Maudie, thanks for the kind words.

It's a nice hike up to the castle ruins in Beilstein (Burg Metternich) and there are some great views from up there.

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/desti.../beilstein.htm

For your accommodation in St. Gilgen, you may want to look at the Hotel Schernthaner. We so enjoyed our stay there. Frau Eisl, the owner, is such a nice lady and the hotel is in a great location just a couple of blocks from the lake and around the corner from the Zwoelferhorn Chairlift. We thought it was a good value for the money.

http://www.hotel-schernthaner.at/sei...sh/index_e.htm

The Zwoelferhorn website is in German but you can look at the pretty pictures!

http://www.12erhorn.at/Home.htm

Another website that maybe helpful:

http://www.wolfgangsee.at/alias/wolf.../en/Sommerwelt

One more thing you might want to consider. Since you will be in the area for several days, you may want to look at buying the Salzburgerland Card. The Zwoelferhorn Chairlift I mentioned is included as well as many other sights and attractions. Depending on what you want to see, it may be worth buying.

http://www.salzburgerlandcard.com/?&sprachen_id=2

You are most welcome Betty, I really do appreciate your help. Now I will just have to find the time to sit and check out accommodation.

The hotel in St Gilgen looks great, love the look of the breakfast room. I am not sure if we might try and find an apartment to try and self cater a bit seeing as we are planning on 5 nights. Did you find eating out easy enough in St Gilgen and a reasonable price?

Thanks for the other sites, I will check them out.

Just one more question, Betty, I have not noticed any hotels offering half-board is this not practiced in Germany and Austria?

I see that the Schernthaner has an apartment, but don't know if the price is in your budget.

There was a great little cafe around the corner from the hotel (to the right), across the street from the Rathaus -- the Cafe Stern. We ate there twice because they had good soups and their prices were very reasonable. There are also a couple of small grocery stores close by where we would buy water, snacks and drinks to keep in the room. I love that the restaurants post their menus because it gives you an opportunity to see if they have anything you want and at a price you can afford! LOL!

I happened upon this travelog from the Slowtrav website. I thought it might be helpful. It's about a couple who rented an apartment for 2 wks in St. Gilgen. Anyway, more reading material!!!

http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/kaydee/...es/000927.html

Maudie, when doing our trip research, I remember seeing hotels that offered half board. However, I think it may be more prevalent in resort areas. Also, quite a few of the hotels where we stayed only provided breakfast (garni) and didn't have a restaurant.

Great thanks Betty, I have just been drooling over the hotel in St Gilgen, it sure looks nice. I think it's going to be hard to beat. Yes, I checked out the apartment too, but then we will miss out on that lovely breakfast room. The Cafe Stern sounds just fine, we are more than happy with a bowl of soup or similar and I am sure we can find things to eat at the grocery store.
Thank you for the extra reading material too.

Jane--Glad I could help. The Bestors will do a good job for you, I'm sure. Assuming they arrange for you to rent from Europcar in Freilassing, getting on the road toward Berchtesgaden will be a piece of cake--particularly compared to navigating Munich.

Maudie, let us know if you do decide to stay a couple of nights in Salzburg. I'd be happy to give restaurant recommendations.

Yes, JN we are going to stay for 2 nights now and I would love your restaurant suggestions.
Thank you so much for your help as well. Its great to be able to toss ideas around with such nice people.

I'll read those restaurant recommendations over your shoulder, Maudie, if I may?

Salzburg restaurants:
I tend to like Bierstub-type places (as you'll see), and have found three that are particularly good in Salzburg's Altstadt:

1. Wilden Mann, just off Getreidegasse in one of those walkways toward Hanuschplatz. A very traditional "hunting lodge" atmosphere Bier Stub. Execellent schnitzel, goulasch and other traditional Austrian fare; Stieglbrau on tap. There is some outdoor seating. Place was a bit smoky when were in there. Here are Yahoo reviews: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-reviews-27...5YtIYySFWoL#13

2. Zipfer Bierhall--a beautiful, old-world feel kind of place with stone archways and rustic furniture inside, and nice outdoor seating. Very traditional Austrian food, well prepared, tasty, reasonably priced and accompanied by an assortment of Zipfer Biere. We were there in September and their Octoberfest was excellent. You'll likely get seated with others--which for us was a lot of fun. It does allow smoking.

3. Stiegl Keller--at the foot of Hohensalzburg Fortress, behind Der Dom (main cathedral). Huge portions of traditional austrian food, lots of Stieglbrau. Outdoor terrace looks over all the churches and buildings in the Altstadt--very nice. Hope the weather cooperates when you're there.

4. For fancier dining, go to Stiftskeller St. Peter's--an amazing place in a monastery said to have been in operation since the year 803. It has multiple dining areas, including a baroque/roccoco room in which they have Mozart Dinner Concerts (very fun, by the way) for a fixed price of around 40-50 Euro. The food is superb, the service the best you'll find and the prices, while not low, are reasonable for the quality of the food, surroundings and service. Read these reviews to get more details: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-reviews-27...4IkSx.SFWoL#44

5. For a cafe, we liked Cafe Furst--where the original Mozart Kugel was introduced. This crowded little "Bäckerei/Konditorei" (bakery/confectionery), serves wonderful cakes, coffee or Kugels either outdoors across from Cafe Tomaselli, or inside. (BTW--Many like the famous Cafe Tomaselli for desert/coffee, and you might, too. We thought the service was awful--they kept giving us American-type watered down coffee, despite our repeated requests for the traditional, strong euro coffee. I guess they figured they knew what we wanted better than we did).

Well, those are our faves. Hope you get a chance to try one or more and hope that you enjoy them.

Oh, I forgot to mention the best Bier hall atmosphere: Augustiner Braurei-- a quick bus ride from the Altstadt. The hall and outdoor biergarten can serve over 2,800 patrons--mostly locals. Food is so-so, IMO, but the bier and atmosphere are really cool. http://www.augustinerbier.at/pages/estuebl/index.htm

JN, those places all sound wonderful, thank you so much for taking the time to give Jane and myself those sites and all the helpful advice you have offered. I do truly appreciate it. Now we just have to put aside some time to sit down (with a beer!!!) and sift through all this information and make some decisions. And as a bonus I feel like I have made some new friends.

To everyone who has posted here a big thank you.
Maudie

Many thanks, JH, I have printed your kind recommendations off, and will take with me. So lovely to have insider knowledge!

Thanks too, dear Maudie for allowing me to ride on your coat-tails in this thread. I look forward so much to your trip report. I hope all your dreams come true on this visit.

Hi Jane,
No problems at all, it was nice having you with me for the ride.
We aren't going until next year, we are still madly saving. I can't remember if you said when you are going but I will be waiting for your trip report first to get all that first hand knowledge. Thank you for your kind wishes.

I do hope your holiday is wonderful, it appears to be such a magical part of the world so I am sure it will be great. Bon Voyage, Jane.

PS - your island is a pretty neat place too!

Thanks Maudie, we are off on May 1st. We fly into Munich on May 2nd for our bus tour, then head off on our own from May 15. I am allowing myself to get excited now!

You should come to Tassie sometime - it really is a pretty place with lots of history, but come in the summer, November to Feb, or you W.A.'s will freeze your poor little toes off. Kindest regards, Jane.

Hi Jane,
We have been on a driving holiday to Tassie for two weeks many years ago and loved it. We hope to return some day as our allotted time at Cradle Mountain was a bit of a white out. We were there in September and loved the snow though and survived the cold.

I shall look out for your trip report then and yes you can get excited NOW!
Cheers
Maudie