4 places · 4 with rooms, 4 with meals on the Hörschel → Ascherbrück section of the Rennsteig, in Ascherbrück (Ruhla), Hörschel (Eisenach), Ruhla. Phone and WhatsApp numbers are listed so you can book ahead.
Forest inn and small hotel directly on the Rennsteig at Ascherbrück, the end of stage 1, with Thuringian cooking and a beer garden. From December to March it opens Wednesday to Sunday only, so book and confirm dinner in advance.
Family-run inn with guest rooms right at the start of the Rennsteig by the Werra in Hörschel, handy for the night before stage 1. The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and opens in the evening; the regional list says it can arrange luggage transfer.
Family-run hotel in the centre of Ruhla, about 2.7 km below the Rennsteig, close to shops, a pharmacy and buses. Good if Ascherbrück is full.
Hotel on the southern slope above Ruhla, about 2 km below the Rennsteig at Ascherbrück, with 2026 prices online and breakfast included. The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Checked online in October 2026. Places marked "listed, not confirmed" appear on a public listing (OpenStreetMap or the Rennsteig accommodation list of the Thüringer Wald tourism board) but could not be confirmed on their own website. Places on the Rennsteig are small family businesses; book ahead, tell your host if you will arrive late, and carry cash, as some take no cards. Several inns and tour companies carry bags between overnight stops; book luggage transfer in advance, and note that many holiday flats want a minimum stay of two nights.
The Rennsteig route works offline in Outest, with these places on the map and a trail guide you can ask about water, weather and the next village.