I visited the Obersalzberg with my family this past August, and we stayed at the Hotel Turken. I arranged this on purpose because I am a student of WWII history, and this holtel was once the headquarters for some of the SS guards whose job it was to protect Hitler when he was at his retreat, the Berghof. This Berghof--which is frequebtly seen in the color movies taken by Eva Braun-- was situated right nect door, just a few yards from the Turken. You may walk up to where the house stood and observe the magnificent and now infamous view of the Untersberg mountains. It is hard to imagine that sixty or so years ago, the average person in Germany would never be able to get even remotely close to this area, which was a closed off and tightly secured space.
As for the Holtel Turken, I cannot say enough. Aside from its role in history, the owner, Frau Scharfenberg is a wonderful hostess who speaks perfect english, and can answer many questions about the Hotel, her family being the original owners. She will also recommend some good, local restaurants if you want.
The view of the mountains from the dinning hall in the hotel is magnificant, and a hearty breakfast is served. The hotel becomes rather like your own home because you are given acess to a small but well-stocked, self-service bar with television off the lobby, and you will be given a key to the front door, which you will be responsible for locking each time you enter and exit the building. Once again, the view of the mountains from our room was unbelievable. If there wasn't so much to see and do in the area, you could almost sit in your room for hours just gazing at the scenery.
Of special interest is the bunker that runs under the hotel. This was a military installation, and part of a whole complex network of bunkers and tunnels that once connected all the homes of the high-ranking German officers and politicians during the Nazi period. You can walk through this bunker, which hasn't changed since the war.
Eventhough it is associated with a dark period in world history, this whole area is probably the most beautiful in all of Germany. I also recommend a drive up the Rossfeld Road, which is a scenic route that winds all the way up the mountain behind the hotel area. The alpine forrest and mountain peaks that seem to loom larger and larger as you travel further up and around the winding road should not be missed.
Mike Cuozzo,
New Jersey, USA
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.