In this Blog series I have some cool and unique places for you to visit in Germany.
In Part 1…..
I will not introduce you to the famous TV-set of “Wirtshaus im Spessart”, however to an amazing treehouse hotel in the same region.
Afterwards we have a look at a Lüneburger Heide Hotel tucked in between a mystic moor landscape and vaste areas of blooming heather.
In Part 2…..
We are coming to the picturesque medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where chills will run down your spine while exploring ancient torture methods. On a more cheerful side we will also meet Santa at the Christmas Village.
Closing in with a relaxing and vitalizing stay at the Biohotel Schlossgut Oberambach at the shores of the “Bavarian Sea”. In this beautiful Eco-Hotel you can spend a healthy and active vacation.
# Baumhaus Hotel Seemühle
This eco-friendly jewel can be found amid the dense woods of the Spessart Forest. You can experience nature up close from the terrace of your wooden treehouse. A very unique and unforgettable experience.
Once your navigation has led you to the entrance gate a world of childhood dreams will open up for you. Cars have to park in front of the main building in which the reception is allocated. From here you will have to make your way on foot to your assigned treehouse. So ladies, don´t bring much luggage with you or alternatively a strong guy to pull your belongings on a ladder car (they are available at the reception).
In total you have a choice of 10 different treehouses plus a shepherd´s wagon, 3 apartments and a whole small cottage called the witch house.
We stayed at the “Chalet” Treehouse. All treehouses are equipped with a bathroom, shower, heater and all further amenities you would have in a normal hotel room. Some of the cottages have hanging beds, which can be fixed if moving around at night is not your thing. In others you have additional bed spaces under the roof, which would be ideal for families.
My recommendation for you would be the “Chateau” or “Stadl” treehouse, as these structures are literally wrapped around the tree and therefore give the maximum treehouse feel. Here is a slideshow of some cottages.
Breakfast is usually served in the mill house building.
However as we visited during Corona time we could enjoy the luxury of a breakfast basket served to our door. As the weather was nice, we enjoyed a lovely outdoor breakfast on our terrace.
For your relaxation the hotel offers a small sauna and a natural swimming pond.
At the Seemühle Treehouse Hotel only breakfast is served. There is no restaurant on the compound for a proper lunch or dinner. However there is an option to order a cold snack plate with local specialities ("Fränkische Brotzeit") inclusive of drinks or a coffee and cake package. In non-Corona times this will be served in a small kind of barn or you can order it directly to your treehouse otherwise.
There are some small villages around, where you can find restaurants to still your hunger. In the “Baumbuch” (guest manual) that you can find in your room you will have several restaurant recommendations. It can be a bit tricky with these restaurants as some of them are quite far away and have different opening times. So check out their websites or better call before you go. We tried the Saaletalstuben (www.saaletalstuben.de), which is just a 5-minutes drive away from the hotel. You can indulge in rustic German food with great portions and good quality.
So what to do during day time? Well, all activities here are nature based. You can go for example on endless trails through the forests around. The hotel staff is keen to recommend some routes according to your fitness level and interests. Right behind the hotel you can do a mini-hike to a small waterfall.
Otherwise you can rent a bike for some cycling along the Saale river or explore the villages and sites around by car. For more information what to do in the region check out www.spessart-mainland.de
# Lüneburger Heide
Is a beautiful nature reserve not far away from Hamburg. Mainly popular for its huge land of heather, especially during the bloosom season. The peak of this season varies a bit every year, but main time to see this nature spectacle would be August to early September.
In the whole area you can find lots of accommodation options starting from small B&B´s over common hotels to picturesque countryside hotels. My top choice for a country-styled hotel would be the Tütsberg Hof (www.tuetsberg.de). The hotel complex is surrounded by a beautiful heather and forest landscape. A perfect place to relax and unplug as pure tranquility will await you here. All horse lovers will be delighted with the hotel stable. It´s a perfect option to explore the beautiful nature on a horseback. If you are not staying at the hotel at least the visit to their excellent restaurant is highly recommended. During summer you can take your seat in the beautiful outdoor area. Their lamb dishes are divine.
We however were staying at the Hotel Schäferhof (www.naturhotel-schneverdingen.de), which is centrally located at the outskirts of the small town of Schneverdingen. It is also a nicely looking countryside hotel, but is less remote than the Tütsberg Hof. The main road, which is just beside the hotel, is a minus in that aspect.
Room was big and lately renovated, however without a proper WiFi connection and quite old-fashioned.
Although they have a beautifully decorated historic restaurant, their service and menu was a big disappointment. The majority of dishes was already finished when we visited, although it was at a normal dinner time. Their explanation was that they had a large group already over lunch. It is actually true that the Schäferhof is popular for larger bus groups. So we just ordered two tomato soups and were quite shocked when we saw the bill later on. They charged for few slices of thin and old bread (which we have asked in addition as nothing was given with the soup) 4,- EUR!! And keep in mind - we were inhouse-guests faced with an empty menu…..a good guest service looks different I would say!
Breakfast buffet on the opposite was very nice and with a large variety, however also here I must add some criticism as not all hygienic measures in terms of Covid-19 were followed properly. Only after we have commented on that, the very nice owner of the hotel did some adjustments.
So in general our stay for 2 nights was totally fine, however for a next visit to this region I would choose another hotel.
Two places that are not to be missed on a visit to the Lüneburger Heide:
One is the fascinating Pietzmoor. Especially during the early morning hours or at dawn the picturesque moorland is a must-see. On foggy days a mystical and almost scary scenery will await you.
The one-hour Pietzmoor trail starts right behind the Hotel Schäferhof. It´s an easy walk that goes partially over a wooden boardwalk.
The second must-see place is the Heidedorf Wilsede. Although it is a remote and car-free village in the middle of the heatherland, you can be certain that you will never walk alone due to its popularity. Especially in the main season hordes of bus tourists will be driven here.
Nevertheless this village is so picturesque and cute that I still would recommend the visit. You can park your car in Undeloh and take a 30-minute walk from here to Wilsede. Alternatively you can jump on one of the horse-drawn carriages.
In the village you can just walk around to see the historic houses. Some of them are open to the public inclusive of a small museum. Afterwards have a seat in one of the two restaurants for a snack or proper meal.
From the village you can embark on some interesting trails as well. One nice walk would be to the “Totengrund”. After 1 km you will reach the edge of a plateau overlooking an amazing valley. During blossom time this is one of the best spots to get an out-of-this-world picture from the heather in all its colours. But also outside of the season a visit will be rewarded with spectacular views.
Another nice viewing spot lies in the opposite direction – the Wilseder Berg, which is also the highest spot of the Lüneburger Heide. On clear days you can see as far as Hamburg.
If you want more information on hiking check out www.heidschnuckenweg.de – all details on the 223 km long hiking trail through the Lüneburger Heide are given on the site. You can either just choose some parts of the trail for daily excursions or go for the complete one. On the website you can also find information about accommodation options along the way and the option that your luggage gets carried for you.
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