Tucked deep in the Bavarian Alps, Schloss Elmau is a secluded spa sanctuary and luxury resort offering holistic wellness experiences and retreats. Compare Retreats goes continental to check out this mountainous German spa retreat and enjoy a taste of Alpine luxury.
Location
Located in southern Germany, Schloss Elmau is approximately 90 minutes from Munich Airport. Positioned between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Mittenwald in Bavaria, the retreat is situated 1000 metres above sea level and has a distinct Alpine atmosphere.
Schloss Elmau is located close to a number of Germany’s most beautiful castles, so if you feel like some scenic sightseeing, jump on one of the retreat’s bicycles and cycle through the beautiful countryside for a dose of European culture.
Accommodation
Spread over two luxurious hotels, Schloss Elmau forms one colossal resort. The Luxury Spa and Cultural Hideaway Hotel has two room options: Single (25 square metres) and Double (55 square metres); while the Luxury Suites and Spa Retreat is split into Junior Suites (80 square metres) and Suites (200 square metres). There are 123 rooms and suites in total, all of which flaunt contemporary European furnishings and high-end amenities. Framed by lofty mountains, dense forest and rushing streams, the striking views from each abode enhance the resort’s picturesque charm.
Food Programme
Schloss Elmau is home to an impressive array of nine restaurants, so there’s no need to worry about variety in this isolated location. Overseen by the retreat’s expert culinary director, Mario Corti, each dining concept has been carefully curated with gastronomic variety in mind.
Catering to all taste buds, flavours from various global influences include Thai, Italian and German dishes. International favourites are served buffet style in ‘La Salle’ restaurant, while Michelin-star awarded restaurant, ‘Luce d’Oro’, offers guests a fine dining experience with its gourmet meals. For those seeking healthy cuisine ‘Ananda’ is the resort’s dedicated spa restaurant.
Treatment Programmes
Schloss Elmau’s five-star experience extends to its impressive spa and wellness offerings. Facilities include an opulent Oriental Hamam (measuring 5,400 square feet), ‘Family Spa’ (with indoor pool, Finnish sauna, bio sauna, herbal sauna, infrared sauna and saltwater steam bath), ‘Shantigiri Spa’ (with outdoor lap pool, seven treatment rooms and high-tech gym), ‘Badehause Spa’ (with heated rooftop pool, saltwater pool and cold water plunge pool, 15 treatment rooms, a steam bath and sauna, hairdressing salon and Qi Gong studio), ‘Nature Spa’ (with outdoor lap pool and outdoor sauna) and ‘Turtle Spa’ (offering Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments).
The retreat also has a Pilates studio and a Jivamukti Yoga Centre and hosts regular yoga retreats (plus an annual yoga summit) and Taiji & Qi Gong Immersions, led by the resort’s resident TCM expert, Dr. Imke König. The fitness programme is divided into summer and winter sports which include activities such as hiking, mountain biking, golf, archery, tennis, ice skating and cross-country skiing.
History
Schloss Elmau was built in 1914-1916 by Dr Johannes Müller (1864–1949), a renowned Protestant theologian and philosopher of his time. Müller wanted Schloss Elmau to be a space for the development of personal and communal life free of any ideology, where those interested in his writing and lectures would come together to transcend the self-centeredness of their egos and become aware of silence as the essence of being by listening or dancing to classical music or gazing at the beauty of untouched surroundings.
In 2007 the newly renovated Schloss Elmau opened after 14 months of construction designed and overseen by Christoph Sattler and Dietmar Mueller-Elmau. It was unveiled as a “Luxury Spa & Cultural Hideaway” and a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. It is of no surprise that it was picked as one of the venues for the 2015 G7 Summit.
No questions as to why this spa was voted as the best spa in T+L 2018 World’s Best Awards!
