We took a weekend trip to Bavaria in May.
The weather was still quite cool. We brought waterproof windbreakers and that was plenty warm enough.
We stayed at the Edelweiss Lodge & Resort in Garmisch.
Our Edelweiss Lodge Review
Accommodations
I chose to stay here for a break from German and it was convenient and we were eligible. It was refreshing to be able to speak English and relax a little.
Edelweiss has a wellness club with massage, fitness center, and a great pool with the most amazing hot tub area I’ve ever seen in my life.
The kids loved the outdoor playground and I could see them from our balcony.
We stayed in a Junior Suite on the 3rd floor corner that was quite comfortable for all 6 of us.
We loved the bathrooms! There was a small powder room on one side with a toilet and sink and a full bath on the other side with a tub/shower combo, shower stall, two sinks, and a toilet.
The balcony was a great addition to relax. There were a couple chairs and a little table.
And FREE Wi-Fi is always great for planning our days and finding somewhere to eat.
The resort itself is a bit rundown looking. The carpet is worn and the furnishings could use replacing. You can tell this is not really a priority. They have no competition.
Room Rates by Rank and Room Type:
E1-E6 (As of 1 Oct 2015, $89 for a standard room) | E7-E9 / CW01-CW03 O1-O3 / Widows 100% Disabled / MoH | CW4-CW5 O4-O10 ALL CIVILIANS SES / NATO | |
Standard Room | $86 | $139 | $149 |
Junior Suite | $169 | $169 | $169 |
Deluxe Junior Suite | $189 | $189 | $189 |
Loft Suite | $229 | $229 | $229 |
Deluxe Loft Suite | $269 | $269 | $269 |
Rooms are equipped with European 220v plugs only. A simple adapter will work fine as long as your appliance is dual voltage (accepts 120v and 220v). Adapters are available for purchase at Alpine Adventures (a gift shop). Pets are not allowed. Children under 17 stay for free on available bed space.
Apparently, there are also cabins and a campground available.
You can book activities and tours through Alpine Adventures. We just ventured out on our own.
Dining
Zuggy’s Base Camp is a fun family-friendly sports bar. They had amazing chicken wings and pizza. 22 pizza toppings, 4 sauces, and 3 different cheeses! Chicken wings in 9 different flavors. Delectable potato wedges and onion rings. Happy hour drink specials with great local beer!
Bar Open: Daily / 1700 – 2400 Food Service: Thu – Sat / 1700 – 2300 and Sun – Wed / 1700 – 2100
Market Station had a big breakfast buffet. I thought it was rather expensive, but it was super convenient. There are plenty of choices on the hot bar that made us happy – cheesy grits, cottage potatoes, French toast, ham. We didn’t care for the cheap, greasy bacon or cold, hard biscuits. There’s also an omelet and pancake station to please almost everyone.
Breakfast: Mon – Fri 0630 – 1000 hrs / Sat & Sun 0630 – 1030 hrs | Adults $9 / Children $3 (ages 5 – 11) / 4 and under FREE
The coffee wasn’t great, but they serve Starbuck’s at the Point Snack Bar near the Wellness Center that opens early!
I do not recommend Market Station for dinner. The one time we ate there for dinner, the food was not fresh nor appealing. It had the quality of cheap TV dinners. Luckily, they had a pizza station and a grill for burgers or marinated boneless chicken breast.
Nightly Dinner Buffet from 1630 – 2000 hrs | Adults $16 / Children $5 (ages 5 – 11) / 4 and under FREE
We never saw Pullman Place dining open.
The view of the mountains was breathtaking.
Visiting Garmisch-Partenkirchen:
It’s about 5 hours from Ramstein and 6 hours from Spangdahlem.
USAG Bavaria around the corner from Edelweiss has a small commissary, Shoppette with gas station, and a small eXchange. We got gas for local travels and before we headed home. We bought some beer and souvenirs at the eXchange. They had a great selection.
We ate lunch upon recommendation at Bistro Mukkefuck. We said the name lots because it’s funny. Yes, my humor is that of a 12-year-old.
Liz ordered the shrimp scampi.
Alex’s kids portion of Schnitzel with corn and Spätzle was huge!
Tori and Kate loved their potato and tomato soups.
Phenomenal turkey schnitzel, white Spargel (asparagus) soup, and pork cutlets. The au gratin potatoes were delicious (bottom of collage)!
And I just love Bavarian beer.
We got gelato at one of the many options and window shopped.
We enjoyed strolling through the lovely Michael-Ende-Kurpark (spa-gardens) in Garmisch.
Lots of pretty gardens, koi pond, sculptures, a barefoot pad with this fun sluice and water wheel. It was a bit too cold though.
Around the Area Things to Do:
We hiked through Partnach Gorge. We loved it!
We drove about an hour away to the Storybook Castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.
We did not tour Zugspitze. I know it’s popular. We didn’t bring warm enough clothes. And it’s pretty expensive for all 6 of us to go up a mountain for a pretty view. We don’t ski. And heights.
We didn’t go see the longest pedestrian bridge in Austria either. Because heights.
Eagle’s Nest isn’t too far away, but we just didn’t have time in our schedule to drive there.
We visited Dachau Concentration Camp on our way back home.
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