Schloss Elmau Luxury Spa Retreat & Cultural Hideaway

They’ve got Alps in Bavaria too, you know. Come winter, Schloss Elmau finds itself immersed in the kind of snowy wonderland that the Swiss might like to believe they’ve got exclusive rights to. But from the name of the place you can tell it’s a slightly different sort of ski hotel — it’s not every alpine resort that can credibly claim to be a “cultural hideaway.”

From the outside it’s a classic mountain resort, a majestic and slightly imposing castle of a hotel. Upon closer inspection, though, it’s a contemporary luxury hotel of a rather more modern vintage, a mix of old-world Bavaria and updated high-end luxury. The big rooms and bigger suites are up to the latest five-star standard, but what’s truly remarkable about Schloss Elmau is the wealth of facilities and services outside the rooms.

Four separate spas put the usual massage-and-bath offering to shame. A family spa admits children as well as adults, the Nature Spa offers treatments in a wooded valley alongside a gentle mountain stream, the Hammam is exactly what it sounds like, and the Badehaus is an adults-only luxury spa with a heated rooftop pool and a hot salt water pool.

And then there’s the culture. This is not some token art gallery, but a gorgeous old ballroom, two libraries, and a stunning modern concert hall. On any given day Schloss Elmau might host an author’s reading or a classical or jazz concert, and children are actively encouraged to attend. And spare some attention for Schloss Elmau’s celebration of culinary culture as well: Christoph Rainer’s Luce d’Oro has been awarded its second Michelin star.

How to get there:
Schloss Elmau is approximately a 1 1/2–hour drive from Munich-Franz Josef Strauss Airport and 45 minutes from Innsbruck Kranebitten Airport. Taxi service from Munich is approximately €200 and €100 from Innsbruck. In addition, trains leave from Munich or Innsbruck train stations about every hour to Garmisch or the village of Klais, which is 5 km from Schloss Elmau.