A couple of days ago, I asked Bill if he’d like to go out for lunch sometime over the weekend. He said he would, and immediately started looking for a place for us to go. He was hoping to find a new venue, rather than going to our tried and true favorites in Wiesbaden. After some searching, Bill found a spot at the Hofgut Laubenheimer Höhe, a popular wedding venue and restaurant near Mainz.
This week, in addition to their popular brunch buffet, the restaurant was also offering a goose meal that was served family style. Bill worried that I wouldn’t be interested, but I was game to try it. So he booked us a 1:00 reservation, and off we went.
The Hofgut Laubenheimer offers beautiful views off the hilltop. A lot of people were at the restaurant today, enjoying good food and service, as well as ice skating on the temporary rink behind the restaurant. Parking was in short supply. Bill ended up letting me out by the door and parking the car in a nearby muddy field. We had some rain and sleet today, before the sun came out briefly.
The pace of our lunch was leisurely, and we enjoyed a nice local Riesling to go with the goose with all the trimmings– potato dumplings, red cabbage, and roasted chestnuts, along with fresh bread, ham, and Schmalz. Below are some photos…
Roasted goose with red cabbage, potato dumplings, chestnuts, and gravy.Fluffy pancakes with stewed plums.Tiramisu with fried apples
I noticed that the restaurant doesn’t get the best reviews or ratings on Google, but we had a good experience there. Not only was the service kind and professional, and the food tasty and plentiful, but the clientele was also very pleasant. And the prices were pretty reasonable, too, especially for the wine, which was about 35 euros. My only observation is that the ladies room could have used some attention. But I also recognize that it was very busy there, today, and it’s likely that the restaurant is short staffed, as a lot of German restaurants seem to be these days.
On our way out, a lady asked me in German where the elevator was. I didn’t know, and much my shame, said so in English. Then, Bill tried to climb a bank to get to the car and ended up slipping and falling. I waited for him to come around, because I was wearing a new sweater that I didn’t want to get muddy if I fell down.
I’m glad we went out today, even though I was a bit tempted to cancel and stay home. We did have some hail briefly this afternoon, as well as some rain. But once we got out of the house, I was happy to be out, and I really did like the restaurant, with its charming and cozy ambiance. The buffet looked really good. I was eyeing the salmon they had. I’m sure Bill would have loved to have tried the cheese.
We were even reminded of an experience we had when we used to live near Stuttgart. It was a German buffet— very crowded and obnoxious. But it was fun for us, because we ended up sharing a table with three young guys who were taking full advantage of the buffet style of dining! What they had at the Laubenheimer was definitely better looking and more upscale than the first German buffet we went to, several years ago.
We came home with leftovers, and probably won’t need to eat again for the rest of the night!
When we got home, we found the customary Christmas goodies from our landlord and his wife– three bottles of wine, chocolate, and a very nice card with a Christmas ornament. It’s so nice to have thoughtful landlords! Bill gave him some bubbles and chocolate with a big bottle of Tylenol. Our landlord says he can’t easily get that on the German market, and he likes it best for pain relief. No wonder he likes American tenants. We tend to pay more, stay shorter, and we can hook him up with over-the-counter drugs!
That about wraps up our last weekend before Christmas… I’m ready to get the show on the road and unwrap some presents!
Years ago, Bill and I were big fans of the British comedy show, Little Britain. That show featured various character skits by comedians David Walliams and Matt Lucas. One skit they did consistently involved characters named Lou and Andy. Lou asked Andy where he wanted to go on holiday, and Andy insisted that he wanted to go to Helsinki…
Lou suggests Florida, but Andy reiterates he wants Helsinki… but then changes his mind.
I didn’t change my mind about Helsinki. I was genuinely curious about it. On our first day aboard the ship, we were to take a short bus trip into Finland’s capital and enjoy a harbor cruise. This was one of the “free excursions” offered by Regent. But first, we needed to fuel up with breakfast. So we went down to the Compass Rose restaurant and enjoyed some very hearty fare, delivered to us by warm and attentive wait staff.
Sparkling water… we had to request it a lot!Avocado toast for Bill.Poached eggs, hash browns, and sausage for me.
We were arriving in Helsinki during the late morning hours, so we had time for a leisurely breakfast and, as it turned out, a quick lunch. I’m glad we had lunch before we got off the ship, as our excursion took place during the time when we might ordinarily have a midday repast. There’s a reason I mention this, and I’ll get to it in a couple of posts. 😉 Suffice to say, we went to La Veranda again and grazed the humongous buffet so we’d be well-fortified for our trip to the city of Helsinki.
Looks like a ham and cheese baguette for Bill…Quiche Lorraine and roasted chicken with vegetables and roasted potatoes for me.Dessert!
Cruise director Jude made an announcement that Finland’s authorities had cleared the ship and people could get off the vessel. There were complimentary shuttle buses into town, or those who had excursions could go to the Constellation Theater and trade their tickets for group numbers, which they would then give to the locally hired tour guides.
One thing I immediately liked about the Regent experience is that they do have the complimentary shuttle buses. Regent bills itself as the most “all inclusive” cruise line available. Actually, I think Hebridean Island Cruises is (or was) more all inclusive than Regent is, but it’s a lot less famous and goes to far fewer places than Regent does. For a well-known cruise line that goes worldwide, I do think Regent probably does offer the most bang for the buck. But I caveat that by saying this as someone who hasn’t experienced a lot of different cruise lines.
On both Royal Caribbean and SeaDream, if we weren’t signed up for excursions, we had to find our own ways into the cities. Sometimes, that wasn’t a problem, but other times, not signing up for excursions meant being stuck at an ugly port, walking into town, figuring out and taking public transportation, or hiring a cab. Regent does have buses for those who want to do their own thing. I also want to mention, in fairness to Royal Caribbean and SeaDream, their policies may have changed since we were last aboard their ships. I honestly don’t know.
I ended up enjoying the harbor cruise excursion, as Gail and Ger were also on the boat with us. One group got off about midway, because they had paid for an extra segment of the tour. We were just fine with the boat, which had three guides offering commentary about life in Finland. When they mentioned that Finland had just joined NATO this year, everybody cheered!
The harbor cruise boat was comfortable, with seating available on top and inside the cabin. There was a bar serving snacks and beverages, including local beers. They also had clean toilets, which was a huge plus. In fact, the guides encouraged everyone to use the toilets on the tourboat, since public restrooms in the market area in Helsinki are scarce.
I thought the tour guides on the harbor cruise were basically good. There was one who did a bit of rambling. It was as if she wanted to keep talking to prevent people from talking among themselves. I know that once people get to talking, it can be hard to get them to be quiet again. But the rambling was noticeable.
Nevertheless, we did learn a lot about how cold it gets in Finland in the winter, as the guides showed us the ice breakers that keep the shipping lanes open. The guides also said that the ice gets hard enough that people can walk or even drive on it, although global warming is changing that reality. Personally, I think I’d be afraid to walk on the ice!
The guides also spoke at length about sauna culture in Finland. Apparently, many people have their own saunas at home. Sometimes you find homes with private saunas in Germany, too, but in Finland, it’s evidently very common. Lots of people own boats and second homes, too, even if they aren’t very wealthy. Or, at least that’s what we were told.
Below are some photos…
Waiting in the theater to be invited to our bus.A Carnival ship was also in port. Check out the water slide!First glimpse of Finnish flags.A boat much like the one on which we took our cruise. Gay pride was everywhere.A glimpse of the zoo, which is on an island.Icebreakers!Pigeons are apparently especially aggressive in Helsinki.Another bridge with locks of love.Swedish embassy.
After the boat tour, we walked around the marketplace, where vendors were selling everything… There were a lot of really nice souvenirs. I bought a silk scarf for myself, and a couple of wooden toys for Bill’s youngest grandson. I wish we’d had more euros on us, although a lot of places also took credit cards.
There was also a ferris wheel and live music playing. I would have liked to have spent more time in Helsinki. We’ll have to go back, if only because I also noticed an Armenian restaurant near the port!
Here are some more pictures of Helsinki, some of which were taken with my digital camera, as opposed to my iPhone.
Ferris wheel in Helsinki.I was sitting in the Observation Lounge and noticed the skies and water…A very lucky shot.
Some of the above photos have a glare on them. I am still learning how to edit photos, so I need to find a way to get rid of the glare on the above shot. It’s a keeper.
There seemed to be a lack of open deck space, which made taking photos of scenery challenging. I could take pictures from my balcony, from the top decks, or on deck 5. But if I happened to be sitting in the observation lounge and noticed a particularly beautiful sunset or leaping dolphins, there was no way to easily get outside to get a good shot. And getting to a place where taking a good photo was possible would take a lot of time. That’s one thing about Regent Splendor I don’t like. I wish they had an outdoor area near the Observation Lounge. Even the pool area was kind of enclosed on the sides, though it didn’t have a retractable roof.
Oh well… another first world problem…
When we went back to our suite, our laundry was waiting for us, boxed up and gift wrapped. And again, because we were concierge guests, there was no extra charge!
Each item of clothing had a little tag in it with our suite number. It was all expertly cleaned, pressed, and folded. Very, very nice!
For dinner on the 24th, we decided to try Sette Mari, which I had read gets very crowded as people discover it. We went early, to make sure we’d get a seat. A poised young woman with black hair and a braid over the top of her head took care of us. She was very polished and professional, as she brought us Italian dishes. Sette Mari does offer table service, but there’s also a buffet for salads and desserts. I noticed it got a bit rowdy in there, but the food was good. We enjoyed it. I wish we’d had another chance to dine there. Maybe on another cruise.
Here are some photos from our visit to Sette Mari.
Antipasti!Obligatory selfie.Delicious asparagus risotto for me.A spicy pasta dish for Bill.I had a seafood stew with toasted bread.Bill had pork medallions.And dessert from the buffet…. an apricot tart and Italian donut, plus biscotti.Tiramisu for Bill.
After dinner, we spent a little more time in the Observation Lounge. I had a Brandy Alexander. Bill had ginger ale, because he wasn’t feeling well. We decided to go to bed early. At about 9:30 PM, a steward brought us the beer I requested. He seemed surprised to catch me in my nightie.
Nightcap.This was enough for the week. Notice the “mid cruise” comments. It was the first night!
So… that about does it for Helsinki. Stay tuned for Tallinn, Estonia!
Bill and I followed the crowd up the gangplank, where several ship staffers of obvious Asian descent smiled brightly and welcomed us aboard. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t mention this, except that I noticed that it seemed like so many of Regent’s crew members hailed from Asia. I always find it interesting to talk to people who work on cruise ships, because I like meeting people from other countries. I never really got a chance to talk to a lot of the Regent crew, as they were all working very hard. But on Hebridean Princess, most of the crew were from Eastern European countries– especially Latvia, Poland, and the Czech Republic. SeaDream seemed to have a lot of crew from the Philippines and South Africa. Our waiter on Vision of the Seas was Bulgarian. And Regent had a smattering of people from all over the place, but it seemed like the crew mostly came from Asian countries.
Someone handed us glasses of champagne as they scanned our IDs for the first time. We walked into the impressive atrium with its prominent wooden staircase, and another staffer directed us to go to our muster station near the Pacific Rim restaurant (one of Regent Splendor’s speciality restaurants). I must say, the “muster drill” was extremely easy on Splendor. Instead of having the entire ship gather at the muster stations wearing life jackets, we simply went to the muster station as we were; then, a crew member asked us if we’d watched the one minute safety video Regent sent us before we embarked. When we answered affirmatively (we’d watched it twice), he scanned our IDs, and that was that. Embarkation was very quick and simple, with a minimum of waiting around in crowds and lines. That’s a plus!
Our stateroom was 964, which was on the portside aft of the ship. I chose the suite not knowing where we might rather be on the Splendor. It wasn’t a bad choice, except that it was at the ass end of the ship, which gave us some good opportunities to stretch our legs. That wasn’t a bad thing for either of us. One of our next door neighbors had a Master Suite, which is one of the most expensive and luxurious staterooms aboard the Splendor. The other neighbor was in a Concierge E stateroom like ours.
Regent Splendor does not have any inside staterooms for passengers, and all rooms have private balconies. Most of the staterooms are like the one we were in, which is a “Superior Suite“. We were in a Concierge E stateroom, which means that the room was just like a superior suite, except we got some extra perks, like the “free” night at the Nobis Hotel, “free” bus transfer from the hotel to the port, a small discount on premium booze and choice shore excursions and experiences, “free” professional laundry services, “free” unlimited WiFi for up to four devices (although this didn’t really work out for us), and “free” porterage. I put quotes around the word “free” because it’s not really free. You pay extra for these perks.
In our case, I’m not sure concierge class was totally worth what we paid, since we booked so late that we couldn’t really book any “choice” excursions or experiences (like the gourmet cooking class). But it was convenient to have the Stockholm hotel and transportation to the port arranged, and I definitely appreciated the laundry service after our six sweaty nights in Norway! Regent Splendor also has self-service launderettes, but we never needed to use them. I’m sure they were fully engaged as the voyage wore on, as people did laundry while on the cruise.
There is a smaller stateroom available called the Veranda Suite. These are the cheapest cabins aboard, but even they are very nicely appointed with queen sized beds and private balconies.
We weren’t able to go directly to our suite after the muster drill, as the stewards were still preparing them after the previous cruise had ended. We were instead invited to go have lunch. Regent Splendor has several restaurants aboard. The main dining room is called Compass Rose, and it’s on Deck 4. There are three specialty restaurants which require reservations: Prime 7 (a steakhouse), Pacific Rim (Asian cuisine), and Chartreuse (French cuisine). There’s also a buffet area called La Veranda (breakfast and lunch), which, at night, turns into Sette Mari, an Italian restaurant (does not require reservations). And there’s also the Pool Grill, which offers table and buffet service outside. The Pool Grill (and its accompanying bar) is the only venue we didn’t have a chance to try during our week on the Splendor.
We chose to have our first lunch at La Veranda. We hesitated for a moment at the entrance, but were then invited to sit wherever we wanted, as it’s open seating. That was a change from Hebridean Princess, where seating is assigned. I enjoyed prime rib from the buffet… the first I’d had in a very long time, and shrimp cocktail, also a rare treat.
Once again, we were seated near Americans who were quite loud and might not have realized that they were sharing so openly with everyone in the vicinity of their table. I asked for a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and I’m pretty sure I got California Chardonnay. Meh… I don’t really like Chardonnay that much, but it’s a first world problem!
I did like most of the wines by the glass offered “free” by Regent. I noticed that they didn’t seem eager to sell any expensive fine wines. We saw the sommelier once or twice; he was casually advertising a wine pairing lunch for an extra charge. We might have been interested in booking that, except it took place during one of our excursions. Other than that, we didn’t encounter anyone trying to upsell the wines or anything else, really. That was one thing I really liked about our Regent experience as opposed to our Royal Caribbean experience years ago.
After a leisurely lunch at the buffet, we were finally invited to our stateroom. I must say, our room on Regent Splendor was absolutely fabulous. The bed was extremely comfortable and had wonderful linens… I wish I could have brought them home with me– the bed included!
The room featured a walk in closet, a marble bathroom with a bathtub that was deep, but looked a bit “short”, a rainfall shower, his and hers sinks, and a fridge stocked with beverages. I requested that the Budweiser be replaced with Stella Artois or Grolsch and was surprised when a steward brought both! There was a fruit plate that was restocked daily, and a beautiful balcony with a table, two chairs, and a lounge chair, each with cushions.
The flat screen television offered information about the ship, as well as movies, news, and television shows. It could be swiveled so that we could watch from bed, or from the small couch in the sitting area. There were PLENTY of electrical outlets for both US and European plugs. Since we have electronics with both types of plugs, it was handy to have so many outlets.
Yes, when I think about the cruises I’ve been on, Regent Splendor’s superior stateroom– even though it’s not the best on board– easily tops the list of the most luxurious I’ve ever experienced, personally. The most expensive stateroom on Regent Splendor is the size of a 4000 square foot house! Our suite was one-tenth the size of the Regent Suite, yet it was extremely posh and comfortable.
Below are some photos from our first impressions onboard Regent Splendor.
The beer selection could use some work… InBev’s best.Yes, there’s a complimentary bottle of champagne waiting on embarkation day.Observation lounge.Back of the TV. See how it swivels?AtriumOur loooong walk home.Wooden staircase.
One thing I think Regent gets right on the Splendor are the staterooms. We definitely were right at home in ours. I loved the balcony, and managed to get some pretty nice selfies on it, including the one below… It’s not so easy for me to look relatively pretty in photos these days, so this alone was probably worth the price of the first night.
The sea breeze does wonders for the mood… I did edit out the sore spot under my nose. Darn colds!
Below are a few more photos from around the ship… including some of the beverages we enjoyed while waiting for our room. We never did get the chance to try the pool or hot tub, as it was a little too chilly for swimming. Plus, we were pretty busy during the days, enjoying our “free” excursions.
Travel insurance is important for expensive trips!
It’s a good thing that I bought travel insurance for our trip. In the weeks leading up to it, we learned that our older dog, Arran, has lymphoma. We had another dog named Zane who also had lymphoma, and sadly he died just one week after he was diagnosed. In Zane’s case, the cancer appeared while we were vacationing in Scotland back in August 2019, and we had no idea that he was sick. A week after we got home, I felt swollen lymph nodes under his jaw, and a week after that, he was gone.
So naturally, I was worried about how Arran would do while we were visiting the Bareiss Hotel. We didn’t find out about his lymphoma until canceling would have required us to pay 80% of the cost of the reservation. Then, we would have been fighting the insurance company. Nevertheless, the thought of canceling did occur to us.
We ultimately decided not to cancel, because Arran is overall healthier than Zane was when he got sick. We also took him to the vet last week, and she said she thought he would be okay during our time away. We had a fine needle aspirate done to see what kind of lymphoma Arran has; it doesn’t appear to be as aggressive as Zane’s was. We also knew that since we’d just be in the Schwarzwald, it wouldn’t be a problem to come back and deal with Arran if the need arose. We didn’t get any calls from the Hundepension while we were gone, so we assume he did alright. He has an appointment to see the vet on Wednesday, at which point we’ll determine what can be done to make the rest of his time the most comfortable.
I’m bringing up travel insurance for another reason. A friend of mine from back home in Virginia was fretting the other day because she had booked a cruise, and the area from which the sailing was occurring was affected by Hurricane Ian. She did not buy travel insurance. Fortunately, it didn’t turn out to be necessary; the cruise was delayed, rather than canceled. But she was lamenting about not being “smart enough” to get insurance. I don’t always insure my trips, but I will for expensive hotels that I can’t cancel, and for things like cruises. This trip, costing well into the four figures, was expensive for us. So I sprang for the insurance with “cancel for any reason” coverage, just for the peace of mind. I really recommend it, even though it adds an additional cost to the trip. We usually buy our insurance through USAA, but you can purchase it through many outlets. Be sure to read the reviews before taking the leap! Not all travel insurers are created equally. In fact, given how much service at USAA has been slipping lately, maybe it’s time I re-evaluated getting insured through them. 😉 (as of 2024, we do have to buy travel insurance elsewhere, since Travel Insured doesn’t offer coverage to us in Germany anymore.)
Edited to add: I am pleased to report that Arran made it through his time at the Hundepension with no issues. He’s home, and delighted to be back with his favorite person, Bill!
Now… on to happier matters!
We decided to start our trip on Wednesday, because our dental visit was scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Downtown Stuttgart is about a 90 minute drive from Baiersbronn, and we didn’t want to be in a situation in which we were arriving late. In retrospect, it would have been okay to arrive on Thursday. I just thought it would be better to be checked in and settled before the dentist visit, especially since we had never been to the Bareiss before and didn’t know how things worked there. Besides, we love luxury hotels, so an extra night is never a hardship.
On the way to the Schwarzwald, we stopped at the Hundepension with Arran and Noyzi. Noyzi was absolutely delighted to be there. He loves the young lady who takes care of him– and young women in general. He also loves to play with other dogs. I expected Arran to be sulky, but he was actually pretty chill. Noyzi practically dragged me to the gate, while Arran moseyed along quietly, touching noses with a few dogs who greeted us on the way in. When we got to the gate, Noyzi literally pounded on it with his paw! He was so excited to see Natasha, the caretaker.
We explained about Arran to Natasha and I asked her to contact us if she had any problems with Arran, since we were only going to be a couple of hours away. Natasha didn’t contact us, so I’m guessing Arran was a slower, finickier version of himself. Bill will go get them in a little while.
Once the dogs were dropped off, we got on the road, stopping at a Rasthof for a bathroom break. Awhile later, we both needed another potty break. Unfortunately, at the second time we needed a break, there weren’t any full service facilities available. Bill decided to pull off at one of the “free” WCs on the side of the Autobahn. Those things are a mixed bag. Sometimes, they’re relatively clean and well maintained. Sometimes, they are something out of a horror show. The one we encountered on the way to Hotel Bareiss was closer to the horror show. The floors were a bit flooded, and there was toilet paper strewn everywhere. I have seen some truly gross facilities in my time, having lived for over two years in Armenia, where the public toilets were so nasty that one was happy to find a squat hole, rather than a commode. We should have moved on from that toilet, but I decided to hold my nose and go. It was not a good decision, as the gross water on the floor got on my pants.
Bill did come away from the experience with a funny story, though. A lot of the men were just going behind the facility and peeing in the woods. I should have done that myself, actually. But one elderly German man braved the toilet with Bill, and complained to him in German. He said something along the lines of, “So, this is Germany. We were in the Netherlands for four days last week. Everything there was right. Look at the state of things here in Germany. Shameful!”
I was pretty grossed out by that bathroom experience, and especially by the souvenir left on my pants. I actually considered changing pants before we got the hotel, I was so offended. But we pressed on, and arrived at the Hotel Bareiss in the early afternoon. We pulled up the grand structure with the electric gate, that didn’t open for us at first. But then we arrived at the front of the hotel, and a very kind and friendly man in a green blazer welcomed us. We walked into the lobby for the first time, noticing that the doors opened electronically just about everywhere on the grounds.
First impression!
A young man at reception eagerly welcomed us, easily finding our booking. He spoke English, but had some sort of severe speech impediment. I don’t know exactly what it was– maybe stuttering of some sort, or perhaps dysprosody? He was very professional, and I was amazed by his ability to explain things to us in English, in spite of his obvious problems speaking with fluency. We tried to put him at ease to make it easier for him to speak clearly. The only issue was that he had a trainee with him who appeared somewhat amused by his colleague’s difficulties speaking to us. I suppose that’s a human reaction, but it was kind of uncomfortable to witness.
You put your car keys in the “mailbox” so it’s easy to summon your vehicle.Next to the door at the Landhaus.
The young man showed us the little “mailboxes” in the lobby, where we could store our car key fob for easy access when we wanted the car brought to us. Then he took us to our room. I booked the Double Room Rotunda Landhaus II. This room– LH 35– had a huge balcony with a nice view and was outfitted with quaint floral accents. There was a large heart on our door that read “Herzlich Willkommen!” I noticed the heart sign was on the doors of all newly arriving guests. The bathroom had a huge bathtub in it, that I never got around to trying. It had his and her sinks, a bidet, and lots of gold fixtures. There was lots of closet space and a minibar, as well as an adjustable bed, couch, and a flat screen television with German channels. Below are some photos of the room:
Seating in the room.You could kill someone with that key ring!
Because it was still early in the day, and we hadn’t had lunch, we decided to see what we could find to eat. It was about 1:30pm, so they were serving lunch in the dining room where we had most of our meals. Lunch is not included in the price of the room, but breakfast and dinner are. That was different from the Hotel Engel Obertal. There, breakfast and lunch are included, but dinner isn’t.
Bareiss has several a la carte restaurants, including the Kaminstube, which we didn’t try, the Dorfstube, and the Forellenhof, which we tried last year. The hotel also has a Three Star Michelin Star restaurant called Restaurant Bareiss. Of course, to eat in the fanciest restaurant, one must reserve well in advance. Maybe we’ll try Restaurant Bareiss if we manage to stay at the hotel again. I would love to do that, since I really enjoyed our a la carte lunches. The meals we got from the board option were all excellent, but I was very impressed by the a la carte dishes that we paid for separately. I definitely think there’s an even higher standard with those menus. Below are some photos from lunch, which we purposely kept small, because I knew dinner was liable to be a big production.
The “amuse” from the kitchen.I started with scallops and pickled radishes with peas.Bill’s pork bellies with miso “marshamallows” were so good! We both ordered soup, but switched because the chicken soup had morels in them. I ended up with Bill’s creamy concoction garnished with a quail egg.Dessert! Lemon vodka…And a sinful chocolate and strawberry yogurt log. This was so good.A view of the hotel.
After lunch, we took our first walk through the “Waldpark”, which includes a short barefoot trail and a petting zoo. We met the hotel’s delightful goats and ponies, as well as some of the rabbits kept on site. Bareiss also has pet deer on the premises, but we never got around to visiting them. I was too enchanted by one special goat, who proved to be very friendly and willingly posed for several photos. I wanted to get a pet goat after meeting the ones at Hotel Bareiss!
Love this goat!Pretty Arabian.Aren’t they cute?View of Baiersbronn.I enjoyed the ponies, too.For kids!
For dinner, the hotel management requests that guests dress in smart casual attire. I didn’t see this rule being enforced, much to the chagrin of one European TripAdvisor reviewer. I did bring a couple of dresses, which proved to be useful, especially on Saturday night. Most nights, I wore pants and a sweater, while Bill dressed like he was going to work. Some people wore jeans, though, and weren’t turned away at the door. The staff all wore traditional German attire. I was impressed by the beautiful dirndls and dresses the women wore. I don’t generally like uniforms, but I thought the ones at Bareiss were very nice looking.
As for dinner itself– it’s extensive. Each night, there’s a theme. Most meals begin with a trip to the humongous salad bar/buffet, where there are many different dishes available, according to the theme. The array of choices is incredible. I counted over 35 different cheeses offered. I don’t eat much cheese myself– at least not the fancy ones that Bill likes. I do enjoy watching him enjoy them, and he sure went to town.
Then, you choose courses from the menu– starters, soups, fish dishes and red meats, cheeses, and desserts. If nothing on the themed menu impresses, you can order steak, or other cold dishes that are always available. Beverages are not included in the price of dinner, but they are included at breakfast. Each night, we enjoyed a different bottle of locally produced German wine from the hotel’s vast cellar. And, in case anyone is wondering, yes, they have wines from other places, too.
Below are some photos from our first dinner, which had an Asian theme. I wasn’t very hungry, due to the lunch we enjoyed late in the afternoon, so I only had fish and dessert… and wine, of course. The family that owns the hotel gifted us with a complimentary glass of Sekt. Dinner is served from 6:30pm, and the staff requests that people come between 6:30 and 8:30pm, although it’s possible to come later– until 10:00pm. Our waitress the first two nights was the same lady who looked after us at lunch. She was very friendly and professional.
Bill had a bigger appetite and tried more than I did the first night.Fish and risotto for me.Bill loved the cheese.The tall one is an Italian blue that Bill loved most of all.My kind of cheese… cheesecake.Handmade chocolates on the buffet.We had many cocktails. Brandy Alexander…Gin and basil smash…Gin martini…And a little pilsner.
I’d say our arrival was a success! Stay tuned for part three.
I’ve been wanting to try Göktas, a Turkish restaurant in Sindelfingen, for at least a year now. Ever since someone in one of the local Facebook groups recommended it, I’ve been intrigued by the place. On Christmas Day, the folks at Göktas offered a “meat night”. Basically, it was a big buffet offered for the low price of 14,90 euros. I had wanted to go on Christmas; their Facebook photos of the food looked so good! But then I decided I’d rather enjoy the holiday at home in my nightie.
Well, the meat night went so well on Christmas that Göktas offered another one tonight. I don’t know if they did it because of Epiphany or just because their other buffet was so successful. But now that I’ve finally tried the place and enjoyed the food, I can see why so many people– mostly Turkish– flock there.
Bill made reservations for 6:30pm. The buffet started at 5:00. By the time we got there, it was pretty packed and all of the tables were reserved. I can’t say the interior of the restaurant is anything fancy. When we walked in, it was obvious that Göktas is the kind of place where people come in for a casual lunch. Turkish pop played over the sound system and there was a very extensive buffet set up with chicken, beef, rice, and plenty of salads. No alcoholic beverages were available, but there were plenty of non alcoholic beverages including ayran (a yogurt drink), hot tea, sodas, water, and juice. This restaurant also offers breakfast and there’s a bakery in the back dining room.
A table was quickly cleared for us and we simply helped ourselves to the colorful feast before us. Not only was the food delicious, it was also a very nice change of pace. I made a mental note to try different restaurants in 2018… something other than Italian, Greek, and German.
Things were swinging tonight!
Bill tries to figure out what to do.
Very fresh bread, grilled chicken breast, chicken wings, rice, grilled peppers, and salad… The chicken was especially good. It had that “cooked over the fire” taste. My only complaint is that the food wasn’t very hot. I always get nervous when I eat chicken that isn’t either chilled or hot.
And beef, pommes, and tabbouleh (buckwheat with mint)… We only managed one plate each, though there were plenty of choices, many of which were meatless. We washed our dinner down with Coca-Cola…
After dinner, we had tea and a couple of rolls. One was basically like unsweetened fried bread and the other had some kind of soft, mild cheese in it. The tea was pretty strong and unsweetened. Bill later figured out that he was supposed to dilute it with hot water to taste.
Many tables were full like this one… with many people enjoying friends, family, and lots of food. Most everyone there was Turkish and some were dressed elaborately. It was definitely interesting from a cultural standpoint.
I would recommend Göktas if you’re looking for something different… inexpensive food that is very well-prepared. I might not recommend this restaurant if you are looking for quiet, intimacy, or high frills dining. It’s strictly a casual place for family and friends and it’s somewhat chaotic when a buffet is offered. It’s also very kid friendly; lots of young children were there enjoying the extravaganza.
I got the sense that on a normal night, you’d order what you want at the counter and pay before you sit down. Tonight, we ate and paid after we were finished. The whole experience took less than an hour, too.
I think the buffet at Göktas is much less chaotic and obnoxious than the “American buffet” at Restaurant Waldachtal was. It’s also slightly less expensive. I would highly recommend making reservations, especially if there’s another “meat night”. It’s obvious word has gotten out about this special event, so if you want a table, you should prepare in advance. We parked in the lot behind the restaurant, but there is also some street parking available.
So… Now I can say I’ve been to a German buffet. Until tonight, I didn’t realize such a thing existed here in Deutschland. I thought it was strictly an American thing. But no, if you know where to go, you can eat like a horse for not so many euros. And now that I’ve done it, I don’t know if I want to do it again. But I am very happy to share my experiences for the curious.
You may be wondering how Bill and I wound up eating at the Restaurant Waldachtal tonight. It’s quite simple. I fell prey to Facebook advertising. Bill and I currently live in Unterjettingen, which is on the edge of the Black Forest. I get ads for businesses in this area. One ad that kept popping up on my timeline was for the Restaurant Waldachtal, which is apparently somehow affiliated with a large hotel in the little town of Waldachtal. They kept advertising their Brazilian Steakhouse night, which looked exotic and fun. Incidentally, they do the Brazilian thing on Friday nights. On Saturday nights, they do the “American Buffet” for 18 euros a person. That, right there, should have been a big clue… as well as the info for bus tours. Always remember that German style American food often loses something in the translation.
The sign at the bottom of the hill.
Bill has been in Morocco all week and we needed a night out. We decided to head to Waldachtal, a town that, as the crow flies, isn’t too far from where we live. It’s kind of southwest of Unterjettingen, on the way to Freudenstadt. I realize that many of my more local readers will still think this is a really long way from them. The fact is, they’d be right. I’m not all that sure that the vast majority of my local readers will want to bother to visit this place unless they are either big fans of buffets or they are very curious about the Brazilian Steakhouse deal (which I confess Bill and I still are).
Shades of Dirty Dancing…
I made an online reservation last night. That was ABSOLUTELY the right thing to do. Evidently the “American Buffet” on Saturday nights is very popular and the place was packed this evening. Not only was the restaurant hosting a wedding reception, there was also a birthday party and lots of hungry families had congregated for dinner. And yes, at about 7:30pm, a large busload of tourists showed up.
Just getting to this restaurant was challenging, because the GPS tried to put us on a back road that was closed. Once we took the long way, which wasn’t actually too far from where we live, we managed to find the large restaurant on the hillside. It kind of has the look of a resort… because I believe it is a resort. I was catching Dirty Dancing vibes as I climbed the steps to the door. When we entered the very busy restaurant, we were met by a middle-aged woman who appeared to be extremely pissed off and completely over her job.
She stopped and asked us what us what we wanted. Bill told her we had reservations. She consulted what appeared to be a repurposed flip chart and noticed our name. Apparently we didn’t have a table assigned to us because we must have been among the last people to reserve. She turned to Bill, totally exasperated, and said, “Kein Tisch!” (no table) as she made a helpless gesture with her arms.
I am generally very patient with wait staff, because I once waited tables myself, and have felt the pain. Still, the place was a zoo and I was wondering if we really should stay for dinner. Finally, the lady told a younger woman to take us to a table for six. We would have to share it with another party. No biggie.
So we sat down, ordered a couple of weizens from a much cheerier and younger waitress, and I went to get my food while Bill hung out at the table and watched my purse. In order to get to the food, I walked past a crowded bar area, through a foyer, and down a narrow hall that appeared to be half of a wait station. Then the room opened into a larger dining area where there were several large, empty tables that were probably intended for the people who were arriving on the bus.
As promised, there were plenty of stations full of food. I found barbecued chicken, hamburger patties, duck, salmon, grilled shrimp, steaks, spare ribs, soups, salads, and sides. There was also a large dessert station. I was surprised by the sheer range of food available. Most of it was pretty good quality… probably better than what you’d find at a typical American buffet restaurant like Old Country Buffet. I also noticed it wasn’t populated by a lot of elderly people like American buffets often are. We saw mostly young and/or large families tonight.
Part of the buffet. There was more to my right and left and behind me.
They had curry and rice.
Salmon…
Spare ribs, which were pretty good, and potatoes that were just a hair underdone.
This was what I came back with. It was more than I could eat. The chicken was a hit. The sauce was kind of spicy… spicier than most things I’ve had in Germany. They had cheese sticks and onion rings, too. Actually, there was a whole lot of food to choose from and most of it was pretty good quality.
When I got back to the table, Bill informed me that the other folks who were sitting at our table were three young guys under age 20. I was immediately amused, because I have seen my fair share of young guys eating at buffets. I had a feeling these three guys were going to chow down. I was right. I was alone for a couple of minutes before the guys showed up and our waitress apologized that we had to share the table. It was not a problem, really. The guys were perfect gentlemen and kind of funny.
I told Bill I could see a stiff martini in his future.
There was a birthday party going on near our table, so there were a number of kids. This restaurant is, by the way, very kid friendly. I think kids, as a rule, love buffets. Imagine… they don’t have to wait; they can eat whatever and however much they want; and they are guaranteed dessert. In any case, because there were kids near us, we did have a few who entertained us. One little boy stopped and stared at us for a couple of minutes. Maybe he was puzzled because we were speaking English. Another girl, dressed in a fluffy pink frock with silver sparkles, had an ice cream cone and was entertaining herself and a few peers by holding the cone under a bright lamp and watching the ice cream melt. We got to hear them sing Happy Birthday in German and watched as the one year old birthday girl blew our her candle. The older kids enjoyed multiple ice cream cones.
And, of course, there were the young, fit looking lads who were sitting with us. They knew we were American because Bill warned them. I watched them each eat a large plate full of food. Then, they got up and headed back to the buffet. I said, “Bill, do you think they will come back with more meat or dessert?”
Bill and I both agreed they were going to load up on meat. Sure enough, that’s what they did. One of them smiled at me and said, “Round two.” as he dove in to another big plate of food. I don’t remember ever being able to eat like a young man, but I have watched a few of them put away some food. It’s almost always really funny, because they are obviously able to burn it off.
One of the young guys was wearing this jacket. I had to take a picture of the tag, because it was in English and rather amusing…
Bill got me dessert. I asked for a little tiramisu, but he brought that with a couple of cookies and a small scoop of raspberry ice cream. Always the provider! The tiramisu tasted good, but it was a bit heavier than what I’m used to. I wonder if they used quark instead of mascarpone cheese…
As we were eating dessert, the young waitress came back and told the young guys that she had a table open. They moved to a new spot, so I don’t know if they went back for thirds. She needn’t have bothered, though, because Bill and I were about done anyway. We just happened to get there first. We told the pissy older waitress that we wanted the check and she rolled her eyes, but apparently passed on the message to our younger, pluckier, server. After about fifteen minutes or so, the cheerier lass showed up with the bill, which came to 43 euros before the tip. After Bill paid, she gave us a coupon worth five euros off our next visit. Don’t know when that will be, but it was a nice gesture.
Bill is thrilled. He had to double check to make sure he didn’t try to pay in dirhams.
While we were waiting to settle up, I remarked that the Restaurant Waldachtal reminded me a little of the Marketplace at the Edelweiss Lodge in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It sort of has the same ambiance, with murals on the walls, a gazebo, and a “beachy” themed area near the bar. The food is mostly better than what I remember at the Edelweiss and it’s a bit cheaper, but the ambiance is very much the same. It’s loud and raucous, like a college dining hall or… perhaps the AAFES food court. But, I will say, I thought the chicken was good and the spare ribs were decent. The steak appeared to be of dubious quality. The burgers were very thin and unimpressive and, if you wanted cheese, it wouldn’t be melted, but you could have as many burgers and steaks as you wanted.
We may try this restaurant again on a Friday night, just to see if their Brazilian Steakhouse experiment is worthwhile. I doubt we’ll do the American Buffet again, but now at least I can tell people that I’ve been to a German style American Buffet and lived to tell the tale. And, if you happen to be near the Black Forest and like buffets, maybe it would be worth visiting. Just make sure you reserve first, especially on a Saturday night. Tonight, the place was packed and, even though we had a reservation, we wondered for a couple of minutes if we would be seated. Frankly, my guess is that most of the Americans around here would probably do better to look elsewhere.
My husband, Bill, is about to step into a new role at his company. To celebrate, we were invited to have dinner with Bill’s bosses, as well as his soon to be ex boss who is heading for a new job in Hawaii. On our way to the restaurant, a very nice looking Greek place in Möhringen, we were sidelined by a massive Stau. Rain was pouring, traffic was crawling at a snail’s pace, and the GPS put us at at least 45 minutes late for our appointment. Because it looked like we would be keeping our dinner companions waiting for too long, Bill called and canceled. Then we turned around and went home an unfamiliar route. I took note of at least one more restaurant on the way that I want to try sometime.
Although there were a couple of tempting places on our way home, we ultimately decided to have dinner at China Panda in Herrenberg. It was really about time we stopped there, since in the four years total we’ve lived near Herrenberg, we’d never had a meal there. I noticed that their very convenient parking lot always had cars in it and they advertise some very cost effective deals on their windows. Besides, it had been ages since our last Asian inspired repast.
Upon entering China Panda, I took note of a very large group of Asians who were sitting in the very nice bar area. They were an animated group and I could tell they were enjoying the food. I took that as a good sign. I don’t pretend to be an expert on Asian cuisine, but I do remember when Bill and I were dating fifteen years ago and we ended up in a Chinese restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia. We walked in and were the only Caucasians in the place. Everyone stared as we sat down, but then we had the most amazing lunch. I took the leftovers with me back to South Carolina, where I was attending graduate school at the time. No one stared when we walked into China Panda, but we did end up having a great dinner for not much money.
We were invited to take any open table we wanted, so we selected one right next to the impressive looking buffet, which several guests were enjoying. I eyed it curiously, but then decided I’d rather order off the menu. Bill and I each had beer to drink. His was a Lamm Export from Sindelfingen, a beer that was new for us because we rarely venture into Sindelfingen. I had a Malteser Hefeweizen. We both had spring rolls. For our main dish, I ordered crispy duck with pineapple, vegetables, and rice. Bill had Szechuan beef with vegetables. As we waited, I enjoyed the soothing sounds of German pop music and watched a young girl drop a scoop of ice cream on the floor. The ice cream was there less than five seconds. 😉
These spring rolls were off the chain! They were very fresh and tasty. I thought I would only be able to eat one, but I managed to eat both.
Obligatory shot of Bill sporting a newly fuzzy face. He’s been working on growing a beard this week. I think it suits him, but honestly it’s like kissing a Brillo pad in the morning. We’ll see how long this new look lasts.
The main dishes. The crispy duck was delicious! My only complaint was that there were two creepy mushrooms included in the vegetables. However, there were only two and Bill graciously took them out. The beef was fabulous. Very tender and flavorful, with beautifully cooked fresh vegetables and no fungus to speak of. Yea!
Again, I thought we’d be stuffed, but we managed to finish most of these two dishes. Bill took the leftovers with him for lunch today. When our gracious hostess noticed we were finished eating, she cleared our plates and brought us each a scoop of bourbon vanilla ice cream with fresh melon.
The large Asian group was clearing out and they all got on a big tour bus. I have seen lots of tour buses full of Asians in other parts of Europe where there’s a lot of tourism, but I guess Herrenberg is on the map. They seemed to be very pleased as they left. I could see why.
A nice dessert surprise!
As we were enjoying the fruit and ice cream, I noticed a woman who appeared to be a regular coming in. She gave the proprietor a big hug and kiss and sat down in the recently vacated bar area. I think I’d like to sit in the bar area too, not just because I like my booze, but also because it just looks really nice in there. The bar itself is very ornate and attractive and the room has pleasant lighting. As I get older and my sweet bloom of youth begins to wilt, I realize that I appreciate romantic lighting more and more.
When Bill called for the check, it was presented with two fortune cookies. The hostess handed me a strange box. I wasn’t sure what it was. At first, I thought maybe she was giving me tea or something. I honestly didn’t know and she didn’t explain it because she wasn’t an English speaker and my German skills still stink. It turned out to be a small bottle of plum wine. We’ll probably enjoy that over the weekend. Our total came to 34,20 euros before the tip.
Sorry this picture sucks. It was pouring rain and stormy when I took it. In any case, if you’re near the train station in Herrenberg, this place is super easy to find. If you’re driving, there’s plenty of parking. The food is good. The service is friendly. The decor is interesting and inviting and I’m sure we’ll be back.
I give China Panda high marks for food and service. It’s also a very economical place to eat. I’m glad we stopped there last night, even if we were supposed to be eating Greek food with Bill’s bosses. Ah well, I’m sure there will be a next time.
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