Next to a deep pond called Steinbruchsee, a small inn nestles in the mountains of southeastern Germany near Furth im Wald. Several generations of the Deglmann family have built it into more than a bed and a hot meal. It is a veritable gourmet experience in the woods.
Traditionally, hikers and cyclists follow mapped paths through German forests, expecting to find - and finding - small inns where they can get a beer, a meal or a bed. Hotel Steinbruchsee is one of these inns. Ah, but it is so much more. The latest generation of the Deglmann family welcomes guests in a modern incarnation of the traditional mountain inn.
Bavarian Forest National Park (Bayerischer Wald)
In the southeast corner of the Germany’s Bavaria lies the Bavarian Forest (Bayerischer Wald), a national park comparable to, but smaller and lesser known than, the Black Forest on the western border. The Bavarian Forest lies between the Danube and the border of the Czech Republic. The Deglemann family lovingly tends its Hotel Steinbruchsee near the northern tip of this national park.
Inexpensive Hotel at Steinbruchsee
Accommodations have stood on this spot for several generations. The current incarnation has been renovated and modernized. It now offers private rooms with baths, suites and even apartments. Some of the rooms are non-smoking as well. Best of all, pricing for accommodations will not bankrupt your vacation budget. A per-person rate for one night, including breakfast and dinner, costs about the same as night in a motel in the USA.
Gourmet Restaurant between Prague and Nuremburg
The hotel’s restaurant is a phenomenon. Fresh local bread, cheese, cold cuts and eggs are part of the wide variety of items on the continental breakfast bar. Generous servings of locally-made cakes and tortes, along with fresh coffee and cappuccino constitute the afternoon coffee hour fare. In the evenings, dinners cannot be described with mere words. Try the fresh trout from the hatchery just outside the backdoor, cooked to perfection with just the right amount of seasonings. Local game and traditional German dishes such as warm potato salad are accompanied by fresh green salads. German wines such as Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Bacchus and Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) are on hand to complete the meals. Of course, no German inn would be complete without a selection of local beers. In fact, in summer, the terrace takes on a striking resemblance to a beer garden.
In addition, elegant gourmet catering is available on request, from finger food to a fine, five-course meal. The delicate, fine quality of the food is the most surprising thing among the many surprises to be found at this inn. And the service is flawless.
In good weather you can enjoy your meal on the terrace overlooking the pond. If you prefer inside, the traditional German décor of the pleasant dining rooms will entertain you.
Family Vacation Accommodations in Germany
There are several small attractions on the grounds of the hotel. On one side is a small room displaying beekeeping equipment and procedures. There is a clock museum (Uhrenmuseum) with an extensive collection of timepieces from sundials to digital watches.
At the fish hatchery area you can buy food from the dispenser and feed the increasingly larger groups of trout in the hatchery’s succession of pools. Next to the hatchery pools is an aquarium displaying various species of local fish. Surrounding the hatchery are fields with emus, a llama, a donkey and even mountain goats. Up the hill is a tiny wooden chapel beyond which lie many mountain trails for walking or biking.
Outdoor Sports Access in Bavaria
On the other side of the hotel a large game room keeps the kids occupied, especially on rainy days. Next to that is the deep mountain pond stocked for fishing. Nearby is a forest museum (Waldmuseum) with specimens of as much of the local wildlife as you care to peruse: a bear, wild boars, birds, small mammals, butterflies, snakes and even leaves. Next to that is a small game preserve (Wildgehege) where local deer eat out of your hand as you walk the sun-dappled paths.
Other activities in the immediate area include locations and facilities for snow skiing, hiking, mountain biking, cycling, tennis, squash, working out, saunas, diving, sailing, fly fishing, casino gaming and city tours. Ask the hotel staff to help you make reservations for any of these activities.
The Deglmann Family
The third generation of the Deglmann family runs the place. Alfons, Jr., supervises operations and performs the nitty gritty, handyman jobs. He is also a professionally trained chef and is the one responsible for turning out scrumptious gourmet meals you wouldn’t expect to find deep in the woods. His wife Christiane is head of housekeeping and manager of the hotel’s restaurant. Their sons are also professionally trained in hospitality fields and cook and otherwise contribute to the operations.
Alfons’ father, the late Alfons, Sr., was mostly responsible for building up Steinbruchsee into what it is today. He built the tiny wooden chapel up the hill from the hotel, carving the stations of the cross and other features himself. The chapel now includes a memorial to him. Well-versed in taxidermy, he preserved all the local wildlife in the forest museum (Waldmuseum), which is still lovingly maintained and run by his spry widow Anni Deglmann. He also instituted the game preserve (Wildgehege). Alfons, Sr., put in the trout hatchery and visitors’ aquarium. He even carved the beautiful wooden dining room ceilings in the hotel restaurant by hand when he was in his eighties.
Limited English Language
About the only unfortunate aspect of this lovely location is that Alfons, Jr., and his wife do not speak much English, only German. Their son and some of the wait staff speak enough English to help if you do not speak German. However, they are so eager to accommodate you that the language barrier is much smaller than you would imagine.
Near Furth im Wald on the Czech Border
Hotel Steinbruchsee is located near the small town of Furth im Wald near the Czech border. There is no local public transportation to the hotel, so the best way to reach it is by car using a GPS device. The nearest railway station is in Furth im Wald. The hotel staff will be happy to provide shuttle service to and from the train station if you call for a reservation.
The contact information for the hotel is:
Hotel Steinbruchsee
Steinbruchweg 9 - 10
93437 Furth im Wald - Sengenbühl
Tel. 09973/ 609
Fax: 09973/ 801334
Email: info@steinbruchsee.de
Website: www.steinbruchsee.de
Karren Tolliver - Karren Doll Tolliver is from the Midwest USA and received a BA in English from Mississippi University for Women in 1984. Writing since she ...
Join the Conversation