Romantik Hotel Residenz am See

Overall Impression After driving for several hours through rain and some snow covered roads hoping to find sunny shores, we arrived at the Residenz am See, a small family owned and run hotel facing Lake Constance. It was a gray and rainy Friday afternoon and our spirits drooped when we discovered the sunshine we had hoped would arrive was absent. During our stay we caught brief glimpses of blue skies and the sun and thanks to our pleasant accommodations and welcoming staff made the best of the winter weather. As part of our check in process two of the hotel staff explained our options, answered questions and accompanied us to our penthouse suite.

A few minutes later we were comfortably seated in our spacious and modern vineyard facing accommodations. The reception desk staff’s warm welcome, in English, including a glass of Italian Prosecco and our attractive suite contributed to a swift change in mood. Soon we were heading into the village where we enjoyed a light lunch and exploring the quaint streets.

During our visit we participated in a fun half day pastry making workshop with Alexandra Lang, the hotel’s talented pastry chef. The hotel’s two well run dining rooms, including a noteworthy gourmet restaurant, added appeal to the property. What the hotel lacked in facilities it made up for manifold in attentive service, friendliness and gourmet fare. We liked the Residenz am See for its waterfront location, quiet facilities and our thoughtfully appointed suite with a close up view of the sleeping vineyards. We look forward to a return visit to the Residenz am See the next time we’re in the region.

Children The hotel welcomed children of all ages and offered complimentary cots for babies.

Connectivity Although there was usually complimentary high speed Ethernet access to the Internet from guest rooms and wireless W-LAN from the lobby, neither system was working during our visit. There was no way to connect to the Internet on site.

Handicapped Access There was an elevator, an entrance convenient for wheelchair users as well as a double room accessible to wheelchair users.

Location In the small village of Meersburg in southern Germany.

Owned And Managed Manfred Lang

Pets Dogs were welcome for a supplement (10 euros per night) in the hotel and its two restaurants.

Size The 27 room (single, double, apartment and suites) hotel occupied a five story building. Four of the floors were dedicated to guest rooms and one floor was occupied by two in house restaurants. The number of staff varied slightly depending on the season; there were 28 employees in summer and 20 in winter.

Type Of Accommodations A four star hotel featuring newly renovated Mediterranean style rooms with balconies offering views of the lake or the vineyards.

Year Opened-Most Recent Renovation The property was established in 1905. The most recent major renovation was completed in March 2002 and the most recent renovation was in 2007.

DÉCor The hotel had a contemporary Mediterranean style featuring fresh flowers, oil paintings and modern sculptures in the common areas.

Bathroom Our rectangular shaped bathroom had underfloor heating beneath pale terracotta tiles. Just past the door there was a large white tiled shower with a glass door, and a handheld shower head that could be conveniently attached to a pole. Past the shower there was an open bath tub, sink, large mirror and toilet. A warm towel rack was against the wall and across from the toilet. A small basket held toiletries and a glass container held several deodorizing sticks in lemons grass, natural orange and green tea scents.

Suite Suite Residenz (Number 47), our 45 square meter suite, was on the penthouse floor (the fifth floor) facing the rear of the building and adjacent vineyards. Entering from the hallway, the suite was warm in contrast to the cold March wind. On the left there was a window facing desk and armchair. The glass covered desk housed a direct dial phone and Ethernet cable, a lamp, a mini refrigerator stocked with juices, sparkling water and beer. There was also a coffee and tea service with supplies stored in an adjacent cabinet.

On the right there were two closets and the door to the bathroom. The entrance to the sleeping area was a little further on the right. Directly across from the entrance there was a living area with a red and yellow checkered cloth love seat, coffee table, Phillips television, metal and glass window side table and armchair. Floor to ceiling windows provided a broad view of a private outdoor covered deck area, the neighboring vineyards and buildings of Meersburg. From the living area a glass door led to the 15 square meter open deck which had loungers and patio furniture. Because it had been raining the cushions had been removed temporarily. From a corner of the deck a balcony jutted out of the building and we could see Lake Constance.

The bedroom also had floor to ceiling windows and a vineyard view. It was populated by two single beds set together against a a large pinewood headboard and framed by matching night tables with lamps. There was a telephone on one of the night tables. There was another closet with shelf space and a small electronic safe, a glass covered dresser with a second Phillips television and ample shelf and drawer space.

The comfy two-room suite had a pink and red color theme, a shaggy multicolored carpet, textured eggshell walls, and pine wood tone furniture. A flower and square patch curtain kept the sunlight out in the early morning and added color to the suite to counter the gray colors of the cloudy day. A plant, vase with a single red rose and fruit bowl added a homey touch. For temperature control there were radiators and a remote controlled air conditioning unit in each of the rooms. An integrated sound system offered two channels of music with individual controls in the bathroom, living area and bedroom.

Restaurants And Meals Breakfast was served from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. The expansive buffet style service was complimented by a selection of cooked to order egg dishes. Buffet offerings included loose leaf teas and coffee, a selection of cold beverages and Prosecco sparkling wine. There were several cold cereal options, a variety of loaf breads for self slicing, fresh fruit, several types of honey and preserves. There was also an ample selection of deli items, salmon, smoked trout, herring, shrimp, a platter of pickled items and a platter of cheeses.

Lunch was served from 12 noon to 2 p.m. After that only homemade pastries were available between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Dinner was served between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at the hotel’s two restaurants, Casala Das Restaurant, the property’s gastronomic dining option, and Residenz.

On our first night we dined at Casala. On our second night we dined at Residenz where we began our meal with a glass of Ruinart champagne. Shortly after we sat down a friendly waitress brought a bread basket with two types of sliced and warm bread. Next, we were served a small portion of potato salad with one meatball. Our first course was Salad of asparagus with roasted brook trout. Next there were Glazed sweetbreads on scrambled eggs with chives. Finally, we had Sirloin steak on onion sauce and roasted ravioli of oxtail. Dessert was Gratinated Riesling flan with cannelloni of chocolate and strawberry rhubarb. Four bite size candy morsels were served with my husband’s decaffeinated cappuccino. Dinner was superb. The dishes were tasty, well prepared, artfully presented and served kindly.

Amenities There were complimentary .25 liter bottles of juice, beer and sparling water in the mini bar. In the bathroom, there was liquid soap by the sink and in the shower, cotton swaps, a nail file, and a sewing kit. There were also two cotton bathrobes in the suite and others for the nearby public pool and sauna center on request for use during our stay, local newspaper delivered to our door in the morning, and instant coffee and tea service. The hotel offered discounted admission to the public water park that was across the street.

Facilities There were two restaurants at the hotel.

Conference Rooms Although there were no stand alone conference rooms, it was possible to hold meetings for between five and 30 persons, or for concert seating 45 people, in the restaurant rooms. One room was 18 square meters, another was 66 square meters large and a third offered 22 square meters of meeting space. For an optional fee room rental included writing pad, pen, flip chart, screen, and pin boards.

Other Room service from a limited menu was available from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The hotel, balconies, restaurant, and restaurant terrace were nonsmoking areas. Two types of in-room massages were available. The hotel accepted payment in cash and e-card/Maestro. Credit card payments were only accepted by prior arrangement and for extended stays of over three nights. After 10 p.m., the hotel entrance was locked and reception was unmanned so it was necessary to carry the room key to reenter the hotel. There was a selection of items available for purchase in glass cases in the hotel’s lobby area including hotel branded clothing, homemade preserves and alcoholic drinks from the Lake Constance region.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Visit March 2009

Reviewers Article by Elena del Valle

Photos by Gary Cox

Would You Return? Yes