We arrived at the hotel this morning at 12.45 am after several coaches were held up due to the bad weather conditions.

One of the good things is that Bill McQuade is leading the tour and that the Hotel is lovely as I already knew (yes I know that is 2 good things). The itinerary looks good, I will keep you posted on how the trip goes.

Regards

Matt

I must say the Hartenstein Hotel is an excellent museum. There is so much in there to see. We must of spent a couple of hours in there and could of easily spent another couple.

We have forgone the evenings excursion to Arnhem to spend time socializing in the bar 

Shame on you!!!!!!!!!

Sounds a great trip!

Ed.

Just curious, as most on the tour i was on earlier in the year, found the German hotel let an otherwise excellent tour down.

 Cheers Phil..

Day 3 we traveled down to the Rhine, to study the crossings made in 1945. We stopped off at the Reichswald cemetery. Although I had already been there on the Dambusters tour I still can not get over the complete vastness of that place. Like all Commonwealth War Graves cemetery's it looks spectacular and so well kept, hats off to them. We then went on down to Wesel for lunch and to follow the crossings there before arriving at our German Hotel. 

The Hotel in Ehlscheid, I must say, I quite enjoyed. Yes, it was certainly nothing like the Golden Tulip in terms of style, more like a typical family run German Hotel rather than a modern City style hotel. The rooms did look old in places and it is a rambling building with poor access to most areas. The welcome though was very friendly and the food of a high standard (although I did miss the cooked breakfast) and it did feel quite homely. The beer was also enjoyable and cheap (many thanks Phil).

The 4th day was spent covering mainly Remagen and the taking of the bridge which was fascinating and very well presented by Bill McQuade. There is a great museum at the bridge. 

Now the fifth day was not pleasant, first of all leaving the people you have become friendly with all week and going back to blighty, secondly the travel. We received our alarm call at 5.15am for a 6.10am coach start !

Overall the holiday was hugely enjoyable but the traveling was a killer. I spent quite a bit of the holiday shattered from the previous day so I lost some of enjoyment and some of the content (as I was resting my eyes whilst snoring).

I have recommended that there be a 5 day tour covering the Arnhem campaign alone rather the trying to do 2 tours in one. I do not feel like 4 days is enough time for a Battlefield tour especially one based in Holland. To be honest I much preferred the Arnhem aspects rather than the Rhine crossings.

Yes, the tour does bring on a "jet lag" type of feel, i agree.

But dont they all!   Its part of the trip.  I was on Paul Reeds "All Quite On The Western Front" tour the same dates as your trip.  It was superb, Paul obviously is about the best guide one could get on a WW1 tour.     We visited so, so many places with an excellent hotel as the base, but being tired all the time proves what excellent tours these are, and very good value for money.

The Normandy tours bring on a similiar type of fatigue, its great to get back home and wish we were still on that tour!  Proves we had a great time!

Cheers Phil...