(Recommended by Debra - DJNippert)

Gästehaus Scheil
Hans & Gabi Scheil
Untersbergstraße 29
83435 Bad Reichenhall/Marzoll
Tel - 8651/8034 ~ Fax - 8651/710954
Email: fewo-scheil@t-online.de
Five holiday apartments (1-6 persons each)
Living room, kitchen with microwave, bedroom, bath/shower, radio, TV, phone, some with balcony
Breakfast or fresh rolls service on request

...We almost hate to share our favorite place because we've wanted to keep it "our secret." We happened upon this place through a very long internet search after we found no rooms available at any of the AFRC's and almost all B&Bs and small hotels were closed for the time in December we were going to be there. We had hoped for closer to the Garmisch area but we're so pleased with our location at this place. We were literally on the German/Austria border (about 1km) and less than 10km from Salzburg. We chose NOT to rent a car.

...We took the train from Munich to Bad Reichenhall, called our landlord and she came and picked us up. She had a small VW so it took 2 trips but it was so much fun. The apartment we were supposed to have wasn't ready yet because it was getting new furniture. So she gave us a one-bedroom apartment and one bedroom from another apartment. Bill and I stayed in the separate bedroom and it was like a honeymoon. The kids were old enough to be by themselves and we were the only visitors. The owner family had the downstairs. Because it was in a spa town part of the price (which we thought was incredibly cheap) included a kurtax so we had free bus passes and greatly reduced tickets for bus trips to Bertchesgaden and Salzburg. With a car we probably would have spent most of our time in Salzburg.

...The landlady, Gabi is absolutely wonderful. She speaks quite good English but her husband speaks almost none. When I was emailing Gabi before our trip I mentioned that since we were so close to Austria maybe I could fulfill my lifelong dream of going to Vienna. When we got to her place (we always refer to it as "Gabi's Place" now) she had a flier for me about a local travel agency's one day trip to Vienna during the time we would be there. She highly recommended it because she had gone on trips as a child with her grandma through this agency. Although this house was out in a very small village, there was a small store just down the street, the busstop was only a few meters away, and there was a charming castle only a ½ km away. There were no restaurants nearby but what we did was had lunch in Bad Reichenhall or whatever town we were visiting that day, picked up food at the grocery store and had a simple meal "at home" in the evening.

...We stayed a total of two weeks with one weekend away in Augsburg. During that weekend, because we were coming back, Gabi let us keep our luggage at her place. We still correspond with Gabi. She sent us condolences after 9/11 and we inquired last summer during the floods if they were okay (they were, but things were pretty bad not far away). So although this technically isn't Salzburg, it's so close and right on the Autobahn that if someone wants a quiet, out of the way place but near Salzburg, this would be ideal. Gabi would be tickled pink if more Americans showed up. She showed us her guest book. We were only the second English speaking family to come. The other was from England. I understand that summertime is the best time to stay at Gasthaus Scheil. Hans, Gabi's husband is a chef at one of the spas and cooks special meals during the summer.

...The first week we stayed we had apartment 5 with the bedroom from apartment 2. The second week we had apartment 4 (the bed is round). Next time, we want apartment 6, the attic. It is really special. Hans didn't think we'd want it because it didn't have a balcony. There was a balcony off the hallway that would have sufficed plenty for any mountain viewing we needed to do outside. This is one very neat place with a wonderful lady managing it.

-