Using booking websites: I never use booking websites to find accommodations in Germany. They always seem to show only the most expensive and culturally sterile places, places in which I don't want to stay. In large cities they have the best selections, but the savings are often inflated (like 50% off a price I can't find anywhere - certainly not off the price the hotel shows on its own website). Often the only "savings" is because the have omitted breakfast, which any legitimate German hotel includes. Breakfast is often a very expensive (~€15) "extra".
Using town websites: Most towns in Germany have a website, usually at www.[town name].de. Finding accommodations using these websites is not difficult. Often the websites will display in English by clicking a British flag somewhere on the page.
Below is an example of the Oberammergau website, www.oberammergau.de. Note the British flag prominently in the upper lefthand corner. You could view this site in English, but I will do it in German as an example. This website home page even offers an accommodation search for anything available by Anreisedatum (arrival date). Enter the number of Nächte (nights), Personen is obvious, and select the Unterkunft (accommodation). beliebig is the default; pull down the "V" to limit the search to Hotels, Hotels "garni" (w/o restaurant), Gasthaus, or Pension. Ferienwohnungen are "vacation apartments", small apartments with a kitchen area. Ferienwohnungen usually rent by the week, do not include breakfast, and do include a final cleaning charge.
Sometimes you have to follow a link labeled Tourismus (tourism), or Unterkünfte (accommodations), or Übernachten (overnight). Here it is Gastgeber" (hosts).
Below is typical of what you get when you click on Gastgeber. Note the top two links under Gastgeber, Gastgebersuche (Host search) and Gastgeber Verzeichnis (Hosts listing).
