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Frustration W/Alsace: get A Guide Book! A Rant
Normally, I donlt have a lot of trouble finding a place to stay when planning but the "Alsace situation" as I am starting to call it has me at loose ends.
Usually I can figure out what location/town/etc., but haven't gotten a lot of insight from reading the various trip reports and posts here. As to hotels, generally on TA there emerges one of more with consistently outstanding reviews but so far everybody has some sort of gripe with even the Relais et chateau places...wow. Parking: either not easily available or the "spaces are hard to negotiate" Breakfast: "too expensive for what you get" Bathrooms: too dark The decor was "from the 1970's" (probably written by someone born in the 1980's!!!) The place was great...but the buildings around it are shabby The air conditioning was turned off by the fornt desk personnel using a computer The scrambled eggs were runny Fab places...run by some chef and out in the middle of the nowhere woods where God lost his shoes and people raving about the "sculpted" presentations...groan And I thought this was going to be easy; a CENTRAL location from which to take day trips in a CAR In the countryside would have been nice or in a small town or smaller town Preferably a memorable hotel or at least town. Yes, AIR CONDITIONED..France/humid/AUGUST...besides, unlike Munich about where I was lectured, "air conditioning is a total waste of money" (but apparently NOBODY TOLD all those hotels and restaurants in Munich which have installed it)...I KNOW it will be helpful. So, I'm off to get a guidebook at the bookstore...perhaps some insight will come with it...I do not want to stay IN Germany as I'll be there later in the trip. Must be my old age....forgive me if this end up making your own day less than pleasant. |
>es, AIR CONDITIONED
It's quite a bit warmer at the rhine in summer, they even grow wine there. Buying a guide book sounds like a teriffic idea. :D |
Hey Du,
>...haven't gotten a lot of insight from reading the various trip reports and posts here.< You read both of my trip reports and are at a loss for "a CENTRAL location from which to take day trips in a CAR In the countryside would have been nice or in a small town or smaller town"? ((I)) |
Ira, where ARE those reports....I will GLADLY read them!!!!
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My trip was in 2001, but you are welcome to read my trip report.
http://travelswithdiane.homestead.com/trip2001pg5.html |
Guidebooks are never a bad idea, even if you choose to ignore most of what they say (like I do).
I have never had any complications finding suitable accommodations in Alsace except a couple times in the city of Strasbourg, but that's only because I am a cheapskate. If air conditioning is all that important to you, most of the chain hotels (Ibis, Campanile, B&B Hôtels, etc.) have it, unlike the charming places in the villages. |
Hey Du,
>Ira, where ARE those reports...< You don't start each day on Fodors doing a search for "Ira"? Ira Visits Zurich, The Bodensee, Alsace and Paris – May 2008 http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=35136218 Ira Visits Europe – May, 2007 (Salzburg, Fuessen, Bodensee, Burgundy, Alsace) http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=35014078 ((I)) |
Hotel du Lac, Guebwiller
Has virtually all you need but not right in the centre, in the South just off the wine route. La Reve is next door (more expensive |
Kerouac: thanks and IMO "charm" has many facets; sweating in bed at night due to the climatic heat is NOT one of them
Ira: thanks for the links; will read them both Biloburger: thank you for the CONSTRUCTIVE response..it is appreciated. |
I think, it's time to take Dukey to another level :D. A level were Dukey will meet locals and stay in the same places where they stay, and actually interact with them. ;-) Getting away from the usual north american tourist crowd. Can he adapt? Actually I think he can. I know, it'll be completely new experience but I think it'll work. :-)
This "rant" is a first step. ;-) |
A first step would be to switch off AC now. At least for a few hours.
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Luvtotravel:
thanks very much for your report link |
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Logos, please....do you really THINK that Europeans don't stay in air conditioned hotels? The only "locals" I want to interact with are the ones who don't make the concept of "freedom fries" seem like a good idea.
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You could try the recommendations in viaMichelin.
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I have to side with Dukey. I'm having trouble coming up with a place, too. The places that are listed on Relais and Chateaux really don't seem to belong there!
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Dukey, if you need AC, you go to the fancy hotels in Paris. In Paris there's something to "see". En Alsace you can see houses ,people and nature. And their livestyle differs from yours considerably, even if you won't believe it. If you're willing to adapt, you might gain some insight. If you feel they're the "freedom fries" - people, then yes, that may well be. (Even if they speak a German dialect between eachother :D ) BUT it's their home home not yours. If you're not interested in a place, why visit anyway? You get those negative reactions to Alsace you posted, from the people, that shouldn't have gone there anyway. You really can't blame the locals for your actions.
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I think Alsace hotels come in various types. You can have the B&B, the local hotel 2 or 3 star, the european 4 star chains with A/C, the ancient hotels (without A/C) and the posher classy hotels run by locals but not always in a large chain.
The one (actually two) I recommend would fit into an American standard (bijoux modern with aircon, wifi, design and fine view of swan pond slightly into the Vosges. I took my partner there as she was hitting a 2 day Migraine and needed total comfort. She got it |
We stayed at the Parc Hotel in Obernai, I can't imagine that it doesn't have AC. It's lovely. Try the Franceby.com site using the matrix for Alsace and check FAQs on the hotels you like. They have a question about AC. You can also search on AC but I don't like the way they package the info when you do that. Good luck.
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