(Re-posting in GERMANY Forum vice EUROPE)
We'll be traveling down the southern part of the German Wine Road from about the A6 autobahn (i.e., about Kirchheim) to the French border. We would like recommendations for places to stay. We're budget travelers and prefer not to spend over $100/night. We prefer family hotels and gasthauses to chains.
Thanks for any help.

I have traveled that route many times, always without any hotel reservations. There are lots of gasthauses in your price range, including rooms at a wineries (weingut) surrounded by vineyards. If you don't find something in one village, there will be something just a couple of kms down the road in the next village. Have fun!

Forgot to ask -- when will you be going? You may have a bit of trouble finding a room on the weekends in Sept/Oct during wine festival time.

Although a bit off the Weinstrasse, I always enjoy Speyer. Lots of history and a nice old city, with pretty park along the Rhein.

Although not exactly "downtown", I have found the Hotel Graf's Loewengarten comfortable, with an excellent kitchen and great brakfasts. They speak Englisch, if that is important.

http://www.eurobookings.com/speyer-h...FRMUagodMVIpXw

wanderfrau: We're going late September/ early October.

Check out
www.pfaelzer-weinfest.de for a list of the wine festivals

Check out
www.vacation-in-rhineland-palatinate.com to search for places to stay