Hotel Hardtwald

The setting in the middle of the forest was beautiful, with great walking trails, and I got the peace and quiet I needed. The staff were very friendly, the bathrooms amazingly clean and the beds comfortable. The food was so good that I stayed for three extra nights. I did find it silly that I stayed two more nights when the restaurant was closed for the weekend, though. They don’t serve lunch, and there’s no restaurant nearby, which made things harder. Please check your bill when you pay. At the end of my three-night stay, there were several glasses of wine and beer we hadn’t had, two extra main courses and two extra appetizers. They’d been charged even though the restaurant wasn’t open. After a long discussion going through every beer, wine, salad and potato dish, and when we’d eaten them, my bill came down by €125. The staff were kind, but a small mistake with a beer or wine is one thing. Being overcharged €125 for restaurant items isn’t right.

There’s a green setting, a good restaurant and a straightforward breakfast. The receptionist, perhaps the owner, was friendly. The room was old-fashioned.

It was a very quiet area, so sleeping with the window open was no problem. The room was clean, and the bathroom seemed newly renovated, though it was rather small. Finding the right road in was tricky. The GPS tries to send you through the forest, but that road isn’t open to the public.

We spent just one night here during a road trip from Poland to France, and liked it enough to want to stay an extra day to explore. Rainy weather was the only reason we didn’t. We’ll definitely stay here on the way back. The hotel sits among trees, close to short trails for pleasant walks. The building brings together several periods and styles, and looks a little dated, but the rooms are clean, comfortable, spacious enough and very quiet. Every staff member we met was lovely, and we felt very safe during the pandemic. The restaurant has a small menu. We ate flamenkuchen in a pretty patio, and they were clearly homemade and delicious. Breakfast was good and hearty.