The Goldener Hirsch is a 600-year-old hotel, and has obviously learned a lot about how to care for guests in that time. The staff and service are the star of the show here. At check-in we were welcomed with genuine warmth and all of our documents were already prepared. The room staff discretely cleaned our rooms twice a day, working around our unpredictable arrivals and departures. At one point we asked the front desk to replace the down pillows in our room with synthetic ones; within ten minutes not one, but two, chamber maids had arrived and completely remade our bed. The evening turn-down service even went so far as to include our infant’s crib. When we asked for a car to take us to the train station as we checked out, nothing less than a shiny, new Mercedes was waiting for us outside. I could list many examples of how we were made as comfortable as possible.

The hotel itself is comprised of three buildings on one side of Getreidegasse (the main pedestrian shopping street) and one building on the other. We were assigned a room in the main building, directly overlooking the Getreidegasse. Being able to look out of our window and watch all of the people go by was a nice way to pass some time. The room itself had a king-sized bed, a sitting area with a sleeper sofa and two chairs, antique and hand-painted furnishings, and a huge marble bathroom. It was moderately sized and very comfortable. Be warned, though, that the rooms on the lower floors overlooking the Getreidegasse are directly over the kitchen—and you’ll hear the louder noises from the kitchen during the evening.

The Goldener Hirsch is one of the more expensive hotels we have stayed in (and we’ve traveled quite frequently). But it was worth every cent, and I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone.