Das Kranzbach, A Secluded Spa Resort

Das Kranzbach Hotel, sits peacefully in a high mountain valley surrounded by thick forests in one of the most beautiful parts of the Bavarian Alps. Just a few minutes drive from Garmisch-Partenkirchen and a little more than an hour south of Munich, it is wonderful for guests wanting to enjoy nature’s tranquil beauty.

The historic Das Kranzbach was originally built as an “English country house” by Mary Portman, an eccentric English aristocrat. While on a horse drawn carriage ride, she was so impressed with a seculed mountain valley that she commissioned a home to be built there. Unfortunately her dreams of entertaining friends in the impressive stone manor came to a halt at the beginning of the First World War and it is believed that she never saw the house after it was completed.

Old Photo Of Das Kranzbach

The “English castle“, as the locals call it, opened as a hotel and spa in 2007 after careful renovations to the main building. An almost invisible modern wing constructed of wood, glass and stone and covered with a grass roof was built into an existing slope for additional guest rooms. A separate wellness spa was also added with massage and treatment rooms, multiple steam and sauna rooms, indoor and outdoor pools along with a glass and wood meditation house in the middle of the forest,  Das Kranzbach is now considered one of the very best wellness hotels in Germany.

The hotel is located in the Alpenwelt Karwendel region known for its beautiful mountain valleys, crystal blue lakes and picturesque villages. We love visiting the charming village of Mittenwald on day trips but had never stayed in the area until this year. As you drive up a private toll road from the neighboring village of Krün to reach Das Kranzbach, you realize that this is the perfect place to leave your worries and stress behind and relax and rejuvenate.

When you catch the first glimpse of the gatehouses with the main house in the background, Das Kranzbach does remind you of an English or Scottish manor house with its stone walls and stepped gables. Mary Portman would be pleased to see that her original house, which is under monument protection, has remained basically unchanged on the outside.

Das Kranzbach Was Originally Built By Mary Portman To Look Like An English Country House

When my husband and I arrived at the main house, we were greeted by a staff member who parked our car in the underground parking garage and took our luggage to our room while we went inside to register. We were warmly greeted at the reception desk, quickly registered and shown to the bar for a glass of sparkling wine. Afterwards, we were given a guided tour to get our bearings before being shown to our room. After 100 years, the interior still has the feel of an English country manor with its high ceiled lounges with their original fireplaces that are lite on cool evenings. What will surprise you is that they are decorated with fun eclectic furnishings.

Click on any photo to enlarge and see a slide show.

There are several differently decorated dining rooms and they all have wonderful views. The weather was nice during out stay and we enjoyed afternoon cake and coffee at one of the tables on the terrace.

When making reservations, guests have the choice between rooms and suites in the historic Mary Portman house or in the modern garden wing. We had a panorama double room on the top floor of the east garden wing. The room had warm wood paneling and the walls of the storage areas and reading chairs were upholstered in plaid. The room had a nice rooftop terrace with two lounge chairs as well as a small table and 2 chairs. The terrace had a retractable awning so that you could either enjoy the sun or sit in shade as you relaxed outside your room. The modern glass fronted bathroom had double sinks, a huge walk in shower as well as large tub with an unobstructed view out the window. 

At night, we left our balcony door open just enough to let fresh mountain air keep us cool and slept soundly under the feather duvets, in complete silence.

70 Different Kinds Of Breads And Rolls Are Baked At Das Kranzbach

Meals are included in the rate at Das Kranzbach. The main dining room serves a large breakfast buffet which can be enjoyed until 11 a.m. each morning. When the weather is nice, you can have the first meal of the day out on the terrace. The hotel bakes 70 different types of breads and rolls to choose from and the ones we tried were terrific. I wish we had a bakery like that where we live. The buffet is extensive with cheese, ham, bacon, sausage, sliced smoked salmon, fresh fruits, muesli, homemade jams and their own organic honey. There is also made to order egg dishes and waffles prepared in the front cooking area. There is even a special cool room with a juice bar where you can make your own fresh squeezed fruit and vegetable juice drinks.

A light lunch of soups, salad and a hot dish is also available at midday. If you start to feel like you need a little something sweet in the afternoon, there is a tempting buffet of homemade cakes, pastries and cookies served at 3 p.m. in the restaurant as well as at the spa bistro. We both had to try the apple strudel with vanilla sauce and it was delicious.

In the evening, the kitchen serves a multi course gourmet dinner. You start out by helping yourselves at a large salad bar. The marinated vegetables and salads were perfectly dressed and some of the best we had on our trip. The kitchen uses vegetables and herbs from the hotel’s own organic herb garden and as many local products from the region as possible. Many of the dishes offered are new interpretations of traditional classics and were light, healthy and delicious. We both thought the perfectly cooked lamb was the best we had ever eaten. To finish the meal, there was an impressive cheese selection at the buffet where you could make up your own cheese plate or there was a choice of two desserts from the menu.

If fitness is your thing, don’t forget your hiking boots as the area around the property is perfect for hikes and the scenery is spectacular. When you return from your walk, change into your bathrobe and head to the spacious spa and treat yourself to some time in the steam and sauna rooms. Afterwards, find your favorite relaxation room or pick a lounger out on the large sunbathing lawn, relax with a book and tell yourself how lucky you are to have discovered this unique wellness resort.

Das Kranzbach Wellness And Pools

Panorama Sauna

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Das Kranzbach was at the top of my husband’s wish list of new hotels to try on a hastily planned, last minute trip to Germany and Austria this year. The hotel is one of a few hotels in Germany to be awarded 20 out of 20 points and 4 lilies by the Relax Guide, considered by many to be the ultimate resource for wellness hotels. Only two days were available out of the entire month of October so we decided we would cut short our stay at one of our favorite hotels so that we could backtrack on our planned route to get a reservation at Das Kranzbach.

The hotel has now been placed on “our favorites” list of hotels. It lived up to its wonderful reputation for offering tranquility, beautiful scenery, fresh mountain air, delicious food and a wonderful wellness spa. What makes it even nicer is that memorable day trips can be planned to the nearby famous castles of King Ludwig II and picture perfect villages such as Mittenwald and Oberammergau.