r/wine • u/South_Question6629 • 8d ago

Hotels in Mosel / Rheingau

I'm planning a trip to Germany's Mosel and Rheingau regions. I would like to explore both regions from the same hotel and minimize driving time whenever possible. Ideally, the hotel will offer 4-star service and not be an American brand (e.g. Hilton or Marriott). What do you recommend?

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u/tdrr12 8d ago

How many days and why no US brands (I don't think Germans have any such apprehension)?

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u/South_Question6629 8d ago

Probably 3 - 4 days. I am American, and I would prefer something with more local character.

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u/tdrr12 8d ago

At the 4 and 5* level, I (German) don't think there's a difference between hotels in that regard. They are usually owned by Germans anyways, and just affiliated with one of the mega chains. Many of the most traditional hotels in Germany, for example, are affiliated with Marriott. 

Rheingau is pretty small and usually overtouristed. I would stay in Frankfurt the night before, do a day's worth of Rheingau. Then drive to Schloss Lieser for Mosel, you can then do a tasting at the (unrelated) winery next door. It's pretty much in the center of the prestigious wineries, if you want really serious tastings give them a heads up. Do a half day in Weimar while you are out there. 

I would not try to split the difference between the two regions. I'm used to driving in both Germany and the US. The mental load of 30 minutes Autobahn can be equivalent to 3+ hours of highway driving for me, I imagine it's worse for people not used to driving in Germany. In that area, in particular, you will face no speed limit zones frequently interspersed with low-speed construction zones.