Gengenbach is a town in Baden-Wurttemberg. It is centrally located in the Black Forest, so many people use the town as a base to explore the region.
Die Reichsstadt is a 4 star hotel which is on a side street off the main square. It is nice, and very pretty; however, there are a few things to be mindful of:
- It is very difficult to find and get to by car. The street signs for the hotel directed us in circles. In addition, the streets are rather narrow and a bit difficult to navigate.
- If you have a car, reserve a spot in the garage. If you don’t, you will need to find off-street parking.
- The Internet is non-existent. We were given a code; however, it didn’t work on any of our devices. We tried multiple times. When we inquired about it at the front desk we were assured that the code was valid and it had to be our electronics. Well, they worked at every other hotel, so we don’t think the problem was with our iPads and iPhones.
- Not all rooms have air-conditioning. Those that do, clearly list it as an amenity. It may be extremely important to book one with a/c if you visit in the summer.
- The restaurant is not open every night. They promoted it when we booked our room, but upon arrival we were told they decided the restaurant would be closed that night.
It was nice for an evening, but when we visit again (and we will for Christmas) we will stay at a different hotel.
A walk around town will allow you to see a variety of half-timbered houses, or choose a cafe to have a drink and a slice of Black Forest cake (or gateau). If you want, you can take a break and sit down on one of the many benches with a view of beautiful flowers and the town gate. It is a place you can just relax and watch the world go ’round.
