The Landhotel Voshovel is sited on a quiet country road surrounded by dairy farms. Open your windows and you'll awake to the sounds of cows bellowing, roosters crowing and sheep bleating. The rich fertile earth exudes a heady aroma that is almost intoxicating and produces a most verdant grass. Buildings are made of a warm reddish brown brick that turns more beautiful with aging.

The hotel staff is genuinely warm, gracious, proficient in English and hardworking. Rooms are well appointed and comfortable. Although not opulently decorated, they each have a theme that is most often sports related. During my first stay, I was in an equestrian-themed room, which looked out onto a colorful outdoor statue of a young horse. Bathrooms offer a honey-scented liquid soap and feature heated towel racks and plenty of hot water. Complimentary bottles of water and apple juice are placed in your room each day and bowls of apples are set out in the hallways and lobby.

The main lobby contains a fully equipped bar, fireplaces, inviting couches and a piano, which guests are welcome to play. Tucked away behind a large leafy plant is a desktop computer with free internet use for hotel guests.

The grounds are beautiful with open fields, artfully manicured bushes and trees and whimsical stone statues of mythical creatures. A small playground welcomes the youngest of guests. There is a golf course on the property. Recently the hotel added a full-service spa and fitness center for its guests.

The restaurant is WORLD CLASS, and this comes from someone who's eaten in many of the finest restaurants in the US and over 13 foreign countries. Breakfast is included in the room rate, and it's bountiful enough to carry you straight through lunchtime. Think Sunday brunch anywhere else – and that's their weekday offerings. The dinner menu features both traditional German fare as well as an “experimental” menu that utilizes seasonings, herbs and condiments from all over the world to create delicious and memorable taste sensations. Local farms provide the duck, goose, sausage and dairy items used in the restaurant. The restaurant is decorated in warm tones and divided into rooms of different sizes – all charming, welcoming and ranging in atmosphere from a homey country tavern to an elegant dining hall. During the warmer months, one can dine on the outside terrace as well. During my stay in December 2005, I was the only English speaking guest, so the restaurant staff printed up the menu in English just for me!

I have traveled to the area three times since September 2005 and am scheduled to return again in the spring of 2007. I would not dream of staying anywhere else and always look forward to returning to my German home away from home, the Landhotel Voshovel.