Hotel Review
Park Hotel Post is a four star hotel located in a beautiful old building on the edge of Freiburg’s old town.
Location:
Freiburg is a university town and popular tourist destination on the western edge of the Black Forest in south west Germany, lying close to the Rhine river in the state of Baden-Württemberg.
Arrival and check-in:
We had taken a morning flight from London Heathrow to EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg from where we collected a hire car for the one hour journey to Freiburg.
The hotel benefits from having an underground car park but as spaces are limited it is recommended to book a place in advance. We stopped outside the front of the hotel briefly whilst I popped inside to arrange for the garage doors to be opened and shortly afterwards a member of staff appeared and assisted us into the parking space.
Check-in was quick and efficient and even though we had arrived early we were still able to access our rooms and were informed that we could help ourselves to a complimentary welcome non-alcoholic drink from the mini-bar. A literature theme runs through the hotel as authors and artists have visited over the years and this is evident by the decor in the hotel’s foyer.
The Room:
We had originally requested a twin room but as it was a summer weekend there was no availability and so we settled for single rooms. These are often very small and poky but the ones at the Park Hotel Post were of a good size with space for a desk, sofa and en-suite shower room along with lovely views across a park to the old town.
Rooms are decorated in warm colours and feature a small selection of books (in German) that guests are welcome to read during their stay.
Dining:
The restaurant was not open for dinner at the time of our visit but we did get to enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet in the attractively styled room which comprised cooked meats, cheese, eggs, cereals, yoghurts, bread and pastries.
The Facilities:
There is a seating area to one side of the reception desk with bowls of complimentary fresh fruit and sweets for guests to enjoy. WiFi worked well throughout and as mentioned above there is limited garage car parking (extra charge). The hallways of the three floors display photographs of the Black Forest and Freiburg and have unusual designed carpets giving the appearance of cobbles and wine corks. A lift takes guests to all floors.
Out and About:
Walking tour of the old town – I suggest familiarising yourselves with Freiburg by joining a walking tour through the city’s reconstructed medieval old town which is characterised by its picturesque narrow gutters (bächle).
The Münsterplatz – Admire the historic buildings lining the Münsterplatz which have been painstakingly reconstructed after the Second World War. The elegant 18th century Baroque Wentzingerhaus located on the southern end of the cobbled square remained unscathed and is now in use as the city museum.
Freiburg Cathedral – the main square (Münsterplatz) is dominated by the 13th century medieval cathedral which took 300 years to build. It’s free to visit and you can admire its beautiful stained glass windows depicting medieval guilds and also marvel at the exquisite Romanesque altarpiece.
View Freiburg’s two city gates – The Martinstor is the older of the two city gates lying on the south west side of the old town and this has protected Freiburg since 1202. The Schwabentor was constructed in the mid 13th century with its tower formed of three floors constructed from red sandstone and its staircase tower and half timbered extension dating from the 16th century.
View the Old Town Hall – Freiburg’s old and new town halls sit side by side on Rathäusplatz. The old town hall is built in Renaissance style and originates from the late 1550’s. Adorning the front of the building are the coats of arms of the city’s ruling families. The new town hall next door comprises two Burgher houses which have since been joined together.
Explore the Augustiner Museum – located in a former Augustinian monastery it displays works from the Middle Ages through to the Baroque period. The main hall is impressive with its collection of original statues and beautiful stained glass windows brought from the neighbouring Freiburg Minster. Augustiner Museum.
Wine and Dine:
Enjoy a bite to eat in the 19th century Markthalle which was formerly a printing works and now serves as a food court offering cuisine from all corners of the world.
Alte Wache – Sample some local wines in the centrally located Alte Wache on the Münsterplatz. The building was formerly the city’s main guard house and quarters of the Austrian guard. Constructed in 1733 as part of the military reinforcements, the building is now home to the House of Baden Wines. There’s a popular large outdoor terrace, wine tasting room and shop.
If you are visiting during the summer months I suggest trying a Kalte Sofie, which is a refreshing iced wine drink made to the Alte Wache’s own recipe that has a consistency somewhere between a sorbet and a glass of wine, resulting in a unique taste for a hot summer’s day. Alte Wache.
Großer Meyerhof lies close to the Münsterplatz. Enjoy local delicacies such as pork knuckle alongside glasses of local beer. Grosser Meyerhof
Ride the Schlossberg Funicular up the 456m hill. Single tickets €3.50 (return €6). At the summit follow signs to the nearby Schlossbergturn which was erected in 2002 and is free to ascend and boasts beautiful views of the city below and the Black Forest beyond from the upper observation deck.
Overall:
Park Hotel Post occupies an enviable position overlooking a park just across the road from the historic old town. Once we had parked our hire car in the hotel’s garage we did not need to use it at all until we checked out as the city is compact and very easily walkable. Staff at the hotel speak fluent English and all of them do their upmost to ensure guests enjoy a relaxing, trouble free stay. On checking out we were handed small snacks and bottled water for our journey which was very welcome. I would definitely return to this hotel on a future visit to Freiburg for its warm welcome, comfortable accommodation and delicious breakfast spread.
