Just past the Loschwitz district is the little village of villas known as Weisser Hirsch. One of these has been made into a privately-run hotel called Villa Emma. The half-timbered, turn-of-the-last-century building with flashes of Art Nouveau, adjoins the back of a large, forested park, the Dresdener Heide. This makes it quiet, though the hotel is still well-connected to town by a tram line that runs along the main road at the end of the street. Inside, a small lobby at the foot of a caste-iron staircase leads to four floors of guestrooms. Most are spacious with high ceilings, bay windows and attractive decor. Rooms 10 and 11 are the best picks. Top-floor rooms are smaller and influenced by the shape of the roof. Of these, Numbers 20 and 21 are good choices because of the large number of windows and good views, but not during the summer when the top floor gets a bit stuffy from the heat. All have TVs, minibars, large wardrobes, and white-tiled baths with tubs.
The restaurant on the ground floor gets good marks for expensive, multi-course dining and serves an extensive buffet breakfast (especially good is the smoked salmon). Prices here are a notch higher than the others, but the hospitable atmosphere and historic surroundings make it worth the cost.
Price Category: Inexpensive
Contact: Villa Emma Stechgrundstrasse 2, tel. +49/35126 4810, fax 2648 118, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Rating: Quality 12, Value 15
