Hotels Recommended
My husband and I had a walk through Steyr, Austria, last spring on a Sunday when it was nearly deserted. The buildings were so interesting and the walk back from the rivers to the Church was delightful.
The Wachau-Danube drive was, we agree, wonderful, as was the Abbey at Melk. We stayed in Dürnstein at Gasthof Blondel (A-3601 Dürnstein, telephone 02711/253), which is much more charming than Schloss Dürnstein, and took day trips to Vienna via train from Krems. They had delicious food and were gracious hosts. We really heartily recommend it.
We also agree that Swissair and the Zürich airport are the best. Next time you fly into Zürich, do stay at the Rote Rose (phone 01/85 31013, fax 01/85 31 559) in Regensberg and eat at the Restaurant Krone. Undoubtedly you know about this delightful little village but if you haven't stayed at the Rote Rose you're missing a real treat! It is very close to the airport and a wonderfully peaceful place to have jet lag.
When we go to Lake Constance next May we might stay in Stein. Do you have any recommendations for moderately priced places there?
If your latest trip included Lake Constance we hope to soon read more of what to see and do there.
We are always eager to hear more about the small, rural, charming, comfortable places you visit. Pension Heim in Seeg (Gemütlichkeit, April 1992) was our idea of the ideal place to stay in Europe and we too prefer a "Gasthof Hirsch" (Gemütlichkeit, April 1992) dinner most nights with a once a week splurge at a "Krone".
Caroline Jordan,
San Rafael CA
P.S. Grossglockner and its glacier—YES!!!
(Sometime this year we will report on the Lake Constance region. In Stein am Rhein try Hotel Rheinfels, ph. 054/41 21 44, fax 054/41 25 22, on the river. Ed.)
Limberg an der Lahn
As a subscriber working/living in Budapest and Prague, I always look forward to your publication. Because I travel frequently, I am able to visit some of the places reviewed. I have a recommendation for you.
I recently spent four days in Limberg an der Lahn, 70 kilometers northwest of Frankfurt, off the A3 Autobahn. The old town has many nice shops and it overlooks the large Dom. I stayed at the Dom-Hotel (Grabenstrasse 57, D-65549, telephone 06431/24077, fax 06431/6856) which was comfortable. Check this town out.
Edward Raether,
Budapest
Black Forest Hotel
Have just returned from a trip that included the Black Forest where we stayed at Zur Blume Gasthaus (D-7612 Haslach-Schnellingen, telephone 07832/23 82) and found the family Franz Josef Moser so very accommodating. The food was outstanding and the Jehle Export vom fass delightful. We will return to Zur Blume, not only for good beer and food, but to enjoy gemütlichkeit engendered by this very considerate German family.
Erskine Havens,
Hendersonville, TN
More on Steyr
I was delighted to find your latest issue, highlighting Steyr, among my mail upon returning from a very brief trip to Europe. For some time, Steyr has been one of the smaller communities used as a destination in our "Imperial Austria" program. (You may recall it operates on a hub and spoke basis and focuses on the over-55 market.) In addition to Steyr's Altstadt, the town has a fascinating area along the Wehrgraben canal which should attract those interested in industrial archeology. For 500 years, the canal has supplied water power for various types of mills. In the industrial revolution in the mid-1800s, factories, precursors of the Steyrwerks, grew up. Today, there is an active move toward restoration, including a Museum of Industrial Work. It is possible to tour many of the old areas including early social housing. Unfortunately, particularly for younger German-speaking visitors, anything related to armaments has a very negative context. Although Steyr should be proud of the history of this area, we have found tourist office guides quite reluctant to show it.
Steyr is an excellent center for day trips, some of which are listed in the enclosed leaflet, such as the abbeys of St Florian and Kremsmünster, the Steyrtal steam railway, and even excursions into Bohemia. We agree with your hotel evaluations, preferring the Hotel Mäder to the Minichmayr for accommodations, perhaps the reverse for cuisine. The Mäder is a little difficult for older people since the rooms ramble over several buildings. Some are a delight; others are quite pedestrian. The only elevator is a service lift at the rear.
Name withheld
May 1994
