German Zimmer

Roger, in the last 12 years, I have gone from staying in small guesthouses with a Privatzimmer being the last resort, to actually preferring and looking for them. It's a common misconception here that you will just stay in "Frau Schmidt's spare room". I have only occasionally found that to be the case. A Privatzimmer will usually be a few dedicated rooms with their own bathrooms, often on their own floor, in a house also occupied by the owners. You will have a key to the front door or a dedicated entrance. A guesthouse (Gästehaus) or Pension will have a few more rooms, and they will be more likely to have private baths, but breakfast will still be included with the room. Just one word of advice. I speak enough German not to worry about if someone where I stay speaks English. I write to the place (guesthause or zimmer) in German, and they write back in German. I never know when I arrive if they will speak English or not. I think I've stayed in a lot more Zimmer where the operators don't speak English than in guesthouses. So, your ability to communicate might be better if you know a little German. If you like, I can recommend a place near Cochem (they speak English) on the Mosel and a place in Boppard (they don't). For almost any town, they will have a town website with a list of accommodations, often with URLs and email. Sometimes they will be in English, sometimes not. Good luck.

Thanks so much for the help. As for communication, as I know almost no Geramn, I write to the home in English. That helps me to determine the nature of any such problems.