recommendations for rentals and towns? Please help!
 

We are going to go over to Germany either next June or Septmeber with our daugher who is currently 7 months. We are looking to rent 2 places, 1 for a week and another for another week. Don't have a preference for where in Germany since it is all beautiful. We love to wander around old towns, eat great food and shop for local things to bring home. I would love to stay at a place that has a kitchen but is a part of the owners place so we can get touring suggestions and have someone to ask questions of while we are there. I know that there are a couple of B&B's that have apartments (one is near Bad Tolz which does not seem that interesting though the place looks great) We are not interested in apartment buildings. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! We have been to Europe many times but never with our daughter and have never rented a place. Thank you for your help!

Hi Dawn<BR><BR>This is only a partial answer to your question, but there are many other helpful Fodorites who know a lot about Germany who will probably help you out here.<BR><BR>There are many, many accommodations available all over Germany such as you describe. One good place to start is at www.bavariaben.com. Another source is Karen Brown's Germany publication and her website at www.karenbrown.com. Rick Steves' website at www.ricksteves might be helpful too. <BR><BR>I'd suggest the Rhine Valley for a week and then Bavaria (including Munich) for your second week. Germany is very child-friendly. <BR><BR>Have a great time.

hi Dawn,<BR>agrees with above. It is too much, for there are a lot of places like this You are looking at. I give You a few areas I know where I by my own:<BR>South: Lake Konstanz, Valley of river Saar, Ammersee<BR>North: Emden at the North Sea, Island Ruegen, Steinhuder Meer (going next week).<BR>Drop me a line if YOu have any preferences so I can give You more information and perhpas find out the wwws.<BR><BR>have fun<BR>Gar

One of the most complete listings of rentals I know of for Germany is at www.accommodation.de . You can search by state (Bavaria, Rheinland-Pfalz, etc.) and then further refine your search by region within the state. I think Gar's mention of the Ammersee region, just southwest of Munich, is a particularly good one. There are hundreds of in-home rentals such as you're looing for all around the lake, but I like the west side best as a jumping-off point for daytrips to Munich and destinations to the south and west such as Neuschwanstein, the Wieskirche, and the Alpine town of Garmisch. One particularly convenient town is Diessen - there's a ferry across the lake to Herrsching, which is just a couple of km from Andechs Monastery (great food and beer!) as well as a small beach, several nice restaurants, and good train connections to wherever you're going. The website above lists only a couple of rentals there, but there are hundreds more listed (in German) at the town's website (www.diessen.de) and through the tourist office there. Utting and several other lakeside towns there have similar rental offerings.<BR><BR>You could use the above site to find a place on the Mosel River (in Rheinland-Pfalz) as well. We rented last year in the town of Cochem and had a terrific stay there - it's a good base for visiting the local wine towns, Burg Eltz Castle, Trier, the Rhine, and even Luxembourg, via daytrips, and the river cruise boats that depart from here are numerous. We had a two-bedroom place with an equipped kitchen, separate living room and balcony, all nicely furnished and well located a few steps from the old-town center, for about $40/night. If you visit the Mosel in June, be aware that "Happy Mosel" biking weekend brings thousands and thousands of visitors; the river road will be shut down to cars, and rentals will be in short supply. It's good to reserve in advance for September as well because of the wine festivals that punctuate life along the river then.

Correction: you needn't worry about "Happy Mosel" since it's being held on May 26 this year, strangely enough!

Thank you very much for all of the responses so far! I started my own search on google and there were so many pages to look at but I knew that the fodorites would come through for me. I'm going to start looking at the suggestions and then get back to you with more questions I'm sure.<BR><BR>Thanks again :-)