Lodging

Andy, you're right. A quick post about the lodging is in order. This is especially for you since you stayed at a couple of these places already.

Frankfurt: Motel One
We splurged on a legit hotel. Perfect spot to get our 12 1/2 hours of sleep and start our trip off proper.
They upgraded the lobby since the last time. It's all ultra-modern, chic, and mood-lit.

Köln: Station Hostel
Comfortable and clean, we were in a 5-bed dorm. The other three were Americans too. Two were really nice but didn't know how to be quiet in the morning. The third was coolö he was on a month-long bike trip up the Rhine to Denmark. Kev reverently hooked him up with a bearded-man bike patch.

Freiburg: Black Forest Hostel
An ideal hostel - clean, friendly, and spacious. In a 6-bed dorm, but the first night our four roommates didn't sleep there. Then they left and we never got more roommates.

Basel: HC
Our first time on the trip staying with someone from Hospitality Club. Michael, our host, was great. He had a clean place and gave us our own space in the living room. He spoke German with us and told us some great info on the city. Kev and I cooked up dinner on the last night for us three and his girlfriend (dinner included a dynamite garlic bread that we can't wait to make again.) Only downside - my towel is still hanging out on his balcony where we put it to dry...

Bern: HC
This time not so lucky. Our host was indifferent towards us at best. Kevin and I slept crammed underneath a foosball table inhaling all the cigarette smoke drifting in from the kitchen.
The second night there he didn't come back home, so at least we didn't have to worry about waking him up in the morning. In fact, oddly, it seemed as though none of his other three roommates came home that night either...
However, we did have to coordinate using the bathroom with three other HC guests that were staying there. These three makeup-laden ladies combined for a bladder-pinching hour and a half choke hold on the bathroom.
We did not look back after leaving that place.
(Additional note, it shared an interesting quirk with John's Cozy Backpacker Hostel of yesteryear - there was a mandate that we take our shoes off outside the door, while the inside was as dirty as can be anyway.)

Zürich: City Backpacker Hotel Biber
Very lame hostel. Right above the loudest street in the city. The kitchen didn't have any sharp knives, so we got creative with forks. The rooms were terribly hot. Place wasn't all that clean.

Bamberg: Gasthaus Neumann
We made it to 32 Luitpold Str., the address of this guesthouse. The sign for the place was plastered on the side of the building wall. But the inside held a musical instrument shop. Walking up and down the street 8 times didn't shed any light on this mystery, so we headed around the corner and to our surprise found the real entrance. A nice old gentleman greeted us, then took us inside to check us in. He walked us through and to the counter of the music store for the keys/paperwork (Kevin giving me a huge, furtive grin as we went).
Up to our private, 2-bed room, we opened the door to an enormous suite. Oh, what a nice change of pace. We got some good sleep there.

Ulm: Brickstone Hostel
In a 4-bed dorm with two guys who looked like they dropped anchor and planned on living there for a while. The owner was exceedingly nice, and she was also very polite about our German mistakes. Place was cozy and comfortable.
After checking in Kev and I went to dinner, and then to a beer garden in the park to watch the Germany game. While Kev waited in line for our second round of beers, he saw the hostel owner there. We walked back to the hostel with her afterwards, and while we tired out and went to bed, she hung out in the kitchen with two friends and a much older couple. We had no idea we were staying at such a happening place...

München, night 1: Easy Palace Hotel
In actuality a hostel, this place was trying its damnedest to look like a hotel. The resemblance stopped at the carpet on the huge staircase though - this place didn't have any shower facilities, was dirty, lacked any security, and overall was just lousy. We checked out promptly the next morning, even though we were staying longer in München. And good thing we did (credit Kev's forward thinking)

Freising: some hotel room carpet
Kev and I were planning on spending the night on the lush grass of Weihenstephan, but instead we ended up on the hotel room floors of some friends we met that night (see beer fest post)

München, night 2: HC
Our host was quite the character. We could go on and on about him, but I'll put it briefly. On one hand, he was extremely immature, inappropriate, and shady; on the other hand, he was very welcoming, accomodating, and (giving him the benefit of the doubt here) well-intentioned. As a bonus, through him we met some travelers from North Carolina and a very cool couple from Freising. Worked out nicely.

Frankfurt: Frankfurt Hostel
Chosen, like last trip, because it's really close to the train station. I think we spoke more German than some of the employees. Just gonna sum this place up as "functional".