6 Best Hotels in The Pfalz and Rhine Terrace, Germany

From the spacious atrium lobby to the luxurious rooms and spa, everything is sleek, modern, and comfortable at this award-winning hotel. Contemporary art and architecture is beautifully integrated with the old stone walls of Fort Malakoff, and recent renovations have left the rooms immaculate and well equipped for modern needs. The Bell Pepper restaurant offers an open kitchen and riverside terrace; a beer garden on the Rhine serves regional snacks; and cocktails are served in the lively M-Lounge and Bar and its leafy courtyard. The boutiques and wine taverns of the Old Town are a 5- to 10-minute walk away.

Positioned a very short walk from the cathedral end of Maximilianstrasse, the Domhof makes for an ideal base for exploring the town. The buildings have a rich history and their rooms are very large and  well maintained; the quietest ones are at the back. The breakfast buffet is excellent and served in a historic room with high ceilings. Next door to the hotel is its cozy, lively brewery-restaurant (open daily), which has a slightly upmarket beer-hall atmosphere and offers home-brewed beer and very good regional food as well as some international dishes. Its popular beer garden is filled with flowers in summer and even has a play area for kids.

Two blocks west of the Altpörtel is the "Golden Angel," a friendly, family-run hotel offering individually furnished rooms with innovative metal-and-wood designer furniture, and hardwood floors. Some parking is available at the parking lot opposite (€4.50 per day).

A great deal of love and thought went into transforming this old family hotel into six apartments just outside the center of the town; all are well equipped, individually decorated, and carefully maintained. Relax in the courtyard or peaceful Mediterranean garden; during wine season, regular wine tastings from their own winery are offered in the Vinothek or in the garden. Free Wi-Fi and parking are available on-site.

The beautifully decorated, modern guest rooms are named after famous vineyards in Forst, and six have balconies—the Pechstein room is particularly nice. You can enjoy excellent wines in the tasting room, beneath a shady pergola in the courtyard, or in the privacy of your room (the refrigerator in the breakfast room is stocked for guests). The pubs in Forst's Old Town are a three-minute walk away.

This wine estate offers attractive lodging options for groups: four suites that sleep from one to four people, plus a suite of four rooms that share a single bath and must be booked together; all look out to a courtyard full of oleanders, palms, fig trees, and nesting swallows. There are concerts and picnics in the garden, courtyard, and vaulted cellars. You can also taste the Fitz-Ritter wines and Sekt (sparkling wine) in the sophisticated wine bar and shop.