Relax in the Allgäu: our feel-good days around the Hotel Oberstdorf

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Just break out of the hustle and bustle of everyday life for a moment and treat yourself and your body to a pampering program; In the middle of the hectic pre-Christmas season, we were given the opportunity to do just that and were allowed to test two great relaxation offers in the Allgäu in the most wonderful winter weather.

The event kicked off at the Hotel Oberstdorf, which is one of the Allgäu Alpine Wellness Hotels. The term “Alpine Wellness” encompasses offers where pampering and enjoyment in combination with Allgäu products and traditions are in the foreground.

Straight out into nature

During previous visits to the Allgäu, we have already noticed that the region east of Lake Constance can be reached quickly and definitely does not have to hide in terms of good wellness hotels and beautiful landscapes. Again, we are not disappointed. We combine the outward journey to the Hotel Oberstdorf with a detour to the Ofterschwanger Horn.

The 1,400 m high mountain is part of the “Hörnergruppe” and is part of the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park. With its exposed location, it offers a breathtaking panoramic view and is therefore the perfect destination to clear your head and at the same time get wanting the upcoming wellness days in the Allgäu.

Well bedded at the Hotel Oberstdorf

It is a stone’s throw from the Ofterschwanger Horn to our first stage stop on this wintry Allgäu tour. In a sunny location above Oberstdorf is the 4-star superior Hotel Oberstdorf, where we are already expected. Even in the lobby, the hotel impresses with charming details. There are, for example, the chairs and benches that appear to be randomly placed at first glance, which at second glance tell a story. Or there is the strikingly patterned carpet, which reflects the Allgäu nature with leaves, flowers and branches. Everywhere in the house you can also find old pieces of furniture with an unmistakable patina that have been collected with a lot of passion.

The incorporation of Allgäu traditions can also be found in the hotel rooms, which are divided into four categories. We spend the night in an “Allgäu feeling” room, which is characterized by the eye-catching canopy and an antiquarian canapé in front of a tiled stove wall. In addition to the cozy ambience, the room offers a beautiful view over snow-covered fir forests. It’s easy for us to feel comfortable.

Let yourself be pampered…

During the winter hike to the Ofterschwanger Horn, we have mastered a few meters in altitude and accordingly our stomachs soon growl. Fortunately, the Hotel Oberstdorf offers a bridging until dinner with the Allgäu farmer’s buffet as part of its pampering board.

I particularly like the open and permeable room concept; The fireplace bar, conservatory and the cosy restaurant area flow smoothly into each other. Rarely have I enjoyed spending time in a bar area so much – but the cuddly wing chairs are simply very comfortable. And then there are the homemade lemonades and the “stirred tails”. These cocktail creations, enriched with many herbs, are only available here at the Hotel Oberstdorf. Of course, I have to try my way through the drink menu. My favourite: the “Kräuterklamm” with sparkling wine, lavender syrup, limes and fresh sage

The next morning starts the same way as the day before ended: with all kinds of delicious things!

… and immerse yourself in Alpine wellness

And even though we could have easily extended the “Zmörgälä” with the rich selection at the breakfast buffet, we don’t let ourselves be too tempted. We want to use the quiet morning hours to explore the hotel’s alpine wellness world. At the same time as the first rays of sunshine peek out from behind the mountain flanks, I let myself glide through the heated outdoor brine pool and breathe in and out of the crystal-clear, fresh mountain air – wonderfully relaxing.

The attention to detail, which we already noticed on arrival, also runs through the wellness world. My highlights are the bread bath, the flax and stone pine bath as well as the stone bath – three very special saunas, all of which have a connection to Allgäu traditions. The friend and I are impressed when the mechanism in the stone bath actually starts to move and a basket full of hot stones is hoisted into a cold water basin and steam escapes with a hissing sound. And we agree: these three saunas are unique.

Equally welcoming and cosy are the relaxation rooms, which are divided into a room of silence and an open-plan area with a fireplace.

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Do something good for your body…

Allgäu traditions and products are also used in the various treatments. Be it the alpine herbal stamp massage or the hot stone massage with hand-picked stones from the Breitach not far from the hotel.

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… and clear your head

After a relaxing morning in the wellness area and with freshly kneaded muscles, we dress warmly and venture out into the freezing cold winter landscape. The great thing about the location of the Hotel Oberstdorf is that we are in the middle of nature and we can reach the walking paths along the Breitach after a few minutes.

I can’t get enough of the trees and bushes covered with glittering ice crystals! Simply magical! Unfortunately, the Breitach Gorge was still closed during our stay. Otherwise, we would probably have hiked from the Hotel Oberstdorf to the Breitachklamm gorge (about 1.5 hours walking time). So it stays with a short walk through this wonderful winter landscape before we warm up again in front of a blazing fireplace at the Hotel Oberstdorf.

Experience special moments

In addition to the wellness world and the hiking and walking trails right on the doorstep, the Hotel Oberstdorf offers various program items as an inclusive service every day. This includes getting to know local traditions, such as the Klausentreiben in the Allgäu. While the Klausentreiben takes place between 4 and 6 December, the Hotel Oberstdorf offers its guests an insight into the history of this tradition on a subsequent Saturday afternoon. I have a lot of respect for these creatures and have therefore observed the whole thing from a distance – although hardly anyone voluntarily spends time outside on the streets during the “real” Klausen hustle and bustle in Oberstdorf.

The various herbal courses with Cornelia Bader are instructive. She shows interested hotel guests how to create proven home remedies for various complaints with little effort. Together we simmer a cream from rose petals, honey and water that heals my chapped lips. And if I suffer from a persistent cough again, I now know that the juice drawn from onions and rock candy can help.

An atmospheric end to our time at the Hotel Oberstdorf is the nightly legend torchlight hike. Hiking in the flickering candlelight through a snow-covered landscape and listening to scary stories has a wonderfully decelerating effect. My thoughts are 100% in the “here and now” and I don’t digress for a second to the “to-dos” of everyday life.

Practical tips about the Hotel Oberstdorf

• The Hotel Oberstdorf can be reached by public transport in four to five hours from Zurich (depending on the connection) or in 2.5 hours by car.
• Depending on the room category and season, the overnight stay in a double room including breakfast and access to the wellness world costs from 99 euros. You can find the current prices and offers here: Room prices Hotel Oberstdorf.
• In addition to the Ofterschwanger Horn, the Breitach Gorge and the Sturmanns Cave are worthwhile excursion destinations nearby.
• The winter circular hiking trail on the Ofterschwanger Horn starts at the mountain station of the World Cup Express and Ossi-Reichert-Bahn and is easy to walk. Alternatively, there is a sporty variant that leads from the valley station to the summit.
• In winter, the hotel is practically located between the ski resorts around Oberstdorf and in the Kleinwalsertal.