On a recent business trip to Coburg, a local resident booked us into the Hetel Coburger Tor, a small, classic German inn, located near the city center. It would be classed as a Bed and Breakfast in the US: about a dozen rooms on three floors with a wonderful restaurant (the Restaurant Schaller) for dinner and a separate breakfast, included.

The inn is situated on a quiet secondary street near the city center and a few blocks from the town's major medical center. It has a small parking lot adjacent to the hotel, and overlooks quiet fields that form a green belt behind the hotel. I believe that the inn still is run by Ulrich Shaller's family, and they take care and pride in assuring each guest's comfort. Check-in was handled efficiently, and the guest room was spacious and warm. The room contained a platform king-sized bed with comforter and down pillows and a small sitting area. The television receives a mixture of about 20 cable channels, virtually all in German (dubbed for English-language broadcasts, the exception being CNN). The bathroom was generous, and the stall shower (no tub) had good hot water and pressure. The room was quiet and city lights through the windows were minimal. The price was very reasonable: 70 euro per night for my single.

Breakfast is served starting at 6:30 am in a downstairs room: the host greeted us at the door and provided a full pot of coffee or tea for each guest. The buffed featured meats, cheeses, musli, and orange juice: there were an assortment of loaf breads and croissants. Soft-boiled eggs were available and, although the hotel usually provides optional toast, omlettes, and other hot fare, the cook was off during the day we visited. The host gave us each a jar of the hotel's jam and chutney, made on premises, to apologize for not having eggs available (honestly, no apology was needed!) There are german-language newspapers available: bring your own english fare if needed.

The hotel includes a small, very German restaurant, "The Schaller". We were having a business meeting with a physician from a nearby hospital, and they gave us a private room for the dinner. The menu is very extensive, featuring fish with some beef, lamb, and chicken. Every entree, appetizer, and dessert that the five of us ordered was gourmet quality: well presented, high quality, and delicious. The service was attentive and unobtrusive all evening (a four hour dinner), and the local wine selection was excellent. The bill was very reasonable: approximately 65 euro per person for a superb local experience.

The hotel web site is [--] (the companion site [--] seems to be down at the moment). I recommend this experience highly if you want a bit of old bavarian experience and elegance in Coburg.