3 Best Hotels in Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber, The Romantic Road

It's fitting that the prettiest small town in Germany should have in its center a pretty, small hotel, which has been welcoming guests for more than 600 years. Each room is different, with its own charming color scheme; many have antique furniture. Try for a room on the top floor toward the back, overlooking the Old Town and the Tauber River valley. Breakfast is in a sunny and elegant room with a lovely view of the garden. In summer you'll want to eat on the terrace, surrounded by flowers, or the sidewalk cafe, for people-watching.

Master chefs in the service of the Holy Roman Emperor were the inspiration for the name of this historic hotel, occupying one of the oldest trader's houses in Rothenburg, which has been operated by the same energetic family for five generations. Rooms are furnished in a stylish mixture of old and new; light veneer pieces share space with heavy oak bedsteads and painted cupboards. You can have meals on the tree-covered terrace overlooking a square or late-night meals and drinks at the Lõchle wine tavern. They also rent out apartments nearby.

The Markusturm began as a 13th-century customs house, an integral part of the city defense wall, and has been an inn for more than 500 years, operated as a luxurious small hotel for the last four generations by the Berger family. Some rooms have beams, others have historic painted bedsteads, and some have valuable antiques from the Middle Ages, such as ceramic heating units (now just decorative), four-poster beds, even one with an in-room tub. Try to get a reservation for dinner when you arrive, since the beamed, elegant restaurant does fill up. Along with well-selected wines, you can also enjoy your dinner with three kinds of house-brewed beer. In summer head for the patio.