You'll feel you're in another world, out in the country…read more
I travel to the Nordrach/Zell area frequently for business. As I've grown familiar with the area, it's a small town in the heart of The Black Forest. Scenic, quiet and near perfection.
Typically, my company has us stay at another hotel. On one occasion, that hotel was full so I needed to look into another location. At the time, I had no idea the good fortune I was about to discover.
Only 5 minutes from the main street of the small town of Zell, Zum Pflug somehow transports you to another world, only a couple of miles down the road. As you exit the main part of Zell, a few twists an turns away, you find yourself in this little nook of a neighborhood. Country like and very European, obviously. In the middle of it, you'll find what looks like a larger house, or old building which is Zum Pflug.
Not a ton of parking, but I've never had trouble finding a spot. There are two entrances. What appears to be the main entrance takes you through the pub/restaurant and you make your way over to the front desk to check in.
Zum Pflug is run by a wonderful woman named Valtraud and her husband. They work seemingly tirelessly at providing a stellar service experience. When you walk in, you can smell the food and instantly become hungry.
After checking in, you walk up stairs to the hotel rooms. There is an elevator available, if needed. You're given your key - a real key on a keychain - and check out your room. During m visit, I was with a group of people. Some rooms seem to vary and I believe there are different levels. I was in a basic single room.
Like many hotels in Europe, the room is quite small but you have everything that you need. The bed is pretty standard for European accommodations. Not a very think cushiony mattress, but it does get the job done. The bathroom, in my particular room, was extremely small but efficient. Sink, toilet, shower. You could literally touch all three no matter where you stand. In fact, the glass shower doors turn inward to give you more room to move around. Interesting design.
There isn't much of a closet but rather closet nook with cubby shelves on each side for you things.
Because of the area, the hotel is quiet, especially at night. It really feels more like a B&B, but it is a hotel.
Now - caution if you're not used to visiting European countries, especially in smaller towns. There is no air conditioning in the room. I happened to be there during the hottest weeks of 2025 in June. +90F temperatures with extremely high humidity. It literally feels like a steam bath. After the first night, I found my way to OBI (much like a Home Depot, in the US or B&Q, in the UK, but on steroids). For 20 Euros, I bought a desktop oscillating fan. This was a life saver, if you struggle with the heat. After my 2 weeks at Zum Pflug, myself and some of the others I was traveling with simply left our fans at the hotel. So, you may want to ask the front desk if they have any fans to use.
Then there is the bar restaurant. For breakfast they have a very traditional European buffet. Meats, cheeses, cereals, yogurts, etc. But Valtraud asks if you'd like eggs and/or bacon, which she makes to order.
Dinner is phenomenal. The menu does change periodically and it appears to be mostly farm-to-table foods. I've yet to have a bad meal in Germany, and Zum Pflug was absolutely no exception. Great meals every time.
Even on the nights we ate dinner elsewhere, we either had a drink before venturing out and/or when we returned to the hotel. Manuela was a great server throughout our stay. Always remembering what we liked and made some great recommendations. And, of course, Valtraud was walking around, serving, cleaning and having a drink with her regular guests when she had time. I have no idea if/when this woman sleeps. There is plenty of seating inside of the pub/restaurant area but and perfect and quaint outside patio, which is where we spent most of our time.
Would I go back? I simply cannot wat to go back. The following month I was in town again but unfortunately had to stay at another hotel. But I did bring my group for that week to Zum Pflug for dinner one evening and had a great time. In the future, Zum Pflug will easily be my first choice in accommodations when I have the option.
