I will admit we had high standards coming into this hotel. We'd had excellent experiences at the two previous hotels on our trip, and this one had the best reviews of any place we'd researched. Unfortunately, we were disappointed.

First, the location. The hotel is on the outskirts of Dresden, served only by bus, not the city's main tram system. It is about a 20 minute walk to the nearest tram station. I was never completely sure what the bus schedule was supposed to be, but in three days of walking to and from the tram station along the bus line, we never actually saw it, so it is apparently infrequent. Also, while the area immediately around the hotel seems to be undergoing rejuvenation and is pleasant enough, that 20 minute walk to the tram takes you through a pretty run-down neighborhood. Due to these factors, I think this would be a better choice for people traveling by car than those relying on public transit.

Second, the room. We stayed in the Katzenhaus, which is actually a separate building down the street. (The whole setup is in a residential area, and individual houses or parts of houses are rented as rooms, rather than having a contiguous 'hotel' building). This building at least had been extensively renovated. While you could see some evidence of the original elements, it was primarily a modern building, which was a bit disappointing to us. On the other hand, everything was clean and in good/new condition, and the room itself was quite large, with an upstairs bed/bath/lounge, and downstairs dinnette and tv. I could never get the tv or some of the lights to work, though I'm not sure whether that was them being broken or just user-error on my part. Also, for as physically thick as the walls were, we could hear the other guests in the building surprisingly well. This building was within a small fenced courtyard area with a small lawn and terraces which seemed as though it could be a convenient semi-private outdoor space if you were traveling with children. The room also had a kitchenette with a sink, hotplate, and pots pans which we did not use, but again, could be convenient if you intended to eat in the room.

Finally, service. This was the part that was really underwhelming. Nobody was outright rude, but overall it seemed curt and surly and less welcoming or tolerant of our lack of German skills than the other hotels we visited. (Communication was not actually a problem, as they spoke enough English to get by, they just seemed somewhat less pleased to try than the staff at other hotels). Also, as a bit of a disappointment, 'breakfast included' apparently means 'one day's breakfast included per stay, you must pay for additional days'. We did not find this out until we settled the bill. While the breakfast was fine, and in line with other German breakfasts we'd had, with bread, cheese, yogurt, cereal fruit and cold cuts, it was significantly overpriced for what it was (I think they charged 10 Euro a person, though I'm not 100% sure on that). Also, it was served buffet style, and when they run out of something, that's it. This isn't really surprising or unacceptable for such a small outfit, but given the price they charge, it's rather off-putting.

So, all in all, it was average, which was disappointing after we had set such high expectations. I think it might be a good choice for a family traveling with children by car and wanting to do some cooking in the room, as it was spacious with good in-room amenities, and the car would avoid the long walk and sketchy surrounding neighborhood. For a couple like us relying on public transit and hotel breakfasts for a romantic few days of sightseeing it was a poor choice.

We only stayed one night in Dresden, but if we had realised what a great place for culture it is becoming, and that such hotels as the Hexenhaus existed, we would have stayed longer!

Quiet, quaint, close to bus route into town, good food and service - stay there!

I was very much looking forward to staying at the Hexenhaus and I was not disappointed.
It is very old, very small and exactly what you expect. We ate in the restaurant on both nights that we stayed as it is a bit of a trek out of Dresden and there really is nothing else around. I would recommend that you book if you wish to eat there as it gets busy. The food is the usual German type of fayre which we enjoyed.
The rooms (apart from 3) are not in the hotel and are a 5 minute walk away. They are very new and really nice - spacious, modern and well equipped.
When we were there the weather was awful (heavy snow and -12 degrees) so the walk to the hotel for breakfast and dinner was a bit of a nuisance for my elderly parents but fine for us.
The big drawback is the commute to Dresden. You have to walk to the end of the road catch a bus that goes to the main railway station or change for a tram that also takes you to the main railway station. There is then a good 15 min walk to the Altstadt. Having said that we caught a taxi from the airport which cost €30 and then used taxis where possible except that we were in effect snowed in!
All in all we had a very nice trip and I loved the Hexenhaus but with the weather and my parents it was just a bit too far out of town.

We are currently on night 3 of 4 nights at the Hexenhaus. We're staying in the upstairs apartment just across the road from the main hotel/restaurant. The room is absolutely charming - tasteful and not overdone, and absolutely, spotlessly clean. We have a small kitchenette, a small bath with shower, and a king bed that is actually two twins within a single frame (common, here). We haven't stayed our final night yet to settle our bill (cash only), but we believe breakfast is included - and it is a full breakfast, too. What a bargain at apx. $100/night. Free WiFi, too - you just have to ask for their security code.

Parking has not been a problem - there are at least 3 spots for guests. Plenty of birds singing, beautiful flowers, and charming decor with, of course, many witches as the theme. It is a wonderful place to come home to each day after long days of exploring. Probably about 6 kilometers from the Old Town. We have a car - not sure how accessible the hotel is by public transportation.

A word about the restaurant's food - wonderful. We've not even ventured out to other restaurants, the food is that good.

I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to my friends.