Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [555]
Scheffler ( 200 80; www.hotel-scheffler.de; Bardo-wicker Strasse 7; s €65, d €85-95; ) The hotel most in keeping with Lüneburg’s quirky character, this place just off the Markt greets you with brickwork, stained glass, carved wooden stair-rails, animal trophies and indoor plants. The rooms are low-ceilinged and cosy, and there’s a restaurant on-site.
Hotel Bremer Hof ( 2240; www.bremer-hof.de; Lüner Strasse 12-13; s €50-106, d €93-135; ) Easily the most versatile place in town, this hotel offers clean rooms for most budgets, from plain and inexpensive ones in an annex close-by to historic rooms in the main building. Staff are friendly and helpful, and it is popular among business and academic guests.
Hotel Bergström ( 3080; www.bergstroem.de, in German; Bei der Lüner Mühle; s €134-214, d €154-234; ) Spread over a half-dozen warehouse buildings around the Ilmenau River, this four-star hotel offers good value for doubles, which cost only €20 more than single rooms. The pool is rather small (6m by 4m), but you also find wellness and sauna facilities.
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Eating & Drinking
Sushi Bar ( 248 348; Schröderstrasse 8; sushi €1.60-15, large combinations €8.50-17, lunch wok dishes €6.70-7.50; noon-midnight Mon-Sat, 5pm-midnight Sun; ) All gleaming red-and-black lacquer, with blue up-lighting behind the bar, this chic restaurant is a long-time favourite locally, both for its excellent sushi and for its elegant but comfortable atmosphere.
Le Petit ( 224 910; Am Stintmarkt 8; mains €8-17; 11am-11pm; ) While the cubicle for smokers is as diminutive as the name suggests, this relaxed place is reasonably roomy inside and positively sprawling outside, where tables spill across decking to the riverside. It even has its own pontoon. Expect a good range of German cuisine with differences: the rump steak is served with turnip and a port wine sauce. If you can’t get a wi-fi signal, ask the owner to turn it on.
Hotel Bremer Hof ( 2240; Lüner Strasse 12-13; mains €8-20; lunch & dinner; ) Light and airy, with a lot of blue, the atmospheric restaurant here is strong on local specialities, including lamb, which is from the heath (Heidschnucke), and comes in all shapes and sizes. Some meats are organic.
Marina Café ( 3080; Bei der Lüner Mühle; mains €17.50-24; ) The view over the Ilmenau would be reason enough for coming to the upmarket restaurant of the Hotel Bergström, but the daily changing menu of international cuisine is also pretty good. For those who want to spend a little less but enjoy the views, there’s also a pleasant warehouse coffee shop attached to the hotel.
Pons ( 224 935; Salzstrasse am Wasser 1; from 5pm Mon-Fri, from 3pm Sat & Sun; ) If Pons looks this cracked, crooked and uneven when you walk in of an evening, just imagine how it will seem when you stagger out after a few drinks. This ex-1970s hippy joint has since cut its hair and mellowed into the upbeat student drinking strip known as the ‘Stint’ (Am Stintmarkt). It serves light dishes from 6pm (€3.90).
Also explore the numerous eating options on Schröderstrasse, or for something different in Lüneburg, drop into the Portuguese Café Pires ( 0173-606 8422; Rackerstrasse 7; mixed tapas €8.80; 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-midnight Sat).
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Getting There & Away
There are frequent IC train services to Hamburg (€11.50, 30 minutes) and Hanover (€26, one hour) and a couple to Schwerin (€34, 1½ hours). There are also IC trains to/from Celle (€19, 40 minutes). Cheaper regional trains are also practical for all these routes.
If you’re driving from Hamburg, take the A7 south to the B250. From Schwerin take the B6 south to the A24 west and then exit No 7 (Talkau). From there, turn south on the B209, and you’ll eventually get to town. From Hanover, take the A7 north to the B209.
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