It's Martin Luther King Day and Bill and I have just come back from visiting a place that has been on my bucket list for years. A few years ago, I even drew the name of this place out of my champagne bucket; we were actually "supposed" to visit in 2014, but for some reason, our plans to get there got put on the back burner. I'm writing of the beautifully preserved walled city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, Germany.
Rothenburg is located not far from Ansbach, which is a town that has the distinction of being one of the places where Bill served his very first assignment in Germany (the other was Vilseck). He has often spoken of Rothenburg during our fifteen years of marriage, making me want to see it. Now that he's been there and seen how beautiful it is, he says he's not sure if he actually ever did go there before this past weekend. Rothenburg is the kind of place that won't slip your memory and he was surprised by how cool a place it is.
Because we find ourselves having to bring our dogs with us on a lot of our trips, I have to look for pet friendly accommodations. Because we have beagle mixes and they can be loud, I have to find places where it won't be a problem if they make noise. I managed to book a fantastic place in Rothenburg. As usual, I consulted Booking.com and it was there that I found a house called Anno 1499.
Folks, it's not often that I gush about a property, but I feel like I have to about this house, which is located just inside the medieval walls of Rothenburg and dates back to the year 1499. It truly had every comfort we could have ever wanted. I was a little unsure about how successful this rental would be, since I could see that the house was in a row that shared walls with the next property. I can now say that wasn't a problem. In fact, I think this might have been our most carefree pet friendly rental yet.
We arrived in Rothenburg at about 4:00pm. Our hostess, who spoke a little English, told Bill where to find the keys to the house. They are kept in a code activated safe outside, making it easy for renters to access the house. Unfortunately, Bill still had some trouble finding the keys, so he had to call her. She works as a nurse at the senior living facility right across the street, so she met us within about two minutes and let us into the house. I am always nervous when I meet the landlord/landlady and I have my dogs. I did not have to worry this time. Our hostess warmly welcomed Zane and Arran! Then she showed Bill a nearby spot where he could park all weekend for free! Paid parking is also available at five euros a day.
Below are some pictures of this fabulous house...
Part two.
My very first view of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Because we find ourselves having to bring our dogs with us on a lot of our trips, I have to look for pet friendly accommodations. Because we have beagle mixes and they can be loud, I have to find places where it won't be a problem if they make noise. I managed to book a fantastic place in Rothenburg. As usual, I consulted Booking.com and it was there that I found a house called Anno 1499.
Folks, it's not often that I gush about a property, but I feel like I have to about this house, which is located just inside the medieval walls of Rothenburg and dates back to the year 1499. It truly had every comfort we could have ever wanted. I was a little unsure about how successful this rental would be, since I could see that the house was in a row that shared walls with the next property. I can now say that wasn't a problem. In fact, I think this might have been our most carefree pet friendly rental yet.
We arrived in Rothenburg at about 4:00pm. Our hostess, who spoke a little English, told Bill where to find the keys to the house. They are kept in a code activated safe outside, making it easy for renters to access the house. Unfortunately, Bill still had some trouble finding the keys, so he had to call her. She works as a nurse at the senior living facility right across the street, so she met us within about two minutes and let us into the house. I am always nervous when I meet the landlord/landlady and I have my dogs. I did not have to worry this time. Our hostess warmly welcomed Zane and Arran! Then she showed Bill a nearby spot where he could park all weekend for free! Paid parking is also available at five euros a day.
Below are some pictures of this fabulous house...
The front door... excuse the shadow!
Living room. It has a couch, a television with German TV and CNN, a table and chairs, and a sliding door that opens to a small courtyard. We didn't use the courtyard, but it would be very nice in better weather.
A view into the kitchen. It was fully equipped with a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, dishwasher, stove, and oven. There's another table and chairs.
Washer and dryer.
A shot of the little courtyard. I wished we'd had weather that would have facilitated using this charming space, which you can see from the medieval wall located right behind the house.
One bedroom on the second floor. It had a small double bed.
And a huge TV!
Behind the bedroom is an office with a daybed, a crib, and a desk.
Yes, the WiFi works well, except on the top floor.
Huge bathroom. The tub was amazing... nice and big and even had lighting controlled with a dimmer switch. The hostess also provides his and hers rubber duckies!
Top floor. Another sitting area with a couch and a small TV, as well as a CD "boombox".
And another bedroom with a larger double bed...
TV number four.
Baby gate on the top floor.
The pretty door from the inside. To the right (not pictured) is another bathroom that has a shower.
Adorable Bavarian touches...
The front of Anno 1499... At one point, someone's cat got stuck on the roof. I'm not sure how it got up there or eventually got down, but evidently it did. Its owner knocked on our door and unsuccessfully tried to rescue it.
You would think this house would cost a bundle to rent. Well, I'm here to tell you that at least in January, this house is a steal. For three nights, we paid just 285 euros. And 60 euros of that went to taxes. We did not have to pay a security deposit or extra pet fees, either. I spent all weekend marveling at how reasonably priced this place was, yet how awesome it is to stay there. We paid our hostess in cash, as was required, and this morning when we left, we simply put the key on the kitchen table.
We could not have asked for a better place to stay and if we ever make it back to Rothenburg, I hope we can stay again. It truly was first rate. Adding to the house's appeal is the fact that it's only a five minute walk from the nearest Edeka. You walk out the gates, cross the street, and rejoin us in 2018... Or you walk the other way and stay in medieval bliss. I actually experienced a little culture shock this morning as we emerged from the town and I remembered what Germany looks like outside of the walls.
Regarding Rothenburg itself... well, I will be adding it to my list of places to go when I need to get out of Stuttgart and have to take the dogs with me. It really is a very cool town. I hope you'll come along with me as I write up the rest of our trip in the posts to follow this one.
Part two.
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