My wife and I stayed at Pension Ballwein for two nights during our driving tour of Bavaria. I can honestly say that this was our favorite place to stay during our entire 9 day trip. Upon arrival we were greeted at the door by the smiling owners, Daniela and Simon (and their adorable baby daughter, Teresa). We were given a map of Salzburg and then Daniela told us how the local bus system works, the times it runs, and even gave us a suggestion for dinner ideas in town.
Our room was spacious, modern, and sparkling clean. We had plenty of room to unpack our bags, a balcony, and an umbrella hanging on the coat rack (which came in handy due to the rain we had that night).
Breakfast was downstairs in the bright, modern dining space where music softly played in the background as our attentive hosts poured our tea as we gathered our food.
The morning we left, Daniela even checked the traffic report for us (we experienced a lengthy stau at the border on our way in) letting us know that the road was clear for our drive back to Munich.
If you plan on visiting Salzburg (and you should) do yourself a favor and book your stay with Daniela and Simon at Pension Ballwein.
1. The bathroom is equipped with a rain shower (which feels wonderful compared to some of the cramped showers we used along our travels).
2. There is plenty of free parking. Take advantage of this and then use the bus to go into the old town.
3. The 21 bus stops directly in front of Pension Ballwein. You can buy a 24 hour bus pass on board from the driver for a little over 5 euro. On the way back, you will want to get off at the Gsengerweg stop.
4. Berchtesgaden is an easy 30 minute drive from this location.
5. There is a lift available (the only one we saw at any of our stops) for those who need it. The stairs are wide, well made and open onto a large landing.
