Of the two hotels we booked in Germany, Alt-Ringlein was my favorite. It was old and picturesque with heavy dark beams lining the ceilings and halls. We took a tiny elevator and then twisted and turned down at least 3 hallways before we arrived at our room. Our circuitous route made it clear that we were entering into a building that had been constructed hundreds of years ago, addition by addition. It was fantastic.
Location
A big draw to Bamberg is Schlenkerla, a 600-year-old brewery that makes legendary smoked beer. Alt-Ringlein is directly across the street, and right down the hill from Bamberger Dom and Neue Rezedinz. It’s a short walk from the famous Altes Rathaus, the famous city hall located on the river.
This hotel is in the perfect location, that is, if you don’t mind the hum of a crowd in the street until 2 or 3 AM. I was honestly so tired from traveling that I let the noise lull me to sleep, but if you’re a light sleeper you can choose a hotel a little farther away from Schlenkerla. There are a lot of good options across the river. Hotel Am-Dom, less than a block away is still quieter, my sister and brother-in-law, who stayed there, report.
The room we stayed in was very spacious, warm, and cozy, especially for the age of the building. We had a queen-sized bed with nightstands, two chairs, armoire, minibar, and table. The bathroom was the biggest one of the whole trip. The chairs and armoire, seen above, had a certain German charm to their decorative yet simple construction.
The concierge was ready to check us in even though we arrived after dark. The included, self-serve breakfast was very good, and the breakfast area had plenty of seating. We met a friendly older couple, also from San Diego County, who were bicycling across Bavaria. Can you imagine the beautiful ride?
The hotel’s restaurant, detailed by Doug in The Voyageer’s last post, was fantastic. The prices were fair and the service was very attentive, even though we were one of the last parties dining. Tired of heavy Bavarian food, I admit that I skipped the pork shoulder and ordered a salad and baked potato, which really hit the spot.
