Herberge Burg Hohnstein

The courtyard was a pleasant spot to sit and rest, and there was a cafe with a decent Wi-Fi connection. We came to see the castle as a historic site rather than as a hotel, and it made quite an impression. Tourists can’t enter every room, but a few are open, including a chamber with a historical exhibit. The large tower was open too, with a great view from the top.

The climb up to the fort takes you past several viewpoints with views over the valley, and you can go up the tower too. There are free bathrooms and a café. Entry is free, though leaving a donation at the gate seems well worthwhile. It’s a walk from the town square, so being in decent shape helps. I didn’t stay at the hotel.

The setting is hard to beat, with views you don’t get in many places. But the service was poor, and there was no internet in our hotel room, so we had to go to the pub or near reception to get online. When we went to the pub for a drink, we waited at the counter for 10 minutes without anyone to serve us. I understand they were short-staffed and busy in the kitchen, but it was still frustrating. For the price, this wasn’t what I expected from a hotel. At reception, the woman spoke only German. That wouldn’t normally be a big problem since translation apps can help, but she didn’t give us time to use one and kept talking even though she could see we didn’t understand. Asking her to repeat things was difficult too. Our room was a couple of streets away, so luckily we’d opened the app when she started explaining the directions. I’m referring to the hotel in this review, not the youth hotel.

It’s a peaceful place for a holiday, and it could also work for a prayer retreat. The scenery is beautiful all around, the buffet food was delicious and nicely laid out, and the water in the swimming area was clean.