I have to mention this place, a very basic B&B style family-run inn above a bakery. First of all, the plain guestrooms are extremely reasonably priced at about €20 a person including breakfast. And because of the bakery, which sells out some 2,500 pretzels a day, the bread couldn't be fresher.
The most outstanding feature, however, is the owner. Mr. Otto Klumpp is mad about restoring vintage cars. In the dozen or so garages under the hotel, he tinkers on about 10 of them, all lovingly resurrected from heaps of rust. There's a Ford Model T and a classic cream-colored Citroen convertible with rumble seat, popular for weddings. There's even a 60s vintage VW minibus, a Dixi, and a Model T Mini for the kids that can do about five miles an hour. Mr. Klumpp loves any excuse to take his babies on the road, making his morning bread deliveries in a 1936 Mercedes or giving tours of the Black Forest in a 1914 green touring car. In fact, earlier that day I had taken a picture of the blacktop Rundblick Express making its way past the Bareiss. This is a must stop for any classic car enthusiast, and, for a few euros, Mr. Klumpp will be thrilled to drive you around.
Not surprisingly, the hotel, which dates to 1840 but was completely redone sometime in the 1960s, is full of model cars. The hallways, which tend to be a little dark, have cabinets crammed with cars of all kinds. Otherwise the décor is very much like a normal home rather than a hotel, down to the mismatched lamps and little lace doilies. Some guestrooms have kitchen facilities. All are bright and clean, if a little worn. The three bathrooms we saw were immaculate and appear to have been recently remodeled. The common rooms are both spacious and homey, and the lounge looks like somebody's grandmother's living room. And downstairs, they have their very own bowling alley!
If you're looking for local character, the Rundblick has it in spades. Fair warning, the guestrooms are located above the dozen covered garages, so you may hear occasional backfires. There are no nearby restaurants or shops, so either bring your own car or hire one of Mr. Klumpp's.—Lydia Itoi
Contact: Hotel-Café Rundblick Oberdorfstr. 37, D- 72270 Baiersbronn, tel. +49/744/2 35 87, fax +49/744/2 6 03 39, Otto Klumpp family
Daily Per Person Rates: Singles €20-24, doubles €19-23 per person, apartments €28-32 , kids 6-12 pay €11.
Rating: Quality 11/20, Value 15/20
