Waldhotel Bergschlößchen

We dropped in spontaneously while hiking and sat out on the terrace. The place looks a little unassuming and felt quite quiet, maybe even a bit stuffy at first. But the food was fantastic, and the service was genuinely warm. Our friendly waitress checked on us often and took great care of us, even bringing extra sauce for my meat! :D We definitely brought down the average age of the other diners! :D

The food was very good, especially the beef tongue, and the staff were incredibly friendly and attentive. The owner, though, felt rather old-fashioned, much like the rooms, which were clean and tidy. After 9 pm, about 70% of the restaurant lights were turned off, and he kept looking at his watch in a way that made sure we noticed. He never actually asked us to leave, and closing time was 10 pm. On Sunday at 8 am, they sorted and loaded empty bottles and cans in the courtyard below the guest windows. That wasn’t ideal for us, since we always sleep with the windows open.

From the outside, it’s an impressive historic building with a fantastic view. It was once the best hotel for miles around. The service was friendly, and breakfast was simple but quite adequate. The rooms were clean and basic, though worn in places. The bathroom fittings are old, and you have to hold the shower head since its holder is just for show. Being next to the forest means there are lots of spiders throughout the building, at least at the end of August, so you need to be okay with that. The dried and artificial flowers could be replaced with fresh ones, and the curtains need washing. I still don’t know why there was packaged sponge cake on the buffet. A fresh cake would be cheaper and tastier. The kitchen could mix the batter in the evening and bake it in the morning along with the other prep. It would be easy. ;) If you order a cappuccino, expect instant powder mixed with water, though at least it comes with milk foam. The kitchen was already closed when I arrived, so I can’t say anything about the food. Even with only a few COVID-19 cases in Saxony, I’d have liked the posted measures, masks and hand sanitizer, to be followed. It seemed very odd to see guests walking around the building and going to the buffet without masks, and staff in the dining room weren’t always wearing them either. If you just need a bed for 1-2 nights or are visiting the adjacent rehabilitation center, you can book with confidence. For a more relaxing or luxurious stay, I’d look at Freiberg or Dresden instead.

We love coming here. The leg of lamb is highly recommended, and the tongue was incredibly tender. Everything was delicious and served in generous portions. The service was very friendly, too. For dessert, there’s ice cream with real fresh whipped cream. A real treat.