Campingplatz Bostalsee

The area around the campsite is lovely, with lots to do, though shops are about a 15-minute drive away. The layout has a north and south side, divided into named streets. The north is terraced for tents, while the south is mostly permanent pitches and campers or caravans. There’s also a small tent field called tall der buffels, where we stayed. Facilities were kept fairly clean, but you need a special card to use them. I found that awkward, and both kids lost a card with a €10 deposit. One card also opened the car gate. Luckily, one turned up and was returned to reception. It was very busy and a bit chaotic over the weekend. There were no fixed quiet spots, music, and young kids running around noisily until midnight. Most people left on Sunday afternoon. It had more of a youth-camping feel than we were looking for. WiFi at our pitch was pretty marginal.

The people living there permanently were all really friendly, and there was plenty of room for kids to run around. The playgrounds had a good variety, there’s a great Greek restaurant on site, and all the trees made it feel a bit like wild camping. Robert, the employee, was cheerful and helpful even when busy, and always seemed glad to chat with guests. We rented a caravan from the camping Platz on our first visit. It was great, though it stayed in the shade and we missed out on direct autumn sun. The campground is right beside a fantastic lake, and we’ll definitely return. One thing to plan around: the barrier is closed from 1 to 3 pm, so arrive outside those hours if you want to drive straight to your rental.

There was no atmosphere, and the place felt strange and unsafe to me, so I didn’t stay. It’s a huge campground, but old and ugly, with lots of rules. Not being able to enter between 13:00 and 15:00 felt ridiculous. I wouldn’t recommend it.

The toilets and showers were a big plus, as were the restaurant and how close the site is to the rally service park. The rest was frustrating. During ADAC Rallye, reception didn’t open until 8, even though I wanted to check out at 4. Opening hours are poor generally, and there were no extra employees during rally week. I wasn’t allowed to park beside my tent despite paying for the lot, and the tent pitch was on stones. You need a key for electricity and a transponder to get out. It was hard to communicate with staff without German. They really should be more flexible during a World Rally event. The nightguards were unfriendly and used a torch.