Seehotel Grauer Bär

The location of this hotel is to die for! Kochel am See is stunningly beautiful and this hotel is perched on the edge of the lake - our bedroom just hung over the water. On a bitingly cold day (at least -10*c) we had a warm welcome at reception - the receptionist spoke no English and we had virtually no German but we got along fine! The bedroom was comfortable, if a little austere (traditional), and the bathroom was smallish but modern and all very clean. The room was warm and stayed that way through the night (not all hotels can say that). The hotel is in two parts with the accommodation and wellness centre separated by about 40m - important to know when the temperature is so low. We watched the sunset from the restaurant where we took tea and later had dinner. The restaurant is formal but friendly - you need to ensure that you get a window table. We had our best meal in Germany here - my wife had half a squash stuffed with mushrooms and cheese and I had three fishes (salmon, char and another fish we could not get google translate to recognise) on a bed of mushrooms and courgettes baked in parchment followed by a sharing plate of desserts. The portions were massive like everywhere in Bavaria but these dishes were beautifully executed. The hotel is just outside the village on the road between Kochelsee and Walchensee and in warmer weather would be a great location for walking around the lake and mountaineering.