Hotels in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern offers accommodations that range from private rooms to castle suites. The least expensive are in private homes, especially in the countryside, starting at about $12 per person, with breakfast. Boathouses in the Lake District cost as little as $24 per night. Contact any of the tourism agencies for more information.

Hotel Speicher am Ziegelsee Schwerin
Sorat Hotels has transformed a run-down, 60-year-old grain silo at an old port into a modern, comfortable, peaceful hotel.

Located directly on the Ziegelsee, the Speicher is about a 15-minute walk or five-minute drive from downtown, giving a sense of distance, but not isolation. Inside, it has retained much of the wood and brick features of the original structure. Off the lobby, an open fireplace adds a cozy touch. The hotel opened in 1998 and the entire facility is spotless.

In guestrooms, angled walls lend themselves to large windows and lots of sunlight. Decor is in warm tones using such natural elements as leather, rattan and cotton. For a $10 difference per night, it's worth it to get a lake view.

From the waterfront, guests can board one of the boats of the Weisse Flotte for a lake excursion.

The Speicher offers a "Wellness" area with steambath and Finnish sauna, as well as its Restaurant Aurum, specializing in regional cuisine.

Though the immediate area is somewhat run-down, it's safe and on the way up.

Daily Rates: Singles €64 to 90, doubles €80 to 100. Approx. 10% off for AAA and AARP. Free parking, reasonable disabled access.
Contact: Sorat Hotel Speicher am Ziegelsee Schwerin, Speicherstrasse 11, D-19055 Schwerin, tel. +49/0385 500 30, fax 500 31 11, email speicher-schwerin@sorat-hotels.com, web http://www.speicher-hotel.de/
Rating: Quality 14/20, Value 15/20

Hospiz am Pfaffenteich
Renovated in 1992, this family-run hotel is typical of the region's many inexpensive alternatives. What these accommodations lack in luxury, they make up for in personal attention.

Guestrooms look out over the Pfaffenteich, and the hotel is across the street from the ferry landing, making it a short boat-ride and five-minute walk to the train station. The Altstadt is 15 minutes away on foot.

The Hospiz may not have the latest in furnishings, but it is comfortable and has the usual amenities. Ask for one of the balcony rooms when you reserve; they seem larger and offer delightful water views.
Daily Rates: Singles €36 - 40, doubles €65 to 66.50.
Contact: Gausstr. 19, D-19055 Schwerin, tel. +49/0385/56 56 06, fax 56 96 13, email: Haus-am-Pfaffenteich-SN@online.de web: www.hospiz-am-pfaffenteich.m-vp.de. On-street parking, difficult disabled access.
Rating: Quality 11/20, Value 15/20

Golf- and Wellnesshotel Schloss Teschow (Editor's Choice)
Here's a hotel that almost guarantees you'll leave rested and stress-free even when you see the bill.

Nestled in the rolling hills, meadows and woodlands of Mecklenburg Switzerland, Schloss Teschow is a delightful retreat, a renovated classical-style castle completed in 1824. Opened as a hotel in 2001, it has a friendly staff that loves to pamper. Guests seeking a stress reprieve can hike or bike in the countryside, sweat it out in the sauna, or simply read a book by the indoor-outdoor saltwater pool. Physiotherapists stand by to provide sport massage and there are a wide variety of spa treatments for both men and women.

More interested in golf than wellness? No problem. The hotel's 18- and nine-hole courses are rated among the top 50 in the country.

Most visitors, of course, come simply to relax or explore. A 20-acre park and some of the region's most beautiful countryside surrounds the castle.

Others come to eat, and the hotel has four restaurants, including Thai, French and regional. Each offers the opportunity to dine on the terrace that overlooks pastures, woods and - in the distance - Teterow Lake. At night, the terrace provides a perfect vantage point for the sunset, as candles flicker on the walls.

Guests arrive along a tree-lined boulevard and up a crescent, cobblestone drive to the entrance. Inside, marble floors, rich red and teal carpets, and pedestals with rose-filled vases in full bloom seem to say, "Relax."

Guestsrooms are alike only in their use of colors and motifs designed to soothe and calm. The castle itself has 17 rooms, while the new wing has 77. Note that castle rooms do not have elevator service.

Room Number 197 in the castle is typical. The original wood beams are exposed, and furnishings include a king-size bed, love seat and two matching chairs. The view is to the lake, past stands of trees and grazing horses. In the evening, the only sound comes from the birds and, as sun sets, from crickets.

The best value perhaps is Number 491 in the new wing overlooking the courtyard. At 335 square feet, it's the smallest room but not confining. And the price is a bargain at about $90 for two, including breakfast.

Many repeat guests request Number 233, with its bright skylight and view of the park and lake. It can also connect to the next room as a suite. For those travelling with children, Number 421 has a kitchenette and small side room for children to play and sleep.
Daily Rates: Singles €80 to 175, doubles €98 - 200. Free parking, easy disabled access.
Contact: Golf- und Wellnesshotel Schloss Teschow, Gutshofallee 1, D-17166 Teschow, tel. +49/03996/14 0-0, fax 14 0 -100, email: info@schloss-teschow.de, web: www.schloss-teschow.de.
Rating: Quality 16/20, Value 17/20

Burg Schlitz
In the heart of Mecklenburg Switzerland, the classically-styled Burg Schlitz lies hidden in a deeply wooded landscaped park. It's just a short ride up a gravel road to the castle's entrance, where one might expect the Count von Schlitz to emerge to greet guests but the good count died more than 100 years ago and the estate's restoration wasn't quite that extensive.

Unlike many castle hotels, Burg Schlitz strives to give its guests a sense of castle life. Rooms and suites are in the east and west wings, where the count and his family once lived. The Knight's Hall - with its Gothic dome, stained glass, stucco ceilings and parquet floor - is today an award-winning restaurant. The rest of the castle does nothing to alert guests that the 21st century has arrived.

The idyllic Schlosspark has been tended well over the past 150 years and is a wonderful refuge for guests. It's a restful walk from the Karolinenkapelle (chapel) adjacent to the hotel to the Luisenteig (pond). The hotel will even provide picnic lunches and a blanket.

Each guestroom is different and filled with antiques and custom-made furniture. Floors are oiled hardwood, and colored silk and other fabrics enhance the color scheme. For those with royal budgets (about $435 a night), the Grafensuite has its own work room, salon, bedroom, walk-in closet, bath with separate tub and shower, and gilded ceiling. More economical ($180) double rooms include Number 28, with a view of the park; and Number 31 on the top floor, with a view to the Karolinenkapelle. Doubles have a dressing room or walk-in closet. All rooms have VCRs, CD players.

Considering its setting and the overall experience, Burg Schlitz - though expensive for this region - is a bargain.
Daily Rates: Singles €160 to 180, doubles €210 to 250. Free parking, difficult disabled access.
Contact: 2000 Schlosshotel Burg Schlitz, D-17166 Hohen Demzin-Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, tel. +49/ 039 96/12 70 0, fax 12 70 70, email: info@burg-schlitz.de web: www.burg-schlitz.de 
Rating: Quality 17/20, Value 16/20