Villa Hammerschmiede Hotel & Restaurant

We only stayed one night while on a driving tour, and dinner was a real highlight. The food was very good, and the friendly, engaging Irish restaurant manager helped us choose from a fabulous range of German wines by the glass. I’m embarrassed that I can’t remember their name. The rooms and décor may be a little dated, but the hotel has a lovely, quirky charm. Definitely worth a visit.

After walking through the woods in the Pfinz valley from home, we had a lovely lunch here with friends visiting from abroad. The cooking was excellent, the service warm and familiar, and it’s a nice place to sit in that old factory director’s villa restaurant.

Dinner was delicious, and the restaurant staff were accommodating with the children. My steak was cooked just right, and the crème brûlée had a great top, not burnt or bitter like it can sometimes be. The waiter did seem a little rushed or stressed, though. When we arrived, reception made us feel at home straight away. After a long drive with our small baby, we were exhausted, and they even moved the car to the parking garage for us. Our room was clean and spacious, with lovely Molton Brown toiletries, and they were able to provide a crib for our daughter.

The pool, grounds, and buildings are beautiful, and our room was spacious and comfortable. But the inside feels in need of renovation, and the staffing and cleaning problems were hard to miss. Breakfast was a letdown too. It seemed like just one or two employees were trying to handle everything. Maybe it’s a sign of the times, but the other hotels on our trip didn’t have problems to this extent. The place could use an angel investor, new management, or something. I wanted to love it, as I do most places, but I can’t quite recommend it. The whole place reminded me of an aging movie star watching her own films alone in a luxurious, dark theater.