Lodging in Stuttgart, Germany

If you have boys, do the Porsche museum (free) it is next to the factory

Great suggestion. Our 16 year old will think that's a highlight!

The Mercedes Benz museum isn't far from the Porsche one...

I have no experience with Germany. I would love to think we could find a quaint guest house on the outskirts of the city. Am I wrong in understanding that Stuttgart is close to the black forest and some very beautiful countryside? Is there such a thing as a travel guide that lists "out of the ordinary" lodging?

Stuttgart is a very wealthy city in beautiful scenery. Both the black forrest and the Lake of Constance are about an hour's drive away. So is Heidelberg and the Neckar valley. Rothenburg ob der Tauber is about 90 mins from Stuttgart. Lodging: Downtown Stuttgart is located in a deep valley. To some of the suburbs you have to take a cogwheel train. Personally I like the suburbs of Leinfelden and Echterdingen. They're close to the Autobahn and the airport, residing there makes days trips easy plus your less affected by rush hour traffic in and out of the city. There is a nice little affordable hotel right at a tram stop but I stayed there years ago. I have to look up the name and double check if it's still as good. I'll get back to you on that one...

On trip advisor's Germany forum is this a similar thread running. Here is an answer by a Stuttgart local: "Hotels in Stuttgart and its vicinity are bookable through the tourist office www.stuttgart-tourist.de . I always recommend the City Hotel on Uhlandstrasse as it is very centrally located on a quiet street in Stuttgart."

Regards, Gary

First, get a guide book with information on Stuttgart. Look for info on small towns surrounding Stuttgart.

Second, go to the book store and find a good map of the area around Stuttgart. Look for what look like small towns on the outskirts.

Third, go to www.vvs.de. VVS is Verkehrsverbund Stuttgart, which runs the transit system there. Switch to English and look for maps. There is a commuter rail map that will show the S-bahn lines coming out of Stuttgart. Look for towns near the end of the lines.

After finding towns this way, see if they have a website. Try www.[TownName].de. Look at the website for anything of interest. Look for the words Unterkünfte, Übernachten, or Hotels and see if any have English websites.

I have used this method often to find nice, small, family run accommodations all over southern Germany.

Some specific places I would look at around Stuttgart are Tübingen, Herrenberg, and Freudenstadt. All are very pretty, small town Germany.

I agree with Lee. Tübingen is a particularly beautiful town with a breathtaking market place. Pictures of Tübingen

Mary, another city that you could visit from Stuttgart is Strasbourg, France. It's an easy train ride from Stuttgart. We're going back for a visit in September, and I'm also looking for ideas for day trips for us to take... So I'm glad someone brought up Stuttgart as a topic. Even though I spent a year there in 1997, I want to see some different cities when we go this year! I agree that the Mercedes museum would be fun. This time, we're going to try to do the Porsche factory as well. I read that you have to get it set up through your local Porsche dealer, but they didn't respond to my email. Has anyone else done this?
Mary, since you'll be visiting a local, you're lucky because she will know all the best places to go! And since she is a nanny, she'll surely know great places to go with you and your children. Enjoy your trip!

Just outside of Stuttgart is a town called Metzingen where the Hugo Boss factory is. And there's also their factory outlet center... www.OutletCity-Metzingen.com

Thank you all so much for your help. We now have an idea of our visit to Stuttgart. Does anyone have a similar suggestion for Munich? We are only there for two nights?

Thank you, I find the choices to be overwhelming.

Mary

Mary, on your way from Stuttgart to Munich you'll be passing Legoland Germany which might be of interest especially to your kids. And it's kind of educational, too, as they've rebuilt all major German sights with Lego blocks. Even those you won't be able to visit, like the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the cathedral of Cologne etc. are there. And the pirate boats there are a lot of fun to everybody as they're equipped with water pistols so you can "shoot" at the other pirate boats - who respond to that, of course.

"I would love to think we could find a quaint guest house on the outskirts of the city."

Mary---try www.weinstadt.de This is in the Remstal valley, just east of Stuttgart. It's a 15-minute ride by S-Bahn to the main Stuttgart station. There are a number of small towns along the train route. Unfortunately, the lodging part is only in German, but go to "Gast" and then "Unterkunft, Essen, und Trinken" on the right. Pick a town and it will show the possibilities---all small inns and guesthouses. The train atops at Bad Cannstadt (home of the Mercedes Museum), Fellbach, Waiblingen, Stetten, Endersbach, and Beutelsbach (I think these last 3 are all part of Weinstadt).

I'm wondering if Mary has any feedback on her stay in Stuttgart. I'll be there in late November 2008, and I haven't found anyplace that looks really interesting to stay. The best options on my list seem to be Pension am Heusteig and Flair Hotel Woertz zur Weinsteige. Can anyone help? Pensions or small family-run hotels preferred. Thanks.