We would like to splurge and stay a night in an authentic old castle during our upcoming trip. We will be starting in Giessen, north of Frankfurt. We have thought about stopping at the Kloster Eberbach and Rudesheim, on the way to Heidelberg. From Heidelberg, we will go to Rothenburg. We would consider just staying at Kloster Eberbach (not a exactly a castle, I know) but is booked for the night we will be there. Any other suggestions for castle hotels near Heidelberg?
Posted by
OP
4 posts
After Rothenburg, we when be traveling down the Romantic Road to Neushwanstein Castle. Perhaps there is a castle hotel along that route, which would be a better option? Any suggestions are appreciated!
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
There's a castle hotel in Büdingen, which isn't too far from Gießen. The town itself is also worth a visit. The preserved Altstadt isn't as large as Rothenburg, but it does still maintain it's defensive walls. And nary a trinket shop to be found (of which Rothenburg has no lack).
Upriver from Heidelberg, about perhaps a 20 minute drive, Burg Hirschhorn (in the town of Hirschhorn) has been converted into a restaurant-hotel, and overlooks a scenic bend of the Neckar river. Not the Rhine, but the Neckar River Valley is also very attractive for many of the same reasons.
There's also Burg Schriesheim, which is a little to the north of Heidelberg along the Bergstraße (a series of scenic wine towns along the western foot of the Odenwald mountains). However, this is just the shell of an old castle ruin with a hotel built into it. Good views of the surroundings, though.
If you start off in Gießen, try to give nearby Marburg, Wetzlar and Braunfels a look. You'll see why several of us on this website think Rothenburg is not nearly as unique as advertised.
Posted by
Austin TX after living in Boulder CO for 25 years
1166 posts
We wanted to do the same thing on one of our Germany trips !
We loved the Schoenburg Castle on the Rhine in Oberwesel ! Absolutely delightful indulgence.
Make sure you eat the wine cheese soup at the Altes Haus in Bacharach, right next door - it was built in 1368 !
Posted by
Paradise
6662 posts
"We would like to splurge and stay a night in an authentic old castle during our upcoming trip."
You can hardly do better than Carla's suggestion - Auf Schoenburg in Oberwesel. But do remember that in any great castle hotel, you won't get an authentic, dank, musty room from the Middle Ages (although some really bad castle-hotels may offer such... be careful.)
"After Rothenburg, we when be traveling down the Romantic Road to Neushwanstein Castle."
We call that place a castle in English - but Germans call it a palace (built in the late 19th century with a faux-old-world castle exterior and no defensive infrastructure at all - not quite the old-world authenticity you might have in mind.)
Like a LOT of great places in Bavaria (oft-overlooked gems like Bamberg, Iphofen, and Regensburg for example,) this place is NOT exactly on the tourist-heavily Romantic Road either - I haven't been, but it tends to get good marks and is near Rothenburg:
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8159 posts
A very popular castle hotel is the Kranenturm in Bacharach--just south of Koblenz. There's a train station within walking distance. We once stayed there and found Fatima and Kurt to be very accommodating. He's also a great chef.
Last time we stayed at a bed and breakfast a block away, and it was also great. Look at Bavaria Ben for such accommodations: bensbauernhof.com His recommendations on rooms are very good, especially for the Rhine River region.
Posted by
Paradise
6662 posts
I would caution you about staying at the Kranenturm, which is adjacent to the train tracks and which gets dinged in reviews for the noise factor. Also, it's not actually a castle - there are some rooms in an old tower that was once part of the defensive wall, as I understand it. Anyway, read the reviews first to see what you think. Bacharach is generally a bad spot for train noise - if you want to stay there have a look at the options on Bluecherstrasse, which is in a side valley away from the rails, but consider also St. Goar and Boppard, where the noise is less prominent as a result of the track location. Bacharach of course has a hostel-castle, perched high above the town, offering private rooms at a good price in a real castle - but this may not be the "splurge" you asked about.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19099 posts
Since you are planning to go on to the Romantic Road, there is an "authentic old castle" there, Harburg (sorry, in German), that you can stay in.
Posted by
Atlanta
972 posts
I'm not following directions, because this is neither a castle nor on the Rhine, but it is generally in the path from Giessen to Heidelberg, and it's a wonderful old mill above the Mosel with a small upscale hotel and an elegant restaurant. I haven't stayed in the hotel, but it was the place we took special friends for dinner. Alte Mühle Thomas Höreth, Kobern-Gondorf is the name, and you can google the website. I think I can promise you it will be a memorable experience in Germany.