Hall or Garmisch/Partenkirchen

Hi Joyce,
I'd say Hall in Tirol. We've stayed here (at the Gasthof Badl) 4 times. Gasthof Badl is run by truly wondeful people (Frau Steiner and Sonja), is a five to 10 min. walk to the beautiful old town (pedestrian zone) of Hall in Tirol, has a very nice (and very reasonable)restaurant/bar and great views of the mountains surrounding Hall (ask for room w/balcony). Hall is a lovely old cobblestoned town to walk around and sit at an outdoor cafe. The church of St. Nicholas is very nice also. We can also recommend dinner at the Burg Tavern, across the footbridge over the Inn river from the Gasthof Badl. Wonderful food and medieval atmosphere.
We stopped in G-P last Oct. and didn't really care for all the traffic, tourists, etc.

www.badl.at
www.regionhall.com

Paul

What is your transportation--car or train?

Just a note Joyce,

Hall's old town and the Gasthof Badl are also very easy by rail. A 5 min. walk to either.

I vote for Hall and I too stayed at Gastauf Badl, excellent.

For a longer stay, Garmisch-Partenkirchen wins easily. Hall may be charming, but you can see it all in one afternoon. GP is much larger and is loaded with activities, both indoor and out. But for one night only... it probably doesn't make much of a difference. I prefer GP myself, though. My favorite lodging is Gastof Fraundorfer: http://www.gasthof-fraundorfer.de/

To where in Switzerland are you traveling, and by what mode of transport? If to the Berner Oberland, just note that both Hall and GP are a bit out of the way. If you want a nice half-way point, consider stopping somewhere on the Bodensee, like Lindau or Friedriskshaffen... or is that Ludwigshaffen, I get them confused.

I vote for Garmish. Been to both and hated to leave Garmish out of our trip this year. Probably because we arrived at Hall during lunch time shut down. Nothing was open.

Just south of Garmisch is a lovely, smaller touristy town called Lermoos, located in Austria. There are lots & lots of zimmers and pensions (less expensive than Garmisch) and plenty of restaurants. We love the views of the Zugspitze & surrounding mountains. There is a lot of hiking in the local mountains and the luge in Biberwier is my son's favorite activity. Not sure if you are driving or taking the train, but Lermoos is more on the way to Switzerland. Hall is backtracking. I have suggestions for zimmers if you need one. Have a great time.

garmisch is a lovely town, and it is near a lot of attractions. we like to stay at the eibsee hotel (old fashioned, fairly expensive family-run hotel right on the eibsee)and take the hike around the lake. i am having withdrawal symptoms just thinking about it. haven't been since last winter and won't be able to go this year.

if you go, the post hotel downtown is about 100 euro a night, including a nice breakfast.

gasthaus sonnenblume, near downtown, is cheaper but doesn't take credit cards and stopped serving breakfast (which can be an expensive meal if you like coffee in the morning).