Hotel und Weingut Karlsmuhle - Trier, Germany 

Having arrived in a very busy and noisy Trier in need of a night's accommodation, we looked at a couple of hotels in the city but weren't impressed by what we saw so we headed to the Tourist Information Office where we made the reservation to stay at this hotel. The hotel was only a few minutes' drive from the city centre but its rural location gave the feeling that it was much further away. And it was a pleasant relief to get away from the bustle of Trier. The hotel looked lovely from the outside and didn't disappoint on the inside. Our room was clean and comfortable and we had a lovely view overlooking the water wheel, ducks and trout ponds. My only concern was that we might have to venture back into Trier to eat, however this wasn't necessary as the hotel's menu was more varied than most we had seen during our trip. We chose to eat in the restaurant where we received good service, but there was also the option of eating outside on the vine covered terrace. Having enjoyed the breakfast the following morning (again a good selection), we reluctantly checked out, regretting that we did not have sufficient time to stay for at least one more night.

Typical German hotel of its type. Set at the bottom of a valley, we had Sat Nav, otherwise I think we may have been driving around a bit to find it. Hotel owners and staff very friendly went out of their way to ensure you felt welcome. Rooms of a 3 star rate, very clean, it was a little cold when we arrived, however by turning on the radiator in the room it soon warmed up. The view from the hotel balcony was peacefull, overlooking the trout ponds and the resident geese. The wildlife was there to see just by admiring the views over the gardens with a backdrop of the steep vineyards. The food was of a very high quality and plenty of it ( I can certainly recommend the trout). Breakfast was well presented and again plenty to choose from. If by any chance you are around in the afternoon the staff will serve you coffee and cake - delicious. There are a walks nearby on good paths into the nearest village which has a tourist information site. We decided to use the local bus service to go into Trier to save the worry of finding parking spaces. They run frequently every half hour information from tourist information, but try to avoid returning around 3.30 as this is when the high school turns out and they want to catch the bus home. We stayed 2 nights previously booked, wished we had stayed longer. I imagine this will be lovely in the summer, when you can sit outdoors. The hotel has a programme to entertain the locals & guests on various Wednesdays, as our second night was a Wednesday, this meant a full house with standing room only . Advise you book place in restaurant if your there when this is happening.