Beim Valentin

Our trips abroad usually include a week rental at a cottage in the country, allowing us to get to know a small area better, giving us more chances to interact with people not involved in the tourist trade, and affording our stomachs and pocketbooks a break from eating out every night. It's frequently less expensive than staying at a B&B or inn, but it always give us a chance to experience more traditional accommodation in interesting places. Such was the case with Beim Valentin ("Valentin's Home") in the small, rural village of Feldolling, about 40 kilometers southeast of Munich, Germany. Located in an agricultural valley bordering the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, Feldolling offers a central location for days trips to Munich, Salzburg, Berchtesgaden National Park, Bavaria's beautiful lakes, and the Bavarian Alps themselves. Just 25 km east of Feldolling is Rosenheim, an attractive city that serves as a center for commuter rail serving much of this part of Bavaria; if you happen to visit in early September, Rosenheim's traditional autumn festival—Herbstfest—offers an authentic alternative to Oktoberfest in Munich. The cottage itself is lovely and unique, consisting of a modern ground floor topped with a traditional Bavarian farmhouse. Although there is no access to the historic upper story, the first floor provides charming accommodation for two people, including a well-equipped kitchen, living room with large-screen TV, and laundry facilities. A traditional tiled heating stove is available for colder months; a well-maintained outdoor grill is available on the stone patio for brats in the summer. Overall, we found the cottage to be very clean and well maintained. If you've brought a laptop or smart phone, you'll even have access to free wireless Internet, although the signal is a little weak. American visitors should be aware that, as is common in Germany, Beim Valentin provides two single-person beds that can be pushed together to make a double (although the stout wooden bed frames impart a gap that can make cuddling an adventure and spooning downright perilous). Unlike single beds in the states, however, these are quite long: I'm 6' 2" and had plenty of room to spare. Linens, towels, and goose-down pillows and comforters are provided. In reviewing Beim Valentin's location on Google maps, we noted that it appears close to a railroad. Despite being a commuter line, German trains are so quiet that we rarely heard the trains pass, and when we did it sounded like nothing more than a distant rush of air. In fact, save for the bells of the village church located on the hill just above Beim Valentin and occasional serenades from the donkeys, goats, geese, and chickens on adjoining properties, our stay in Feldolling was very peaceful. Proprietor Suzanne Bichet and her family live in a separate house a short walk across the garden from the cottage. While we generally prefer our rental cottages without close neighbors, we had no concerns in this respect: they respected our privacy while providing much-needed assistance in language and culture, offering advice on the best local bakeries, and suggesting hikes and other activities in the area. While it may be some time before we return to Germany, we would not hesitate to return for a week at Beim Valentin. A few logistical notes. In addition to speaking German, Suzanne is fluent in French and has strong English, and is reached most easily via email. As with most rentals, she requires a non-refundable deposit and does not accept credit cards or traveler's cheques. Instead of relying on pricey wire transfers, we found that the least-expensive way to deliver the deposit was via PayPal, which Suzanne readily accepted (the balance has to be paid on arrival in Euros). Finally, although Beim Valentin's official website does not provide an English translation, much of the same information is available in English here: http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p36931