Hotel Ritter Durbach

Hotel Ritter Durbach, a Michelin Key Selected property in Durbach, Germany, consistently receives high praise for its exceptional blend of traditional charm and modern luxury, set amidst the picturesque Black Forest vineyards.

Overall Rating & Sentiment

Hotel Ritter Durbach generally garners an excellent overall rating and sentiment. Review aggregators show scores such as 8.7 "Excellent" on Booking.com and 8.9 "Excellent" on Agoda. The Michelin Guide itself rates the overall experience at 18.5 out of 20, indicating a very high standard. Guests frequently describe their stays as "amazing," "outstanding," and "perfect," highlighting a memorable and relaxing experience.

Key Highlights

Guests consistently laud the comprehensive spa and wellness facilities, the outstanding breakfast, and the hotel's idyllic location. Key highlights include:

• Spa & Wellness: A spacious 3937 sq ft spa area with indoor and outdoor sections, including a rooftop spa offering views of the Durbach Vineyards. It features various saunas (Finnish, bio, Zirbenholz), a steam bath, an indoor pool, a hot tub, relaxation rooms, a library, and a tea lounge. Spa suites even come with private saunas.
• Dining: The breakfast is consistently described as a "bomb," "outstanding," "copious," and "exceptional," with a wide variety of fresh, regional offerings. The hotel's restaurants, particularly Makidan, are celebrated for their creative and ambitious Black Forest cuisine.
• Location: The beautiful setting amidst Durbach's vineyards, on Baden's Wine Route and at the edge of the Black Forest, is a significant draw, offering stunning views and opportunities for hiking and exploring.
• Service: The staff's warmth, helpfulness, and friendliness are frequently highlighted by guests.
• Unique Experiences: The hotel offers amenities like an attached winery, wine tasting, and the option to rent classic cars for tours, adding a distinctive touch to the guest experience.

Room Quality

The hotel offers 86 individually decorated rooms and suites. Rooms are generally described as tasteful, stylish, comfortable, clean, and modern, with amenities such as air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, minibars, safes, free Wi-Fi, bathrobes, and free toiletries. Some rooms, like the Comfort Double Room, offer king beds and are around 26-32 square meters, while more luxurious Spa Suites with Sauna can reach up to 70 square meters and include sofa beds and outdoor saunas. While some guests noted that certain rooms were "relatively small" or "a bit outdated," others praised spacious, modern accommodations, particularly those with private saunas.

Dining Experience

The dining at Hotel Ritter Durbach is a major draw. The breakfast receives overwhelmingly positive feedback, described as "outstanding," "extensive," and providing "a fantastic choice of food" including hot items, cold cuts, cheese, yogurt with fruits, fresh drinks, and even sparkling wine. The main restaurant, Makidan, offers "Black Forest soul food for gourmets" with a daily changing four-course menu and an optional fifth course, blending regional Black Forest and Alsace products with international influences. Guests consistently praise the food as "exceptional" and a "unique and outstanding fine-dining experience". It is highly recommended to book restaurant tables in advance due to popularity.

Service & Staff

The service and staff at Hotel Ritter Durbach are consistently rated highly, with many guests describing them as "lovely," "wonderful," "helpful," "kind," "dedicated," and "friendly". The staff are noted for their willingness to assist guests in both German and English. While one guest mentioned a check-in experience that was "efficient but I would not say friendly" and another noted a bar staff member as "rather mediocre," the overarching sentiment is one of warm hospitality and personalized attention to detail.

Location & Accessibility

Hotel Ritter Durbach enjoys a "scenic location on Baden's Wine Route," nestled in the charming town of Durbach, at the edge of the Black Forest. The area is celebrated for its clean air, beautiful scenery, vineyards, and opportunities for hiking, cycling, and other outdoor activities. Historic towns like Strasbourg, Freiburg, and Baden-Baden are within easy reach for day trips.

For accessibility:

• Baden Airpark (FKB): Approximately 30 minutes by taxi.
• Stuttgart Airport (STR): About 100 kilometers away. Guests can take a train to Offenburg (1 hour 20 minutes), followed by a 15-minute taxi or bus ride to the hotel.
• The hotel offers a spacious car park, with self-parking costing EUR 15 per day (reservation recommended). An airport shuttle service is also available for a fee.

Value & Pricing

Hotel Ritter Durbach generally offers excellent value for money. Agoda reports an average price of approximately $192 per room, which is comparable to the average hotel room price in Durbach, indicating affordable luxury. Both Booking.com and Agoda give high ratings for value for money (8.4 and 9.3 respectively). Parking is an additional EUR 15 per day. Extra charges apply for children requiring extra beds or cribs.

Common Complaints

While overwhelmingly positive, some recurring issues or criticisms mentioned by guests include:

• Spa Layout: The spa area, though extensive, is sometimes described as "a bit convoluted" or spread across different levels/buildings, which some guests found made navigating between areas a bit cumbersome.
• Pool Temperature: The main indoor pool has been noted as "rather cold," as it is not heated.
• Breakfast Crowding: During peak times, the breakfast area can become crowded, leading to queues at the buffet.
• Booking Difficulties: Due to the popularity of the restaurants and spa treatments, guests have reported difficulty booking tables or appointments on short notice, recommending advance reservations.
• Room Size/Arrangement: While many rooms are praised, some guests found certain standard rooms to be "relatively small" with limited space for luggage, or occasionally "oddly arranged". One reviewer mentioned rooms could "do with a bit of modernisation".
• Luggage Handling: A few guests mentioned an "unexpected and not pleasant experience" of dragging luggage up and down stairs from the parking garage elevator.
• Pillows: One guest noted the pillows were "big but thin".

Sources

1. booking.com
2. agoda.com
3. michelin.com
4. michelin.com
5. badenwurtemberghotel.com
6. holidaycheck.de
7. tablethotels.com
8. ritter-durbach.de
9. youtube.com
10. booking.com
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12. ritter-durbach.de
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14. orbitz.com
15. expedia.com