Hello, <BR>I'll be traveling to Germany next May and am trying to plan my itinerary. I'm thinking of spending 2 or 3 nights in Berchtesgaden/Konigssee and from there taking a day trip to Salzburg. Has anyone stayed in a hotel right on the lake? I saw a previous post that mentioned the Hotel Schiffmeister and that looked very nice, but I wanted to see if anyone else had a suggestion. What about staying right in Berchtesgaden? Thanks!

Kendra, the area is beautiful beyond words and I highly recommend it, esp. as opposed to staying in Salzburg. The Hotel Schiffmeister is indeed a nice hotel, as are many in the town of Berchtesgaden. But what are you looking for? The Schiffmeister is directly at the boat launch for all the sightseeing tours, so it is in a VERY busy, touristy area. If you are looking for a beautiful view of the Alpine lake, a smaller but equally lovely lake is the Hintersee, just beyond the beautiful Ramsau on the outskirts of Berchtesgaden. All the little villages surrounding Berchtesgaden are beautiful, and you can find any type of accommodation in any of them, from farmhouses to hotels. Take a look at www.alpenhof-hintersee.de as a nice hotel on the Hintersee. Or look at the Berchtesgaden website. I like to stay in the quiet mountain villages rather than in town; all are within a few minutes drive. If you email the tourist bureau in B'gaden, they will send you a booklet listing all the accommodations in the area, with interior photos, etc. <BR>Have a great time, and let me know if you have questions.

We have stayed at the Watzmann Hotel in Berchtesgaden 3 times and enjoyed it very much. Close to downtown and people are nice.

We've stayed at the Schiffmeister a couple of times and really like it. It is a busy area during the day, but not that bad. Tour buses roll in in the morning and lots of people are milling around until after 5 or so. That has never bothered us because we tend to go hiking and be gone most of the day. In the evening it's a wonderful place to be (IMO). It's beautiful and quiet. The Schiffmeister is a nice place to stay and the guy who runs it is super friendly. I've never stayed in Berchtesgaden but been through there on the way to the lake and I'm always glad we're staying at the lake instead. Just my opinion, of course, but I love staying at the Schiffmeister! If you go, get a room with a balcony facing the lake.

Definately go on the Salzwerks tour through the Salt Mine... It's a great trip... takes about 2 hrs.

I too highly recommend the Hotel Watzmann in Berchtesgaden. Great people, good price, excellent breakfast, fantastic location in downtown (right next to pedestrian zone), and very quiet. I've considered the Schiffmeister, but it's a little too expensive for me and my family plus I find downtown Berchty to be really charming at night (especially during a snowfall).

Next April I'm planning on taking the train from Munich to Berchtesgaden and staying overnight in Berchtesgaden before continuing on to Salzburg. Are the suggested hotels close to the train station? I've searched Berchtesgaden websites, but still haven't found a good map of the town layout.

The Schiffmeister is a 15-20 minute taxi ride from the Berchtesgaden train station. There are buses but I've never managed to arrive anytime near their departures.

Take a look at the train station when you arrive in Berchtesgaden. It is very large for a town so small. Reason is that Adolf Hitler needed it expanded for all the people that came to see him in OberSalzburg. There are three large columns at one end. That is the area that Hitler used for a private entrance and exit. Just a little tourist info for the trip.

Hi, Kendra. I've been to Berchtesgaden a couple of times and loved it. There are lots of possible day-trips by train from there, and it is just so beautiful in those mountains. I stayed in a really basic b & b along the creek (brook?) called Haus Alpina. But more recently friends stayed at Pension Haus am Berg farther up the hillside, and they liked it a lot. You will wish you could remain in Berchtesgadenerland more than three nights. J.

Kendra--<BR>I'd recommend the Stiffmeister Hotel in Konigsee---a great location and a good hotel.<BR>

For the person looking for a nice hotel near the train station in Berchtesgaden - several years ago (before I got hooked on staying at farms in the outlying areas) I stayed at the Hotel Gr&uuml;nberger which is just a short walk across the bridge from the train station (across from the TI office) facing the river. Nice hotel - good service - cinema just a few buildings away. http://www.hotel-gruenberger.de/<BR>http://www.bavariaben.com/

Hello again, Kendra, did you say if you were traveling by train or car? Your thread has brought back wonderful memories of my visits to Berchtesgaden by train. I just want to mention that your idea of a day-trip to Salzburg from Berchtesgaden is a winner. I can only speak as a train-rider, but it was a splendid day out.

May will still be quite cool in B'gaden and maybe rainy with snow in the higher elevations.If you will have a car, then Konigsee is OK if this is really what you want. It is gorgeous and the hotel is nice but it is very touristy at the Konigsee.The other choices would be to stay directly in town and be able to easily walk around, shop, site see and eat! Or, there are many great places to stay in all of the alpine areas surrounding the town.If you won't have a car then I would suggest staying in town. Go to Berchtesgaden.com for many ideas..........good luck!

Thanks Ben for the info. I sent a query to the hotel and I'm still checking out your very comprehensive, informative website.