Bavaria - recreation, relaxation and oak wood
The snow is getting scarce, but the ideas are getting better. Winter tourism is changing in the Bavarian Alps: hotels are focusing less on the slopes and more on architecture, tranquillity and new rituals of relaxation - from Lake Chiemsee to the winter forest near Garmisch.
The German winter sports landscape begins south of Munich. At the northern foothills of the Alps, a veritable ski tourism industry has established itself around Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Reit im Winkl - but it needs to reinvent itself. Due to global warming, snowfall is becoming increasingly erratic; the reliability of finding the material that is so essential for skiing in the 46 ski resorts of the Bavarian Alps is decreasing.
Design meets farmhouse aesthetics at the "Chiemgauhof"
This may be why not all hotels in the region focus solely on sport, but on holistic relaxation. The "Chiemgauhof" recently opened on the southern shore of Lake Chiemsee, a relaxation resort embedded in the pre-alpine scenery, but not dependent on it - guests should find peace and inspiration by the water. Milan's star architect Matteo Thun combined a rustic farmhouse aesthetic with a modern design language. He commissioned local ceramic artists to design tiled stoves, which now sit between natural stone and oak wood. Ceiling-high windows frame the view, directing it to the old abbey, which has provided spiritual support on a small island in the lake for centuries.
The sister hotel "Das Achental" in Grassau also offers a wide range of seasonal entertainment: cross-country skiing, tobogganing or a walk through the frozen moor are intended to distract guests from the fact that they are unfortunately not at an altitude of 3,000 meters, but only 538 meters.
Japanese bathing culture at "Das Kranzbach"
Ten kilometers east of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, close to the Austrian border, already 1,030 meters above sea level, "Das Kranzbach" manages to set its own accents in the winter forest. With hot springs, onsen-inspired bathing culture and a meditation temple by star architect Kengo Kuma, it manages to add a Japanese touch to Upper Bavaria.
83236 Übersee
Germany
83224 Grassau
Germany