Georgian Cultural and Culinary Festival at Schloss Elmau
Two Hotels - One Resort
Schloss Elmau is a five-star luxury resort in the Southern part of Bavaria, about 15km to the east of Garmisch and about one hour and a half south of Munich. Thanks to the privileged location, it is a beloved go to place for wellness and family getaways by German families. To my surprise there was a significant amount of international guests staying at Schloss Elmau during my time in Elmau. This might be due to the fact that I was visiting during the first Georgian Cultural Festival held at Schloss Elmau from 3-7 July (to be repeated yearly). Another reason for the international clientele is due the reputation of Elmau hosting the G7 summit twice already. Property owner Dietmar Müller-Elmau’s ambitious plan to become the ideal host of such summits included the recent addition of the all-suite Retreat building. Since then Schloss Elmau has been split up into two hotels that share the facilities and amenities: the newer Retreat building and the initial “Schloss” building that was rebranded as the Hideaway.
Arrival and First Impressions
During the pre-stay encounter with the hotel, I was informed of my room reservation at the Hideaway and therefore directly drove to the main entrance of the castle part. Retreat guests can check-in at the discreet front desk hidden on the left of the retreat’s main entrance. We parked the car and entered the lobby passing by rushed bellmen who were busy helping guests leaving the hotel (we arrived at 1.30pm so check out was still ongoing). A young lady in a polo shirt welcomed us and offered us a seat in the old but wonderfully refreshed lobby lounge. We were immediately offered a welcome drink before she took all necessary travel documents and finished the paperwork for us. Since our room was ready, she offered to accompany us to 415 on the fourth floor. While this would have been a good chance to introduce us to the resort and show us indications to the facilities already, the front desk lady preferred to do small talk. Maybe they could offer to do a brief hotel overview when accompanying guests to the room - because I have heard from other guests that they would appreciate it as well. We didn’t feel less informed at all since I proactively asked the front desk lady all the questions I had. In addition to that I did my usual homework and was well informed ahead of the stay to make the most out of our 48 hours on site.
Room and Amenities
Once we opened the door to our suite, the lady from the front desk left and we could discover the suite ourselves. There was a large entree that lead to the bathroom on the right and had a walk-in wardrobe under the roof slope. Walking further the foyer we entered the cosy living room looking onto the Wetterstein mountain range. Right in the center of the room was the elegant sofa (that can be turned in an extra single bed) next to a chaise longue, the television and a writing desk that came with a Nespresso coffee machine and a watter kettle for tea-making. Interestingly nobody ever mentioned that the minibar is complimentary but I loved that Schloss Elmau provides free-flow still and sparkling water throughout the property. In addition to bottled water, the minibar was stocked with a bottle of apple juice and a bottle of coke as well as nuts and jellybeans. Right around the corner of the living room was the separate bedroom that looked onto the patio of the bar and the Schloss Elmau Retreat. Overall I loved the homey vibe of the Deluxe Suite thanks to the warm colors and elegant fabrics used. When staying at Schloss Elmau, one does not really get the typical hotel feeling due to the unique design and unusual shape of the buildings.
The heavenly beds are supplied by German bed producer Schramm - considered one of the best beds in the world. Although not the softest bed out there, the extended king beds (2,10m in length) here are more than heavenly and I had an excellent rest. Later I found out that there is a separate pillow menu, which I did not use considering the already perfect bedding. Ever since I put Schloss Elmau on my hotel-bucketlist, I am a fan of the bathrooms. Covered in beige natural stone with upscale bath faucets by Axor, they have a very neutral and timeless look. Despite the unusual layout of our suite bathroom, there was nothing missing: from a spacious walk-in shower, a deep bath tub, separate toilet to a single vanity with plenty of space for personal belongings. Considering the sustainability efforts of the house, toiletries come in elegant dispensers by German china producer Dibbern and the liquid content is supplied by a local pharmacy which has a very nice and long-lasting smell. As part of the hotel’s sustainability concept, housekeeping does not provide a turndown service automatically, unless you call and ask for it. Since we spent the entire day in their spas and showered there, we didn’t actually need the maid service twice a day.
Badehaus Spa at The Hideaway
Schloss Elmau is famous for its massive offering of spa and wellbeing. No wonder that there are four spas on site. We have the initial Badehaus (adults only including the Oriental Hamam Spa), the Hideaway Family Spa, the new Shantigiri Family Spa and Shantigiri Adults Spa with the Onsen (both at the Retreat) as well as the Nature Spa (open from June to September) between the Hideaway and the Retreat. We decided to skip the family spas and focus on the Badehaus Spa (the one at the Hideaway) for the first day so we can dedicate the second day to the Shantigiri Spa. Spread over four floors, this spa alone would be reason to travel to Elmau for a wellness weekend. Let’s begin with the basement where you can find the Oriental Hamam with chaise longues and an arabian-styled tea bar. Moving one floor up this is where most of the magic happens: on the ground floor there is the mixed sauna with a steam room and ice pool, the relaxation rooms in front of the heated saltwater pool and the unheated sunset pool. In addition to the main highlights there is the Ananda Spa Restaurant that serves breakfast till 12:30pm and a tea lounge to recharge during a spa day. The first floor is reserved for the treatment rooms, the spa reception and the shop. On the top floor of the Badehaus there is the heated rooftop Lap Pool right next to two relaxation rooms and the ladies spa with another sauna and steam bath. My favorite place was the recently added relaxation room with fire place in front of the sunset pool.
Cultural Experience
One might not think that spending the day exploring such a vast property is that exhausting. So after we changed into a formal outfit, we were ready for the main highlight of our stay which was the Georgian Cultural and Culinary Festival. The first edition of many more to follow according to Schloss Elmau’s owner Dietmar Müller Elmau began with a concert by world famous violinist Lisa Batiashvili (the one curating the festival with her Foundation). Each day at 5pm this unique property amidst the Bavarian Alps, hosts a concert in the concert hall. During our stay we enjoyed two stunning concerts that alone would be reason enough for a stay at Schloss Elmau. Lisa Batiashvili created a Foundation with which she supports Georgian artists that were all performing in various venues throughout the property during this unique festival from 3-7 July. I feel this is a great way to get a glimpse of another culture without travelling to another country. After the concert we enjoyed cocktails in the main bar - another favorite spot of mine thanks to the stunning lighting, the fire place and the perfectly matching music. Cocktails were excellent and service was attentive and friendly too - just like everywhere at the resort.
Dining Experience
With the reputation of Germany’s best wellness and family resorts for years, the choice of F&B outlets is nothing but stunning. Each guest staying at Schloss Elmau and booking directly receives a Dining Credit of 75 Euros per person and night. While I first thought this is not enough, after staying there most restaurant menus are priced exactly at 75 euros so there is not much to pay on top besides the drinks of course. On the first evening we dined at the hotel’s main restaurant La Salle. Situated in the Hideaway, this is a casual family restaurant with starters and dessert from the buffet and the main course being served. As the entire resort comes with 162 rooms and a capacity of about 350 people, it is essential to make dinner reservations ahead of your arrival via the reservation team. Even though the food at La Salle was not bad for a buffet restaurant, I am a fan of set menus with each course being served. Hence I had dinner at Fidelio on the second evening, which is located at the Hideaway as well and hosted the Georgian pop-up culinary concept. In cooperation with Berlin based Madloba Lounge, the entire menu was made of typical Georgian dishes with Georgian wines and it was an excellent way to explore the culture of this unknown corner of the world for me. Among the seven restaurants, three were closed as it was Wednesday and Thursday. Next time, I will definitely try the Michelin starred Ikigai restaurant as well as the Summit Pavillon, known for its world class sushi and japanese creations.
The best start into the day
Breakfast is served in three outlets: at the breakfast restaurant La Salle in the Hideaway, at laid-back Tutto Mondo in the Retreat or for late-risers at the Ananda in the Badehaus Spa. Having tried out La Salle and Tutto Mondo, I preferred the more sophisticated ambiance of the latter one at the Retreat. The furniture by Poltrona Frau and Maxalto in addition to the airy feeling and relaxing views of the Alps made me fell in love with the Retreat areas. I was more than surprised to find various versions of Eggs Benedict on an a la carte menu free of charge. From Avocado Eggs Benedict to Eggs Royale, breakfast at Schloss Elmau is a royal treat. What better way to wake up with such excellent breakfast options. Even the items on the buffet were all of highest quality and they offered all luxury products one can wish for a five-star-superior breakfast. Sevice once again was on par and all orders arrived after a short waiting time. On our second day, we had lunch on the terrace of Tutto Mondo restaurant where I ordered a Wiener Schnitzel. While it tasted excellent, with a price tag of 42 euros it was one of the most expensive Schnitzel I had so far. Considering the stunning views and the high class service (bread and spreads were included as was the daily changing afternoon cake selection), the price can be considered fair.
Conclusion
Even though there is no significant difference between the two properties and as mentioned above each other’s guest can use the facilities of the other - I felt that the two building are slightly different and it does matter which one you book yourself into. Another important thing to consider when booking a room at Schloss Elmau is that it is tailored to families and has been awarded best family resort of Germany for years. There are several spas and there are nine pools, so staying here can feel like staying at an adults only resort, however you may run into families with kids of all age during dinner and breakfast. If you are a fan of intimate hotel experiences and into design furniture, I would recommend staying at the Retreat. On the other hand if you are staying for the cultural offerings and looking for a more authentic experience, you’re better off staying at the Hideaway. In case you’re planning to spend a family getaway, I would rather stay at the Hideaway for the more flexible room options tailored to families (thanks to connecting doors and kids bedrooms). Overall I am impressed of Schloss Elmau and it definitely came up to the high expectations I have had ever since it has been put on my hotel bucketlist. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Schloss Elmau Hideaway and I will be back again soon. However one is for sure: I will have to stay at Schloss Elmau Retreat to review it too!
To learn more about Lisa Batiashvili and her foundation visit: www.lisabatiashvili-foundation.org
Double Rooms at the Hideaway start at 680 euros per night and Deluxe Rooms at the Retreat can be booked from 820 euros upwards.
I stayed at Schloss Elmau for editorial purposes and was hosted for the Georgian Cultural and Culinary Festival by the resort. All above written expresses my own opinion and has not been influenced.
