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Accommodation
HOTELS: There is a good selection of hotels in the Federal Republic of Germany and comprehensive guides can be found at the German National Tourist Office. They can also provide the German Hotel Association Guide, published by the Deutscher Hotel- und Gaststättenverband (DEHOGA), Am Weidendamm 1A, 10873 Berlin (tel: (30) 726 252/0; fax: (30) 726 252/42; e-mail: info@dehoga.de; website: www.dehoga.de). Approximately 50 per cent of establishments offering accommodation in Germany belong to the association, which can supply further information on accommodation in Germany.
A special accommodation guide for the disabled Hilfe für Behinderte is available through Bundesverband Selbsthilfe Körperbehinderter e.V (BSK), Postfach 20, 74236 Krautheim (tel: (6294) 68110; fax: (6294) 95383; website: www.bsk-ev.de). Some hotels are situated in old castles, palaces and monasteries. Alongside these are modern, comfortable hotels on well-planned and purpose-built premises. Examples of accommodation for a family on holiday is a country inn offering bed, breakfast and meals. More demanding visitors are also well catered for with medium to luxury hotels. The German hotel trade is extremely well equipped with facilities from swimming pools and saunas to exercise gyms. When touring the country with no fixed itinerary, it is obviously often difficult to make reservations in advance. Watch out for Zimmer frei (vacancies) notices by the roadside, or go to the local Tourist Office (usually called Verkehrsamt). Visitors should try to get to the town where they want to stay the night by 1600, particularly in summer.
Grading: DEHOGA (website: www.hotelsterne.de) introduced hotel grading in 1996. This follows the usual grading of 1-5 stars.
Gasthof: A ‘Gasthof’ (inn) must provide the same facilities as a hotel except for the common rooms such as a lounge, etc. 30 per cent of establishments fall into this category.
Pension: A ‘Pension’ must provide accommodation and food only for guests. It does not have to provide a restaurant for non-residents nor does it have to provide any common rooms. 16 per cent of establishments fall into this category.
Hotel Garni: Provides accommodation and breakfast only for guests. 27 cent of establishments fall into this category.
HISTORIC HOLIDAYS: Information about holidays in castles, stately mansions and historic hostelries may be obtained by contacting the National Tourist Office or by writing to European Castle, Hotels and Restaurants, Postfach 1111, 67142 Deidesheim (tel: (6326) 70000; fax: (6326) 700 022; e-mail: service@castle.de; website: www.european-castle.com).
SELF-CATERING: All-in self-catering deals are available that include sea travel to a German or other Channel port, and accommodation at the resort. The latter might be in anything from a farmhouse to a castle. Details are available from the German National Tourist Office (see Contact Addresses section).
FARMHOUSES: The booklet Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof (Holidays on the Farm) is published in conjunction with the German Agricultural Society and can be obtained from DLG-Agrartour GmbH, Eschborner Landstrasse 122, 60489 Frankfurt/M (tel: (69) 2478 8305; fax: (69) 2478 8495; e-mail: dlg-verlag@dlg-frankfurt.de; website: www.dlg-verlag.de). Regional guides on most tourist regions can also be obtained from the GermVerlag, Eschborner Landstrasse 122, 60489 Frankfurt/M (tel: (69) 2478 8451; fax: (69) 2478 8480; e-mail: dlg-verlag@dlg-frankfurt.de; website: www.dlg-verlag.de or www.landtourismus.de); Agrartour GmbH offers agricultural studies. For more information, contact the German National Tourist Office. All aforementioned booklets are published in German only. A basic knowledge of German will be required for such a holiday. A catalogue with addresses for the whole of the country, can be ordered from Landschriften-Verlag GmbH, Landferien Tourist Center, Zentrale für den Landurlaub, Heerstrasse 73, 53111 Bonn (tel: (228) 963 020; fax: (228) 963 0233; e-mail: info@bauernhofurlaub.com; website: www.bauernhofurlaub.com).
YOUTH HOSTELS: There are 640 youth hostels throughout both eastern and western Germany. They are open to members of any Youth Hostel Association affiliated to the International Youth Hostel Association. Membership can be obtained from the YHA or Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk (German Youth Hostel Organisation), Bismarckstrasse 8, 32756 Detmold (tel: (5231) 74010; fax: (5231) 740 174; e-mail: service@djh.de; website: www.djh.de). Reservation is advised during the high season (and throughout the year in major cities).
CAMPING/CARAVANNING: There are well over 2500 campsites in the Federal Republic of Germany. They are generally open from April to October, but 400 sites, mostly in winter sports areas, stay open in the winter and have all necessary facilities. (Campsites in the eastern part of the country are of a very basic standard.) The permission of the proprietor and/or the local police must always be sought before camp is pitched anywhere other than a recognised campsite. It is not normally possible to make advance reservations on campsites. A free map/folder giving details of several hundred selected campsites throughout the country is available from the German National Tourist Board. The German Camping Club publishes a camping guide of the best sites in Germany; contact Deutscher Camping-Club (DCC), Mandlstrasse 28, 80802 Munich (tel: (89) 380 1420; fax: (89) 334 737; e-mail: info@camping-club.de; website: www.camping-club.de). The AA Guide to Camping and Caravanning on the Continent lists nearly 2000 European campsites, including a large section on Germany.
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