Forellenhof Rössle - Hotel & Restaurant

That balcony walkway and the outdoor dining area both have lovely views of the castle. It was too cold to eat outside, but I sat on the terrace with my coffee and imagined what it might be like to live in a castle. The hotel worked out really well for visiting Schloss Lichtenstein: there’s a fairytale-like hiking trail up to it that takes about 45 minutes. We found the hotel very nice, with roomy rooms and comfortable beds after an afternoon outdoors. The restaurant fit us in without a reservation and had plenty of tasty choices. I’d recommend staying here in Honau for the castle visit, or even just for those magical views.

My colleague suggested this place ages ago, and I finally made it there. The fish and vegetables were cooked just right, and the cream potatoes were amazing. I was really impressed and will definitely come back.

The restaurant is a real plus, with very good fresh food and breakfast. The hotel itself is partly new and partly recently renovated, and feels like a good 4-star standard. The new building sits across a fairly busy road. There’s no air conditioning, so it could get hot in summer, but opening the windows brings in the traffic noise. There’s no bar or lounge to sit in after dinner, and no option to order a drink if you’re staying there. The spa is basically a sauna and a roof terrace for resting afterward. The terrace can get really hot in the sun, and there are only 3-4 places to sit outside. Massages and other beauty treatments are available, though the only massage therapist I saw was a man, so I didn’t try one. The changing room is tiny and has no privacy. Men and women share it, including the single shower, where a curtain is the only cover. Service is nowhere near acceptable for a 4-star hotel and really depends on who you meet. Some staff are kind, others come close to rude. It might work for a quick 1-2 night stay, but I wouldn’t recommend it for longer.

This isn’t a fancy place or setting, but the family owners have clearly put quality and natural materials first, and they’ve kept improving things between our visits. We first stayed at the Forellenhof over 20 years ago. The rooms are simple, thoughtfully designed, and nicely furnished, and there’s now a spa and a great gourmet shop. The restaurant has always done excellent fish and meat, and now has terrific vegetarian and vegan options too. At breakfast, they give you daily tips for things to do nearby, in both English and German. The area is great for hiking, e-biking, and enjoying nature.