Customer Reviews

Frommer's Germany 2005 (Frommer's Complete)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've used the Frommer's 2004 Japan with great success, and this book has many of the same traits that I enjoyed. The recommended sites are grouped in easy-to-visit clusters (and regions of large cities are described with easy to read maps nearby). Sidebars include listings of favorite activities (not always visiting the most prestigious museum either) and interesting tidbits about areas (including a memorial to Nazi book burnings that I haven't seen in any other travel guide...and it sounds like a very touching place to visit!). Definitely would recommend this book over any others.

I had a great experience with my Frommer's Tuscany, so I tried this one. Frommer's Guides usually have very thorough descriptions of history and interesting tidbits. This aspect was reasonably, if cursorily, done; thus, being the only reason I gave the book 2 stars in stead of one. I disembarked from the plane this morning and could barely wait to write a review. I knew the prices were way off from the moment I received the book. I was looking at the recommended hotels online and the Guide was consistently 25-45 Euros low. That's a huge difference... sometimes nearly $100, but I was willing to let that slide. I found my own hotels. When I got to Berlin, for example, I discovered, with ease, fantastic, mainstream, hotels, pensions or resorts and spas a block or bus/tram ride away from ones that the Guide recommended. These surprisingly (relatively) inexpensive hotels were never even mentioned, though they were far superior. This happened again and again. The restuarants recommended, without exception, had the insanely terrible service (by German standards)or extremely mediocre food or both (but flashy!) and here the prices were surprizingly off as well. It made me feel as though all of the places mentioned had paid to be in the book! Thank goodness I brought 2 back-ups guides and started asking people (since I speak German)! I suggest, in lieu of this book, the Rough Guide and/or Let's Go Germany. Yes, they are also very mainstream, but their recommendations never failed. I was there for nearly 3 weeks and writers Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince were *so* wrong, I am returning their book to the publishing company.

I emphatically do not want to find out where all the sleaziest bars are. Travel guides are too full of this sort of thing. However, if you want to visit Germany and come away with a better understanding of the history and historical sites of the country, this book is for you. It offers an introduction to art and architecture, which, although minimal, is better than the Lonely Planet's and other competitors' offerings. The lack of an appropriate series of maps is a definite downside. The section on lodgings is too large. What we really need is for a Rick Steves-type to write the definitive guide to historical and geographical sites of interest.

Not perfect, but better than the competition: thus, four stars out of five.