I am planning a trip next year to Germany with my wife , two sons and one of their friends. While my wife and I use a double bed, the boys will not double up. I seem to remember that many double beds are just two beds put together, but from looking at photos, many beds look like they are a complete double and not separable.

Is my best bet to just look for places that have a dreibettzimmer for the boys rather than have to inquire to each hotel about their double beds?

Yes, I think you are right. A double bed is usually just that, and is inseparable.

A "marriage bed" can be two twins put together to make a king, but you don't see that often. And if the hotel has it that way, they will usually advertise the room as two twins or a "marriage bed".

I've seen a mix, probably because I frequent budget lodging rather than nicer hotels.

I've always had good luck with calling the hotel, pension, b&b, hostel, etc., describing my party and asking what they can offer, "I need lodging for five, my wife and I, our two teenage sons and a younger daughter for two nights starting xxx. Do you have anything available?" I usually add that a bathroom down the hall is fine, because most Americans won't accept that so owners often won't even offer.

The owner will usually offer something. If it seems adequate, I ask the price. If the price is good, I book.

In many countries in that area (and I think Germany is one of them), it is actually difficult to find a real double bed, they are often two twins pushed together. I have seen many many hotels in Poland, CR and Germany claim they have double-bedded rooms and it is not a real double bed. I have never seen the term "marriage bed" used in those countries in any hotel website or booking site I've used, but maybe I've just not viewed the right places and I have visited Poland and CR more than Germany. I remember my German friend made some snide remark to me when she saw my hotel room in Dresden (that was the usual two twins pushed together rather than real double bed as I ideally would want, even though their website clearly called it a "double bed" in English and doppelbett in German) about how I wasn't supposed to mess up both sides of the covers or something (I think there were two separate duvets actually, as well as two pillows, of course).

Usually you can tell from photos, I wouldn't book a hotel that didn't have some photos online myself. If the photo looks like a real double bed, it must be, depending what you call "real." For example, if they are two twins pushed together in a frame and made up as a double, you can't tell that very well from the photo. I've had lots of hotel rooms like that in Europe. But if so, I presume your boys wouldn't accept that any more than a "real" double bed, would they? The end result is the same in terms of proximity and covers. Sometimes there will be actually two separate covers on twin beds even when they push them close together and you can tell more what is going on from a photo.

If it is just the size you care about (ie, they will accept a single bed that they both sleep in if it is king size or two twins pushed together), then you just have to find out the size of the bed, not whether it is one mattress or two. I think it will almost always be two mattresses pushed together for any king size bed in European hotels (at least that I've seen, but I stay in older hotels where they couldn't even get a big mattress up some stairs).

I agree being specific with the hotel is the best idea. As even if they have two twins pushed together, your boys aren't going to want that, and sometimes the hotel may not even make those up as two twin beds.

In Greece an actual double bed is called a "matrimonial bed" ... What many small hotels in Europe do NOT have -- and this may be where the confusion lies -- is the QUEEN-Size bed that is Ubiquitous in the USA, and which many Americans often now confuse with the smaller-size Double Bed. One of the reasons of course = the smaller rooms in older charming buildings, no room for the bigger beds.

Big tyke, I do not see what the problem is; you don't have to GUESS from looking at an online picture... all you have to do is ASK. Instead of filling out an online form, actually write an e-mail and spell out what it is you want. if you ask for twin beds separated, they will do it for you... they just put a night-table in between rather than on one side. Big whoop.

Why won't the boys double up? Cooties?

Definitely email the hotels you are interested in and ask what the accomodations are. They'll tell you.

Once boys get a certain age they will sleep on the floor rather than double up!

This is one of those confusing things that make travelling so much fun. Usually, an Ehebett, in Germany, is bed that sleeps two and cannot be divided up. Doppelbett, often, are two separate beds pushed together. If you are only using one half and messing up the linen on the other, you may get charged something. If you are lucky, the hotel will separate them for you, by putting a nighstand between them. Einzelbett or Einbettzimmer is just that, a single bed.

Now, let's discuss that other issue in Germany and Austria: Will your room come equipped with wash cloths or are you supposed to bring your own? To be on the safe side, bring at least one for each person. That way, you don't have to go out after your arrival and try to find a department store or Drogerie to buy washcloths.

treplow, as Several of us said, the way to avoid problems is to write a clear e-mail saying that you NEED to have 2 beds, separated, if they want you to book a room. With tourism down all over, you don't have to be "lucky" to get a hotel to rearrange things slightly.

Well, tourism is not down here since even more Germans spend their holidays at domestic locations, but there is no general answer to the problem anyway.

There is no "default" type of bed you can expect in a double room. Many hotels have a mix of both types in question.
Simply ask for a double room with 2 single beds, or a double room with a double bed, respectively.
Only the motel-type low budget chains like Etap or Formule1 have a standard type bed (the "matrimonial" type).

Wash cloths are not used anymore because no one showers with a bar of soap and a cloth anymore since the 1960s. Just take the shower gel and rinse. Or bring a wash cloth.

Rooms with shower/bath and toilet are the norm. "Facilities" down the hall are sub-standard that only very "quaint" hotels may still have.

Like you said... Why not just request 1 double room and 1 triple room? Wouldn't that be easier? And assure everyone a bed of their own without monkeying around.

I'm confused - this sound like a coulple and 3 (THREE) kids - their two friends and a son.

Are you looking for one room for 5 people - or one for the parents and a triple for the kids? If the latter - then you need to be specific that you need 3 single (twin) beds in the 2nd room. Or else you need to find a hotel with a family room that will allow for 5 people (very rare).

And whatever you do be sure they know the age and size of the kids. And remember that in British English a "cot" is a baby crib - not a camp bed for teens.

nyt: The thread is FOUR years old - they ain't still looking

Was fooled by the comment removed that brought TTT.

Well, it turned out the friend didn't go and we ended up staying at fewos where the arrangement was usually a double bed and then two twins, or in one case, two doubles and a futon.

A quote from HRS.Com about a hotel in Würzburg:

"Hotel data
Hotel built in 1908, Last complete renovation 2003, Last partial renovation 2013, Number of floors: 4, Total number of rooms: 34, Number of single rooms: 12, Number of double rooms: 22, of which have 2 separate beds: 5, of which have a double bed: 7, of which are suitable as three-bed rooms: 2, of which are suitable as four-bed rooms: 1, Number of suites (separate rooms): 2, Number of junior suites: 3, Number of apartments: 1, Bed-and-breakfast hotel , City hotel , family-run hotel , child-friendly hotel"

HRS.com has this kind of info about the hotels that it offers and you can specify that you want separate beds.