5 tips for relaxing days in Oberstaufen: Short break at the Rosenalp Health Resort & Spa

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Almost exactly half a year ago, in the middle of the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle, we pressed the pause button and explored two wonderful wellness hotels in the Allgäu. At the beginning of July, we set off again towards the Allgäu Alps. Instead of walking through fairytale winter landscapes, this time we wanted to hike across lush green meadows and give body and mind a well-deserved break from everyday life.

And this time-out came at just the right time – how I was looking forward to swapping the stuffy city apartment warmed by the sun for the fresh breeze of the Allgäu Alps. Finally sleeping through the night with the window open again, without being woken up by the rattle of the first tram in the early morning hours. “Summer retreat” par excellence.

Wellness days in Oberstaufen

The first stop of this summer tour through the Allgäu takes us to a well-known place. In 2012, we spent a nice pre-Christmas relaxation weekend at the Rosenalp Health Resort & Spa in Oberstaufen. A lot has happened in the past seven years, and not just for us. The Rosenalp also welcomes us with some innovations. The entire wellness area has since been redesigned – the centrepiece: the two-storey light-flooded indoor pool. And the traditional family business also keeps pace with the needs of the times when it comes to spa offers. While senior manager Rita Schädler, together with her husband, did pioneering work in the field of Schroth cures in the 1960s and thus laid the foundation for the success story of the house, the increasingly popular alkaline fasting has also recently been offered. With its comprehensive range of sports, wellness and culinary delights, the Rosenalp appeals not only to spa guests, but also to people like me who simply want to treat themselves to a few days of relaxation.

We curb our curiosity about the newly designed wellness area for a moment and first take a closer look at our room. All room categories at the Rosenalp are named after rose varieties. We are accommodated in a double room “La Royale”, which not only scores with a spacious and bright ambience, but also offers us a fantastic view over the complex to the striking peaks of the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park.

#1 just let your mind wander

With a spacious indoor pool as well as an outdoor pool with bubble loungers, a spacious sauna area, various relaxation rooms and a spacious garden with many retreats, the Rosenalp offers the perfect setting for extended wellness days. Equipped with reading material, bikini and sunglasses, I then make my way towards the Rosenalp Spa, swim a few laps in the indoor pool and enjoy the simple idleness for the rest of the afternoon.

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#2 air out your head

After an extensive wellness afternoon, the magnificent summer weather lures us towards the mountains the next morning. Oberstaufen is located on the edge of the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park, which is the first cross-border nature park between Germany and Austria to encompass over 400 km² of unique cultural and natural landscapes. Directly opposite the Rosenalp is the highest peak of the Nagelfluh chain. With its height of 1,834 metres, the Hochgrat offers a phenomenal panoramic view from Lake Constance to the Allgäu and the Alps, making it one of the most popular excursion destinations in the region. We also lace up our hiking boots and make our way towards the valley station of the Hochgratbahn. There we are chauffeured uphill in one of the nostalgic, bright yellow 4-seater cabins. The mountain station is located at 1,708 m above sea level and therefore our own muscle power is required for the last almost 130 meters of altitude. The summit trail leads directly along the ridge and offers spectacular views down into the depths. After a 20-minute ascent, we reach the summit cross and let the 360° panorama work its magic on us. Wow!

The excursion to the Hochgrat can be easily combined with a half-day hike. We follow the hiking trail towards Untere Lauchalpe down into the valley. Here in the alpine area around Steibis there are some impressive tree veterans. The huge sycamores, mountain elms, silver firs and yews scattered on the alpine pastures are between 250 and 500 years old. What these trees have already experienced! We follow the hiking trail via Alpe Schilpere to the Oberstiegalpe mountain inn and from there hike back to the valley station of the Hochgratbahn. A beautiful round, which, with its mighty giant trees and idyllically placed chapels, offers the perfect setting to bundle your thoughts and focus on the here and now.

#3 Recharge your batteries in nature

It’s not just the centuries-old giant trees that exude magical strength. The Buchenegger waterfalls not far from Oberstaufen are also a place of power and offer the longed-for cooling on hot summer days. The atmosphere is especially great in the early morning hours.

We visited the waterfall just after sunrise. The steep serpentine path that leads from Buchenegg to the waterfall in 20 minutes offers the perfect conditions for a morning workout; walk down, sit on a stone, breathe in and out of the fresh, moist air, feel the spray on your skin, hike up again and start the day full of energy.

#4 Do something good for your body

Retreat, feeling, being there and movement; these are the four theme worlds of Mindfulness Allgäu. The Rosenalp incorporates these elements into its offer and offers plenty of opportunities to exercise as part of its extensive sports and activity programme – be it focused on yourself as part of a personal training session or together with a group of like-minded people in the weekly programme offers. From yoga to water aerobics to Latin aerobics, sports enthusiasts can really let off steam here. If you want to work on your weak points, you are well served by individual coaching with sports coach Melania Fink. Before this lesson, I mentally prepared myself for the fact that intensive, sweat-inducing strength training awaited me. But with the first exercise, Melanie Fink immediately dabs my really big weak point: conscious breathing. I already struggled with this in yoga classes. Melania is not irritated by my initial displeasure about the breathing exercises and makes me breathe deep into my stomach over the course of the lesson.

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On Tuesdays and Thursdays, selected sauna infusions are carried out as part of the weekly programme: from mountain pine to lavender to Japanese mint oil, a special experience for passionate sauna-goers.

If you want to treat your body to an extra moment of relaxation in addition to your daily exercise, you will find a wide range of massages, packs, baths and special treatments in the spa menu. I’m torn between trying a singing bowl, herbal stamp or hot stone massage, and finally decide on the mountain salt stamp massage – a treat for my dry skin.

#5 Enjoy consciously

Another speciality of the Rosenalp is the focus on a healthy, balanced diet. Chef Helmut Beng is a trained dietetic chef and manages to create menus that dispense with burdensome foods without neglecting enjoyment. A special feature is the Rosenalp light kitchen.

I think the concept of light cuisine is brilliant. I often feel “full” after a multi-course dinner and go to bed with a feeling of fullness. Thanks to the renunciation of carbohydrates and the small – but extremely “tasty” – portions that are served for dinner as part of light cuisine, this feeling has failed to materialize for once. Recommended for those who want to enjoy consciously.

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Even after our second visit to Oberstaufen, we feel the “Rosenalp effect”: after two days of fresh air, lots of sport and a conscious diet, our energy stores are noticeably charged. In addition, I have become curious about alkaline fasting – I would like to try that next time.

Practical tips for your stay at the Rosenalp Health Resort & Spa

• You can reach Oberstaufen from Zurich by train via Lindau in just under 3.5 hours. The transfer from the train station to the hotel and back is offered as an included service. By car, the journey takes about 2 hours.
• Room rates vary depending on the season and start at 129 euros per person in a double room. The use of the wellness area as well as participation in the active weekly program is included. You can find an overview of the offers and packages here: The Rosenalp offers
• As a hotel guest, you will receive the Oberstaufen PLUS Card upon arrival. This means that you benefit from free admission to various service providers – such as free use of the mountain railways (including one ascent and descent per day)
• From Monday to Friday, the Rosenalp offers guided afternoon hikes in the region.
• Oberstaufen is a good starting point for hikes in the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park as well as for bike and e-bike tours in the Allgäu. If you arrive without your own bike, you have the opportunity to rent bikes in Oberstaufen.