Der Ritterhof Inn

The biggest letdown was the bait and switch on the website. We went to the official Alpine Rivers Inn site to book directly, expecting a scenic, quiet spot by the river, near enough to Leavenworth but away from its lights and bustle. We used the phone number at the bottom of the page and clicked the reservation button. When we got there, the office was locked and empty, and the room number we'd been given didn't match any door. After calling again, we learned our reservation was actually at a sister property in town, looking out onto muddy grass and a tractor. That property has a separate website, and neither site says they're related or that they share a reservation number. Nobody apologized, and we were too tired to argue. Breakfast was disappointing: rubbery eggs, waffles still raw in the middle, and the limited spread you'd expect at a budget chain motel. The room had a fridge and coffee maker but no microwave. It looked clean, though an ultraviolet flashlight suggested otherwise. The chairs had cracking vinyl, the tub needed refinishing, and the shower swung between too hot and too cold every few seconds. We didn't sleep well. With the thermostat set to 68, the heat made the room too hot, trucks were backing up outside early in the morning, and the sheets and pillowcases felt rough.

The hotel says the power outage lasted from December 10-13. We were there for less than six hours without electricity or heat, but the hotel kept the full payment and submitted statements I say are inaccurate. I waited to post until my disputes with Hotels.com and my credit card company were finished. Even with the evidence I provided, the decision went in the hotel's favor. I've emailed four times without a response and called repeatedly to ask for a manager, but I keep being told nobody is available and someone will call back. I checked in at Der Ritterhof Inn on December 10, 2025 at 3:31 p.m. for two nights, paying $734.12 plus a pet fee. Shortly afterward, the whole town of Leavenworth lost power. I went to the front desk around 4:00 p.m. and again at 7:15 p.m. for updates. First they thought power might return between 8-9 p.m.; later, they had no restoration estimate. With no power, no heat, and virtually no food options, we decided at 7:15 p.m. to drive home to the Seattle area. Road closures made the trip nearly four hours, and we got home at 12:50 a.m. I told the front desk we were leaving. They said they couldn't check us out during the outage and asked me to follow up once power returned. I booked through Hotels.com, and the hotel told me to request a refund there. Hotels.com said the hotel had charged me directly and only the hotel could refund me. After going back and forth, I was told to ask Hotels.com for a refund waiver so the hotel could approve it. The hotel denied the waiver and disputed my credit card claim. The General Manager, Sheila Sanchez, said I had stayed and used the room both nights, returned on December 11 around 10:00 a.m., came back on December 12 asking for a free stay, and threatened to write a bad review and call my bank. None of that is true. I have time-stamped Ring footage, receipts from businesses more than 150 miles away, and photos showing I was home in the Seattle area on December 11 and 12. I even have Ring footage of myself walking my dog at the exact time Sheila says I was in the hotel lobby. I couldn't have been in both places at once. What I can't accept is being misrepresented and accused of things I didn't do instead of receiving a fair refund for a room we couldn't use. Power outages happen. Making false claims about a guest to avoid a refund doesn't. If management had handled this honestly and professionally, I wouldn't be writing this. I can't recommend staying here.

The Inn was just fine, somewhere in the middle. Our room did what we needed, and breakfast was like a work trip buffet, maybe a step or two above continental. It gave us enough fuel before a day of wine and bratwurst. For a better morning meal, Argonaut Coffee & Biscuits is the place to go. We came to Der Ritterhof Inn for a delayed Christmas weekend. Leavenworth felt like a Hallmark movie, with Bavarian-style buildings, snowy mountains, and twinkle lights. The only snow we saw came the morning we had to leave. We shopped in the village, wine tasted like pros, ate schnitzel and pretzels, and heckled the horse carriage riders as they passed because we were too cheap to pay for a ride. We were rooting for their finances, of course. It was a great weekend with good memories, even if the snow timing was questionable. I'd come back, but next time I'll schedule the snow in advance.

Being able to walk to the main part of town was the one real plus. Our lower-level room had a king bed, but it was dark, dated, and smelled strongly musty. The towels smelled bad as well, and we could hear neighbors on every side and above because the walls seemed thin. Breakfast pastries were stale both mornings. The photos looked like they might be 20 years old, and I was very disappointed. They also made me sign twice to acknowledge the room price, which I'd never had to do in all my travels, even though I already knew the rate when I booked. For what it costs, I wouldn't recommend this hotel.