Alpenvilla Berchtesgaden

Breakfast on the sun porch, looking over the valley, was sumptuous, and our room was clean, comfortable, and nicely furnished. The Wi-Fi sometimes ran slowly, but generally worked well, though we had to keep logging in. Parking was easy, with about a 150-meter walk uphill to the house. For the price, this is one of the nicest B&Bs I've stayed in. We had a large suite with a wraparound veranda, a roomy walk-in closet, and a top-notch bathroom with a multi-spray shower. Doors from the bedroom opened onto the veranda, which wraps around a corner of the building, and another set connected it to the living area. The view is breathtaking, with the valley stretching 180 degrees in front of you. You can see Berchtesgaden down to the left, and the tip of Hitler's Kehlsteinhaus high on the left, perched on the mountain. The Alps are always there, with lush green forests below their jagged peaks above the treeline. I can't recommend this hotel strongly enough.

The walk into town was pleasant, and we also walked from the hotel to the Koenigsee. I'd happily stay here again. After trying a few hotels in southern Germany, this one was the best. The owner was attentive and kind. Our room was huge and modern, with a wraparound balcony looking out over the mountains. The shower was lovely and had a steam feature, and breakfast was tasty.

The room itself was excellent, very clean, spacious, comfortable, and had gorgeous views. If I were reviewing only the accommodation, I'd give it five stars. But the owners' conduct made the trip so unpleasant that I rated the stay much lower. Email was a nightmare: confirmations and answers to questions took ages. They knew when we were arriving, but no one answered the door, phone, or email when we got there. Another couple had the same problem and gave up after waiting 15 minutes. We were booked in, so couldn't leave. We thought perhaps the owners had gone out briefly, but after about 40 minutes in the cold, calling repeatedly, someone finally opened the door. They'd been there the whole time and let us wait outside. An older gentleman showed us around and explained the accommodation in a friendly way, but he wore neither the required mask nor a visor during COVID, and nobody asked to see our vaccination passes. They didn't seem to take the situation seriously, except when it suited them. At checkout, the woman also wasn't wearing a mask. She complained about another couple arriving an hour early while I was there. She was friendly enough to me that day, but by then it was too little, too late. Breakfast was the biggest issue. After staying at many hotels during COVID, this was my worst breakfast experience. We felt like we were in a school canteen, asking for every little item behind a big plastic screen. No other hotel had done it that way. Why take those measures at breakfast if you won't show guests around without a mask? It felt inconsistent. The woman offered us an omelette only after we'd finished eating the first day. The next morning, we asked for omelettes first and were rudely told she'd come to our table later. When she did, we no longer wanted one. In the evenings we asked about nearby restaurants because there was no area information in the room. The reply was unhelpful: apparently all the restaurants wouldn't fit in an information folder. That didn't answer our question. I understand that COVID meant there wasn't a folder, but they could have suggested a few places, or simply said they didn't know. There was no need to be rude. We'd love to return because the room was gorgeous, but we won't. The owners were unhelpful and rude, and seemed unable to decide whether to ignore COVID rules or be overprotective. At breakfast, we just wanted to feel comfortable, not like we were in a school canteen.

People were very friendly and the service was excellent. They gave us great tips for getting around, and breakfast was lovely. The view is stunning, and the place makes a wonderful base for visiting the eagle's nest. Just check it's open first, since the weather plays a big part in whether it opens. We'd love to come back.