This pretty country hotel with flowers trailing from the balconies has won the Ortenau region's 'Best Guest House' award, and the warmth and helpfulness of the Junghanns family had a lot to do with that. Extended families like the Hirschen because it has something for everyone: toys, bowling and horse-riding for kids; a garden terrace with sun-loungers for grandparents; and for the rest of us, a fitness room, bicycles, a tennis court and table games.

The Hirschen began as an inn in 1609, and most of the public rooms are in the old chalet, along with 17 small bedrooms. If you want to sleep late, however, ask for a quiet room in the new wing or one of the guest houses in the garden, so that you are not disturbed by morning traffic along the road in front of the hotel. The bedrooms are fairly large (there are some large family apartments), comfortably furnished, and many have balconies and nice garden views.

Herr Junghanns presides over the restaurants and Stuben, and his menu ranges from snacks on toast to a list of steaks, and regional and vegetarian dishes. The wine cellar, as befits a restaurant in the Ortenau, has an interesting selection of regional bottles.