Berghotel Hoher Knochen

Berghotel Hoher Knochen sits on a hilltop in Sauerland, with wide panoramic views and a pleasant terrace at the entrance. It's a great base for hikers, with plenty of scenic trails and nature to explore. The spa has a sauna, pool, and places to relax. Some areas look dated, but they're well kept and peaceful. My single room was small and the bed a bit narrow, though the room was clean and comfortable. Breakfast stood out for its range and quality. Staff shortages were noticeable during my visit and affected service, but the staff stayed friendly and accommodating. Lunch was enjoyable: trout salad with a glass of Rivaner, fresh and balanced. The schnitzel with pfifferlingen at dinner had mostly regular mushrooms, which was a little disappointing. The bottle of Hochdörfer grüner silvaner was excellent. Overall, a pleasant stay in a quiet, beautiful setting, particularly suitable for a hiking getaway, despite the service pressures and minor food letdowns.

The hotel is good value, with large rooms, a great breakfast, and attentive staff. The food was good, though nothing extraordinary, and some amenities are showing wear. It's in lovely wooded hills with lots of hiking routes. There are plenty of things for kids, including a pool, ping pong, and an outdoor playground for little ones. Winterberg's bike park and skiing are only 11 minutes away.

We love staying here! The rooms are big and really nice, the service was so good, and everyone was incredibly kind with sweet smiles. It's not expensive either. It's a four-star hotel that feels worth five stars to us. We'll come back!

Our weekend with our six-month-old puppy, meant to show him some snow, turned into an extremely stressful experience. He was enjoying a walk when he got tangled in the hotel's completely unmarked, double-layer electric fence between the restaurant and the room entrance. It looked to me like protection for a newly laid lawn, not something carrying high voltage. The fence is meant to keep sheep in, but I don't know why the hotel needs sheep there, or why they couldn't use a wooden barrier to hide the electric fence or put up a warning sign. My dog ran through and got tangled again. We had planned to stay another day, but it was Sunday evening, so we left for an emergency vet. The vet said he had a muscle injury, gave him an injection, and told us to restrict his activity for a couple of days. Management acted as if it wasn't a big deal and couldn't even tell us the fence's voltage specifications. What if a child ran into it? Would they do nothing then, too? The hotel itself is extremely dated, with no room amenities, not even tissues, no room service or laundry service, and a miserable breakfast selection. The only hot options were bacon and eggs. I've stayed at better four-star hotels in Germany for what they charge.