in Hall before taking the train to Mittenwald.

Gunderson: Thanks for the suggestions of things to do/places to visit from Mittenwald. If the weather cooperates, we'll spend one day in Seefeld, and the other 2 days might include a walk to Lautersee or Krun or head up to Karwendel. AT this time I don't think we would attempt to head over to Garmisch. If the weather is less than ideal, We'll just head to the local brewery...which would please hubby very much.
I'm excited about staying in this charming Bavarian town.

You can’t go wrong. We love both Hall and Mittenwald. We’ve stayed in Hall in Tirol 5 times and Mittenwald 3 times.